{"id":1237,"slug":"estimate-10-20pct-over-rule","title":"Industry rule of thumb: estimates that exceed actual cost by more than ~10-20% require re-discussing scope","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["estimate-quote-law","accuracy-risk-published-data"],"reference_body":"**Claim:** A widely cited working norm: standard estimates can run **10-20% over** without re-negotiation; exceeding ~20% conventionally requires re-discussing scope with the customer.\n\n**Source:** FreshBooks https://www.freshbooks.com/hub/estimates/are-estimates-binding\n\n**Confidence:** Industry-consensus (working norm, not codified law).\n\n**Why this matters for Candid:** Useful sanity check on how much the on-site calculator can be off before the gap becomes a customer-relationship problem in addition to a legal one.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"estimate-vs-quote-legal-distinction","title":"Estimate vs quotation — the legal distinction and why \"it's just an estimate\" may not save you","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-customer-facing-calculators-smb-june-2026","title":"Research brief: customer-facing calculators & tools for SMBs — the honest case (June 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-20T16:50:09.566Z","updated_at":"2026-06-20T16:50:09.566Z"}