How to write a quote for a job (UK)
Writing a quote from scratch every time, retyping your address and terms, guessing at the layout, then wondering why half of them never come back. There's a repeatable shape to a quote that wins work and protects you.
Where it hurts
A good quote does two jobs at once. It sells the work, and it draws a line around what you're agreeing to. Most quotes I see do neither well. They're a lump sum with no breakdown, no mention of what's excluded, no expiry date, and nothing about deposits or payment terms. The customer can't see what they're getting, and you can't defend the price when the scope creeps.
The contents that actually matter are boring and that's the point. A clear description of the work, the price and whether it includes VAT and materials, what's explicitly not included, how long the quote is valid, and your terms on deposits and payment. Leave any of those out and you've left a gap someone will exploit, usually by accident.
The other killer is speed. A quote that lands three days after the site visit has already lost to the trade who sent theirs that evening. But sending fast usually means sending sloppy, and sloppy quotes get haggled.
What I'd build
I'd build you a quote template that fills itself. The header details, terms, validity and VAT handling are fixed once and reused every time, so you only ever type the bits unique to the job. In QuickBooks or Xero I'd set the estimate up so it converts to an invoice on acceptance. For trades I'd often push it into a quoting or job app where you assemble a quote from saved line items and price lists on your phone before you've left the driveway. Free 'quote template UK' downloads get you started, but a template wired into your accounts saves the retyping and keeps a proper record. The aim is a tidy, defensible quote out the door the same day, every time.
What changes
- A consistent quote layout that looks professional and states VAT, scope and exclusions
- Header, terms and validity filled in automatically so you type only the job specifics
- Quotes out the same day as the visit, while you're still front of mind
- Accepted quotes turn into invoices without rekeying
Related fixes
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