How to write a quote clients accept: from site visit to signature

A client calls, you visit the job, and by the evening they are waiting for a number. That is often where the job is won or lost. A clear, detailed quote reassures the client as much as it protects your margin. Here is the method I recommend to go from a site visit to a signed quote, step by step.

Start the quote during the site visit

The quote begins on site, not at your desk. While you are there, write down everything that will affect the price:

• measurements: areas, lengths, number of units or fittings;
• the existing condition: what has to be removed, repaired or protected;
• access constraints: stairs, parking, waste removal;
• the client's expectations: quality of materials, deadlines, rooms that must stay usable.

Take photos. They help you price the job and later explain a line if the client asks. If something is unclear, ask straight away: an assumption you did not check often turns into extra work you never get paid for.

Break the job into lines the client understands

A good quote reads like a list of work, not a single figure. I suggest grouping lines by area or by stage: preparation, main work, finishing, clean-up. Each group can show its own subtotal, which helps the client see where the money goes.

For each line, include:

1. 1a precise description ("Remove existing wall tiles and dispose of waste" rather than "Tiling");
2. 2a quantity and a sensible unit: square metre, linear metre, hour, fixed price, item;
3. 3a unit price before tax;
4. 4the tax rate that applies, where your country uses one.

Detail protects you. If there is a disagreement later, a precise line shows what was included and what was not. For unforeseen work, the safest route is a separate quote, accepted before you start it.

Keep labour and materials apart

Separate lines for fitting and for materials make the quote easier to read and to adjust. If the client wants a different tile range, you change one materials line without touching the labour. It also makes your markup on materials easier to manage from one job to the next.

Price your time from a real hourly rate

Time is the item most often underestimated. Price hours from a rate that covers your running costs, travel and unbillable time such as quoting, admin and buying materials, not from what a competitor seems to charge. Our guide on invoicing software for tradespeople explains how the right tool saves part of that unbillable time.

The details that make a quote usable

Beyond the lines, a few pieces of information turn a quote into a reliable working document:

• your full business details and the client's;
• the job address if it differs from the client's address;
• the date of the quote and how long it is valid;
• the expected start date and duration of the work;
• your payment terms: deposit on acceptance, stage payments, balance on completion;
• totals before tax, tax, and the final total.

What a quote or an invoice must legally contain depends on your country and your business status, so check the rules that apply to you. Our article on what to put on an invoice is a good checklist for the invoice that follows.

Ask for a deposit without awkwardness

A deposit pays for materials and confirms the client's commitment. State it clearly on the quote, as a percentage or an amount, with when it is due. Keep the wording factual: "A 30% deposit is due on acceptance so we can order materials." A short, plain sentence works better than a long justification.

Send it, follow it up, get it signed

Send the quote soon after the visit, while the project is fresh in the client's mind. A PDF with a short message recalling what you discussed gets read more readily than a bare attachment.

Signature is what turns the quote into an agreement. Online signing shortens the wait: the client accepts from their phone and you are notified straight away.

If you hear nothing after a week, follow up once by message, then by phone. A polite follow-up shows you want the job; it does not come across as pushy. If you often struggle to get paid after the job, our guide to chasing late payers covers the next step.

Summary: the steps of a winning quote