At jC Construction llc we receive calls from potential clients on a regular basis that are eager to discuss their projects and have us prepare a “free estimate” to complete the work. Undoubtedly at some point in the past, a General Contractor decided that providing free estimates would be a great marketing tool, and it has become generally accepted by the public today that the construction industry provides free estimates to anyone who asks for one. How often have you seen a contractor’s truck with a sign that says “Free Estimates!”? But what is a “free estimate” exactly? The word estimate can be a verb or a noun. The definition of the verb is to roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of something, while the noun is an approximate calculation or judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something. So it stands to reason that the definition of a “free estimate” when applied to the construction industry would be an approximate calculation. Terms and conditions would and do APPLY TO PROTECT YOU, YOUR MUNICIPALITY, YOUR STATE AND COUNTRY FROM THE UNSCRUPULOUS.