A remodeler can build the estimate as a document in GoHighLevel Documents and Contracts, send it by email or link before leaving the driveway, and let the homeowner sign on a phone. The bottom line: the signing is easy, and the compliance is in the document, because a sale made at the customer's home usually carries a right to cancel that the contract must state.
What GoHighLevel documents
GoHighLevel's help page says Documents and Contracts, under Payments, lets you create, send, and track contracts, proposals, and estimates, that you can add payment options inside the contract, and that you can enable direct payment on signing or send invoices automatically. Documents go out by email or as a link. A changelog entry says customers can accept and sign proposals on mobile browsers and download a PDF of the signed document. A separate trigger fires when a document is sent, viewed, signed, or completed.
The cooling off rule
The FTC's Cooling Off Rule gives buyers three business days to cancel certain sales made at their home, workplace, or a seller's temporary location, and its consumer page says it also applies when you invite a salesperson to make a presentation in your home. The seller must tell the buyer about the right to cancel at the time of sale and provide two copies of a cancellation form and a copy of the contract. A Georgia consumer agency says the notice may be provided electronically only with the buyer's express consent. Exceptions include sales completed at the seller's permanent place of business after negotiations there, emergency repairs, and sales entirely by phone or online. Many states add more: Maryland's Door to Door Sales Act, as described by Professional Remodeler in 2016, extends the period to five business days, or seven for buyers 65 and older, and requires a signed acknowledgment. So a same day signature is fine, and the document must include the cancellation notice, and you should confirm your state's contract and deposit rules.
The estimate flow
| Step | Tool |
|---|---|
| Estimate built and sent | Documents and Contracts template, sent by email or link |
| Homeowner signs on a phone | Mobile signing |
| Signed | Workflow moves the pipeline card and sends the deposit invoice |
| Cancellation window | Do not order materials until it closes, if your policy says so |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Create an estimate template with your scope, price, payment schedule, and the right to cancel notice and form for your state.
- After the visit, create the document from the template, fill in the customer's details, and send it by email or link.
- Add payment options inside the document, or send a deposit invoice after signing. Check your state's deposit limits.
- Build a workflow with the Documents and Contracts trigger, set to signed, that moves the opportunity to Sold and sends an internal notification.
- Add a task to schedule the pre construction meeting after the cancellation window ends.
- Add a reminder to unsigned estimates 1 day and 3 days after sending.
What the workload looks like
For example, if a remodeler sends 20 estimates a month and 30 percent sign the same day, that is 6 same day signatures (20 times 0.3). The other 14 get reminders instead of waiting for a call.
Mistakes to avoid
- Omitting the cancellation notice. The rule requires disclosure.
- Collecting a deposit over the state limit. Check the state.
- Starting work inside the window. The buyer can cancel.
- No follow up on unsigned estimates. Remind them.
How this was handled before
Remodelers printed a contract, left it with the homeowner, and called back in a few days. Phone signing lets the homeowner sign at the kitchen table, and the cooling off rules that always applied to home sales now have to be built into the document, since no one is handing over two paper copies.
What to measure after launch
Track estimates sent, opened, signed the same day, signed within a week, and cancellations inside the cooling off window. A high cancellation rate inside the window points to pressure at the kitchen table, so slow the presentation down instead of the paperwork.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Homeowners often sign on a phone at the kitchen table, so keep the document short and readable on a small screen. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can a homeowner sign an estimate on a phone?
Yes. A HighLevel changelog entry says customers can accept and sign proposals on mobile browsers.
Does the FTC cooling off rule apply to home improvement sales?
It applies to certain sales made at the home for $25 or more, including when you are invited to present in the home. Exceptions and state rules exist.
Can the cancellation notice be electronic?
A Georgia consumer agency says only with the buyer's express consent.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.