A written estimate for repair or installation often looks like a settled price, but it is a proposal with its own terms. It may name the labor, the parts, the warranty on each, and the conditions under which the shop will stop work or add charges. Many households sign the estimate and assume the warranty promise on the page covers everything that happens next. Reading each line first keeps the estimate from turning into a second contract that nobody compared.
Labor and parts
Check whether the labor is listed as a flat amount, an hourly rate, or an estimate of hours. Check whether each part is described as new, rebuilt, refurbished, or equivalent to a named part. An equivalent part may be a valid choice, but it changes what a parts warranty means. Ask whether the labor warranty is separate from the parts warranty and how long each one runs.
Additional work
Look for language that allows the shop to add work or parts after it opens the unit. Ask whether the shop must get written approval before any added work starts, and how the estimate handles a diagnostic visit that leads to a different repair.
The warranty line
A warranty printed on an estimate may cover only the work done on that visit. It may not cover the unit as a whole, the parts supplied by a manufacturer, or a problem that appears after the visit. Compare the estimate's warranty line to any manufacturer warranty and to any service contract you already hold. Ask which paper controls if they disagree.
What to check before you approve
Confirm who is doing the work and whether the state requires that person or business to hold a license or registration. The state pages on this site name the regulator and the statute for the states this edition has read, so check the page for the state where the work will happen. Ask for the estimate's validity period, the deposit terms, and how payment is handled if the work is not finished.
This edition has not read the estimate forms of any particular shop, and it does not rank or recommend any shop or contract. Use the questions above with the paper in front of you.