what to include in a quote
What to Include in a Quote: The Anatomy of One That Wins Work
A good quote does a lot more than put a number on a job. It tells the customer you're organised, that you've understood exactly what they want, and that you'll be straight with them — all before you've so much as picked up a screwdriver. Get it right and you'll win work off cheaper rivals, no two ways about it.
Over the years I've worked out there's a proper anatomy to a quote that wins. Miss a bit and you leave the door open for confusion, disputes, or the customer going elsewhere. So here's everything I make sure goes in, near enough like a template you can follow.
Your business details — the header
Start with who you are. It sounds obvious, but a quote with no clear letterhead looks like it was scribbled on the back of a fag packet. Up top you want your trading name, your name, a phone number and email, your address, and — if you're registered — your VAT number and any scheme numbers like NICEIC, Gas Safe or your CIS details if you're a subbie.
- Business / trading name and your name
- Phone, email and address
- VAT number (if VAT registered)
- Trade body or certification numbers — NICEIC, Gas Safe, etc.
- A unique quote number and the date you issued it
Customer details and a clear scope of works
Next, their details — name, the job address, and the date. Then the heart of the whole thing: the scope of works. This is where you spell out exactly what you're going to do, in plain English, in a bit of detail. Not 'rewire' but 'replace consumer unit, run new circuits to kitchen and utility, install 6 double sockets and 4 LED downlights, test and issue EIC.'
The clearer your scope, the fewer arguments down the line. When a customer later says 'I thought that included the garage,' your scope is what settles it. Spell it out and you protect both of you.
Itemised costs, VAT and the total
To my mind, itemising beats a single lump-sum figure every time. Break it down so they can see where the money's going — labour, materials, and any specialist bits. It builds trust, and it makes it far harder for someone to dismiss you as 'dear' when they can see exactly what they're paying for.
On VAT — be crystal clear. If you're VAT registered, show the net figure, the VAT at the current rate (20% on most jobs, though some work like certain energy-saving installs can be lower), and the gross total. If you're not VAT registered, it's fine to just show your prices, but don't write 'plus VAT' as that'll confuse folk. A customer should never be surprised by the final number.
- Labour, broken out separately where it helps
- Materials and any specialist equipment
- Subtotal (net), VAT line, and the final total
- If you take a deposit, state the amount and when it's due
Exclusions, validity and payment terms
Here's the bit most people forget, and it saves more grief than anything else: what's NOT included. Spell out the exclusions plainly — 'price excludes plastering and making good,' 'does not include builder's work or scaffolding,' 'assumes existing pipework is sound.' This stops the dreaded 'but I assumed that was in the price' a fortnight in.
Then a validity period. Materials prices move about, so I put 'this quote is valid for 30 days.' That protects you if copper or board prices jump, and it gives the customer a gentle nudge to decide.
Finally, payment terms — be upfront. State whether you want a deposit, how stage payments work on a bigger job, and how soon you expect the final balance once you're done. Clear terms now mean you're far less likely to be chasing money later, and chasing money is nobody's idea of a good time.
How to present it
Presentation matters more than people think. A clean, consistent, professional-looking document tells the customer you'll do clean, consistent, professional work. A messy one tells them the opposite, fair or not. Use the same layout every time, get your spelling right, and make sure it reads well on a phone — that's where most folk will open it.
You can build all this in a Word template if you like, but it's fiddly to keep tidy. These days I run mine through Quotato, which keeps the layout sharp and means I'm not retyping my details on every job. However you do it, cover the lot above and you'll have a quote that does the selling for you. Give us a shout if you want a second opinion on yours — happy to help.