EXAMPLE AT A GLANCE
This fictional Kelowna, British Columbia gravel driveway installation example contains 8 itemized costs totaling C$11,989.70 before tax or markup. The app-exported PDF uses the exact quantities and CAD rates shown in the table, with scope limits explained below.
Project scope: One private vehicle area
Install a compacted gravel surface on a defined private vehicle area with excavation, sub-base, edge restraint and finish aggregate.
The fictional project is set in Kelowna, British Columbia. Cedar & Beam Builders and Jordan Taylor are example names, not a contractor and client case study. The matching guide explains how measurement, product selection and site conditions affect the estimate.
- Location
- Kelowna, British Columbia
- Prepared by
- Cedar & Beam Builders · fictional business
- Prepared for
- Jordan Taylor · fictional client
- Issued / valid through
- September 25 / October 25, 2026
The 8 CAD cost lines
The table uses the exact items, quantities and unit rates in the app-exported PDF. Multiply each quantity by its rate to check the amount. These chosen figures demonstrate the document; they are not surveyed prices or suggested rates for Kelowna, British Columbia.
| Work item | Quantity | Unit rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site survey and setting-out | 1 job | C$295.00 | C$295.00 |
| Excavation and spoil | 620 sq. ft. | C$5.40 | C$3,348.00 |
| Geotextile allowance | 680 sq. ft. | C$1.35 | C$918.00 |
| Sub-base allowance | 16.33 tonnes | C$110.00 | C$1,796.30 |
| Base compaction labour | 620 sq. ft. | C$4.05 | C$2,511.00 |
| Edge restraints | 115 linear ft. | C$15.00 | C$1,725.00 |
| Surface gravel allowance | 7.26 tonnes | C$140.00 | C$1,016.40 |
| Final grading | 1 job | C$380.00 | C$380.00 |
| Illustrative subtotal | C$11,989.70 | ||
Check the arithmetic
- Excavation and spoil: 620 sq. ft. × C$5.40 = C$3,348.00.
- Geotextile allowance: 680 sq. ft. × C$1.35 = C$918.00.
The rounded line amounts add to C$11,989.70. The PDF's tax field is 0%, so its illustrated total stays C$11,989.70 before any markup. The sample shows 0% tax only to make the arithmetic visible. Determine any applicable GST, HST or PST and markup for the actual work before sharing a quote.
Measurement to verify: Measure vehicle area, excavation depth, edge length and drainage falls. Product decision: Specify sub-base and surface aggregate separately because grades and depths differ.
The sub-base allowance line uses 16.33 tonnes. Confirm the supplier's actual delivered mass and the specified compacted depth before replacing this allowance.
Assumptions and exclusions
Confirm access for delivery and compaction equipment before stripping the existing surface.
Outside this example: No paving, drainage piping or new road access.
Weak ground or buried services can require a deeper base and revised quantities. Review access, grades, drainage and seasonal conditions at the property. Check utility locations, product availability and any local design or municipal requirements that apply to the real scope. Confirm a change and update the estimate before adding work that was not in the base scope.
Download the actual app PDF
The PDF was exported from Estimates for this fictional Canadian job. It carries a concise version of the project scope, plus the same customer, cost lines, CAD amounts and total used here. Its note covers the fictional tax setting and the brief's full exclusion sentence; the article records additional assumptions that do not fit in that PDF note.
Build the next estimate from your own inputs
- Measure the actual site and describe the work boundary in plain language.
- Confirm the selected products, access and handoff responsibilities with the client.
- Replace every fictional rate with your own labour, supplier and subcontractor figures.
- Check the relevant GST, HST or PST treatment and markup for the job without copying this sample's zero entry.
- Preview each PDF page, total and exclusion note before sharing.
- Measure vehicle area, excavation depth, edge length and drainage falls.
- Specify sub-base and surface aggregate separately because grades and depths differ.
- Confirm access for delivery and compaction equipment before stripping the existing surface.
- Weak ground or buried services can require a deeper base and revised quantities.
Questions about this estimate
Which quantity controls this gravel driveway installation estimate?
Measure vehicle area, excavation depth, edge length and drainage falls.
When should this gravel driveway installation quote be revised?
Weak ground or buried services can require a deeper base and revised quantities. No paving, drainage piping or new road access.
MAKE THE NEXT ESTIMATE YOUR OWN
Build a gravel driveway installation estimate.
Enter the job scope in Estimates on iPhone or Android or start from an AI-assisted draft. Check every quantity, rate, allowance, client detail and note before exporting the PDF. Some app features may require an in-app purchase.
