Guide for contractors

Good, better, best:
three options on one estimate

You send one price. The client hears "too much" and goes quiet. With one number the only question is "yes or no". With three, the question becomes "which one". That is an easier question to answer yes to.

By the WorkTime CRM team · Updated October 22, 2026

· views Comments · ·

How it looks in WorkTime CRM · Sample data

Northwest Remodel LLC
Clients

A photo or one sentence

Shoot the room on site, or type "master bath, 120 sq ft, full gut"

The AI prices it

Materials, labor and markup at your local rates

Estimate #1042 · Anna K.Signed
Tile — floor & walls120 sq ft$2,880
Vanity, install1$1,450
Plumbing fixtures3$960
Total$5,290
👁 Preview📧 SendView & Sign
Estimates in WorkTime CRM: one estimate, and the client picks the option on the link

How to build three options that make sense

The work stays the same. The materials change. That is where the price gap comes from, not from doing less.

  • Start with the middle option. It is the estimate you would write anyway.
  • Basic uses cost-effective materials: stock cabinets, a standard toilet.
  • Premium uses the upgrade: custom cabinets, better glass, stone tile.
  • Labor stays the same. Swapping tile does not make demo cheaper.
  • Mark one option "Recommended". Most clients take the one you point at.

When not to offer options

A labor-only job has nothing to upgrade. Offering three prices there only confuses the client.

How it works in WorkTime CRM

Turn it on once in Settings → Estimate Design. It is off by default. There you rename the options (Basic / Standard / Premium, or Good / Better / Best), choose which one gets the "Recommended" badge and whether new estimates start with options on.

Then build the estimate as usual in Estimates. That is your middle option. Tick "3 options" next to the Detailed / Summary switch and the three prices appear under the totals.

Each option is priced by material grade, the way the AI Estimator prices it. Your own Pricebook prices are used too. Semi-custom cabinets, for example, become stock cabinets in Basic and custom ones in Premium. You can turn this off in the same settings card.

If one option has a real extra, such as a heated floor, use the small B / S / P buttons on that line. Lines you leave unmarked are in all three options.

The client picks an option on the estimate link and signs that one. Labor-only and rough-materials estimates cannot have options.

The Estimates list in WorkTime CRM with the Make Estimate button and estimate cards by status
The Estimates list: build the estimate here, then tick "3 options". Demo company, made-up people.
· views Comments · ·

Comments

Comments are public. Ivan reads every one and answers here.

Questions

Does the client see all three prices?

Yes. They see three cards, with your "Recommended" badge on one, pick a card and sign that option.

Will my own saved prices be changed?

Lines from your Pricebook are priced in each option the way the AI Estimator prices them at that material grade. At the grade you saved the price at, it is exactly the saved number.

What does it cost?

Options are part of the WorkTime CRM plan: first month free with a card on file, then $99 a month per company.

Next

Get estimates signed onlineThe contractor estimate and invoice checklistA sales pipeline for contractors

WorkTime CRM — leads, estimates and jobs in one app

Built by a working contractor. 7 days free with a card on file, then $99 a month per company.

Start your free 7-day trial