How to Write a Quote for a Job (With a Free Template)

Written for the UK scenario, but the principles apply in most English-speaking nations.

A quote does two jobs. It wins you the work, and it protects you once you start. Plenty of tradespeople get the first part right and the second wrong: a figure scribbled on the back of a card or sent in a text wins the job, then leads to an argument when the customer thinks something was included that wasn’t.

A proper written quote takes ten minutes longer and saves hours of disputes, unpaid extras and awkward conversations. This guide explains how to write a quote for a job: how to work out your price, what every quote must include, and the legal rule that catches out many tradespeople who quote in customers’ homes. There is also a free template to copy and use.

Quote vs estimate: what’s the difference?

Before you learn how to quote a job, be clear on quote vs estimate. Customers often use the words as if they mean the same thing. They don’t, and the difference matters if there is a dispute.

If you call something a quote, expect the customer to hold you to that price. If there is any real uncertainty, say so in writing: quote a fixed price for what you can see, and explain how anything you find will be priced, for example “any rotten joists found when the floor is lifted will be priced separately and agreed before work continues”.

How to write a quote for a job: step by step

1. Visit, look and measure. Price from what you have seen, not what the customer told you on the phone. Take measurements and photos, and note access problems, parking, and anything that will slow the work down.
2. Write down exactly what the customer wants. Agree the scope with them before you leave: what is included, what finish they expect, and who supplies what.
3. Work out your labour. Estimate the hours for each part of the job, then multiply by your charge-out rate. Your rate must cover your overheads, van, tools and unpaid time, not just your wages. Our free Charge-Out Rate Calculator works it out: tradeskillshubacademy.com/profit-tools.
4. Price your materials. Use current prices, not last year’s, and allow for waste and offcuts. Add a mark-up to cover the time spent ordering, collecting and handling them, and the risk of things going wrong.
5. Add everything else. Skip hire, access equipment, parking, waste disposal, certificates and any specialist you need to bring in.
6. Check the total against your experience. Does it feel right for this kind of job? If it seems low, you have probably missed something. Go back through the list.
7. Write it up and send it promptly, ideally within 48 hours. Customers often go with the first professional quote they receive.

How to write a quote: what every quote must include

• Your business details: your name (and business name if you use one), address, phone, email, and VAT number if you are VAT registered.
• The customer’s details and the address of the job, if different.
• A quote number and date, so you can both refer to it later.
• A clear description of the work. Be specific: “supply and fit 12 double sockets in white, as marked on the plan” rather than “electrical work”. This is the most important part of the quote, because it defines what the price covers.
• What is not included. For example, making good plaster, decorating, or moving furniture. Leaving it unsaid is how disputes start.
• The price, broken down if that helps the customer understand it, and whether it includes VAT.
• How long the quote is valid, typically 30 days. Material prices change, so don’t leave quotes open forever.
• Payment terms: any deposit, stage payments, when the final payment is due, and how to pay.
• Expected start date and how long the job will take.
• How changes will be handled. Any extra work or changes requested by the customer will be priced and agreed in writing before they are done.
• Your terms and conditions, or a link to them.
• Cancellation information, if you quoted at the customer’s home (see below).

Free quote template

Copy this quote template into a document or your invoicing software and replace everything in [square brackets]. For a ready-made Word version, download the Professional Quotation Template from www.tradeskillshubacademy.com/profit-tools.

QUOTATION

[Your business name] [Your name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email] [VAT number, if registered]

Quote number: [Q-0001] Date: [Date] Valid until: [Date, e.g. 30 days from today]

For: [Customer name] Job address: [Address]

Description of work

[Describe the job clearly and specifically, for example:]

• [Remove existing kitchen wall units and dispose of them]
• [Supply and fit 6 new wall units, customer to choose from the range discussed]
• [Make good fixing holes ready for decoration]

Not included

• [e.g. Decorating]
• [e.g. Any electrical or plumbing alterations]

Price

[Prices include VAT at 20% / Prices are not subject to VAT]

Payment terms

[Deposit of £[amount] to confirm the booking. Balance due on completion, payable by bank transfer to: [account name, sort code, account number].]

Start date and duration

[Expected start: [date]. The work will take approximately [number] days.]

Changes to the work

Any extra work or changes you ask for will be priced and agreed with you in writing before they are carried out.

Acceptance

To accept this quote, please sign and return it, or reply by email confirming acceptance. Our terms and conditions [are attached / are at: link] and form part of this agreement.

Signed: ________________  Date: ________________

The cancellation rule that catches tradespeople out

If a homeowner agrees to your quote while you are at their home, or after you have given them the quote in their home, the contract usually counts as an “off-premises” contract under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. The same 14-day cancellation right applies to contracts agreed by phone, email or online.

That means:

• The customer has 14 days to cancel without giving a reason.
• You must tell them about this right in writing, and give them a cancellation form. If you don’t, the cancellation period can be extended by up to a year, and you may not be able to charge for any work you have done.
• If they want you to start within the 14 days, ask them to request this in writing. If they then cancel, they must pay for the work done up to that point.

The rules do not apply to business customers. For homeowners, adding a short cancellation notice and form to your quote or terms solves the problem. A model cancellation form is set out in the regulations themselves, and Business Companion, the free Trading Standards advice website, explains how to use it.

Quoting mistakes that cost you money

• Quoting by text or on the phone. It feels quick, but it leaves no record of what was included.
• Vague descriptions. “Bathroom refit” can mean very different things to you and the customer.
• Forgetting the small costs. Fuel, parking, waste disposal and consumables add up across a year.
• No expiry date. A customer who comes back after six months will expect last spring’s price.
• Dropping your price at the first push. If your price is built properly, explain what it includes instead of cutting it. Customers who only want the cheapest price are rarely the ones you want.

Follow up every quote

Knowing how to write a quote is only half the job. Many quotes are lost simply because nobody followed them up. Send a short, friendly message three to five days after the quote: ask if they have any questions and whether they would like to book a date. It is not pushy, it shows you want the work, and it often wins the job.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a quote for a job?

Visit and measure the job, agree exactly what the customer wants, then price your labour, materials and any extras. Write it up with a clear description of the work, what is not included, the price, payment terms and how long the quote is valid. Use the quote template above as your starting point.

Quote vs estimate: which should I give?

Give a quote, a fixed price, when you can see and measure the whole job. Give an estimate, your best guess at the likely cost, when the full extent can’t be known until you start.

Should I charge for quotes?

Most tradespeople quote for free on domestic work. Charging can make sense for large or complicated jobs that take hours to price, as long as you take the fee off the final bill if they go ahead.

How long should a quote be valid for?

Thirty days is common. For jobs with a lot of materials whose prices change quickly, you might choose 14 days.

Can I change a quote after the customer accepts it?

Only if the job changes. If the customer asks for extra work, or you find something that couldn’t have been seen, price it and get their written agreement before you do it.

Do I need to show VAT on my quote?

If you are VAT registered, show your VAT number and whether prices include VAT. If you are not registered, you must not charge VAT.

Your next step

A good quote starts with the right price. The Complete Guide to Running a Profitable Trade Business shows you how to work out your true costs, set a charge-out rate that covers them, price materials, and present your quotes with confidence so you win work at a profit.

Free calculators and templates, including a Professional Quotation Template, are at www.tradeskillshubacademy.com/profit-tools.

Lots more information and advice can be found by downloading our eBook, Running a Profitable Trade Business.