Adding sales tax (GST, PST, HST) to estimates
Use taxes in Bolster to keep your totals accurate.
You can apply:
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Canada taxes (GST, PST, HST)
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US state sales tax
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Custom taxes you define
How taxes work in Bolster
Bolster gives you a few options.
You can:
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Automatically import custom taxes based on your province in Canada or your state in the US
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Add a custom tax as a simple percentage
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Apply taxes only to specific item types
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Labor
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Subcontracted items
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Materials
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This helps you match how you actually charge tax.
Add or change tax on an estimate
Follow these steps inside any estimate.
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Open the estimate
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Open Project totals in the bottom left
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Click the tax name
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Bolster opens a menu on the right
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Select a tax from the list
If you don’t see the tax you need, add a new one.
Add a new tax
From the same right-side tax menu:
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Click the + button to add a new tax
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Choose one of these options
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Select a state/province for tax
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Enter a percentage
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Name the tax
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Example: GST
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Example: PST (BC)
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Example: HST (ON)
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Example: State Sales Tax
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Save it.
Then apply it to the estimate from the tax list. Your grand total will include the tax chosen from this list.
Advanced tax settings
If you need more control:
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Click the Advanced button
You can set separate percentages for:
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Basic sales taxes
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Sales tax on labor
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Sales tax on subcontracted services
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Sales tax on materials
Use this when your tax rules differ by category.
Practical tips
Use these habits to avoid mistakes:
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Match your tax name to what the client expects to see
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Example: “HST (ON)” instead of “Tax”
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Use Advanced settings when you tax labor differently than materials
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Keep your tax setup consistent across estimates
What part of your estimate causes the most tax questions today: labor, materials, or subs?