How to write a quote for a job
Write a clear trade quote with a practical checklist, copyable template and worked example. Explain the scope, price and next step before sending it.
To write a quote for a job, identify your business and customer, describe the work, list the prices and show a clear total. Include what is excluded, how long the price is available and how the customer can respond. Review the finished document before sending it.
A customer should be able to read your quote without needing to remember everything from the site visit. If you discussed materials, access or a particular finish, put the relevant details in writing.
This guide gives you a practical structure you can use in a document editor or in Docket, a chat assistant for creating business documents and PDFs.
What should a trade quote include
Use the following as a working checklist, adapting it to the job and the rules that apply to your business.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Business details | Your business name and contact information |
| Customer and site | Who the quote is for and where the work will happen |
| Reference and date | A reference that makes the quote easy to identify |
| Scope | The work, locations, quantities and finishes included |
| Price breakdown | The items or stages being charged for |
| Total | The currency, final price and applicable tax treatment |
| Exclusions | Relevant work or materials outside the price |
| Timing and terms | Price validity, proposed timing and payment arrangements |
| Next step | How the customer can ask a question or accept the proposal |
For home improvement work in England, Citizens Advice recommends written quotes that make the work, materials, total price, validity and VAT treatment clear. It also recommends explaining when a price could change. Read its guidance.
Start with the scope before calculating the total
“Decorate bedroom” leaves room for different expectations. Does that include the ceiling? Who supplies the paint? Will you repair damaged plaster?
A clearer description might be:
Prepare and paint the four bedroom walls using two coats of the customer's chosen paint. Include filling small surface holes and protecting the floor. Exclude the ceiling, woodwork and plaster repairs. Customer supplies the paint.
That is an illustrative scope, not a specification for every decorating job. Its value is that it names the boundaries. The customer can point to something they want changed before the work starts.
Where the condition of the site is unknown, identify what still needs inspection. Do not turn an unresolved cost into an apparently settled price just to finish the document.
Show how the price adds up
Here is a fictional decorating example. These figures illustrate the calculation; they are not suggested market rates. The example assumes a business that is not VAT registered.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and painting labour | 2 days × £220 | £440 |
| Agreed consumables | 1 allowance × £35 | £35 |
| Total quote | £475 |
The accompanying note could say: “Customer supplies paint. VAT is not charged because the business is not VAT registered.” Use the tax treatment that actually applies to your business.
For a fixed-price job, the breakdown explains the agreed total. If you are instead charging for actual time and materials, make that arrangement explicit rather than presenting a fixed total you cannot commit to.
Copy this quote structure
Replace the bracketed fields with the details for your job.
QUOTE
Business: [business name and contact details]
Prepared for: [customer name]
Job address: [site address]
Quote reference: [reference]
Issued: [date]
Price valid until: [date]
Work included:
[Describe the work, quantities, materials and finish.]
Price breakdown:
[Item] | [Quantity] | [Unit price] | [Amount]
Subtotal: [amount and currency]
Tax, if applicable: [amount and explanation]
Total: [amount and currency]
Not included:
[Relevant exclusions.]
Proposed timing: [timing and any dependencies]
Payment arrangements: [agreed terms]
Next step: [how to respond]Keep optional detail useful. A paragraph explaining a difficult access arrangement matters more than filling a page with terms copied from an unrelated business.
Review the quote as your customer will see it
Open the final PDF on your phone. Check the customer's name, site, quantities, total and currency. Look for old customer details left in a reused document, cut-off descriptions and a total stranded on another page.
If the customer requests a change, identify the revised version clearly and explain what changed. Send the complete updated quote so they can review one document containing the current proposal.
Create the quote with Docket
After completing your business setup, give Docket the customer, job description, line items and prices. For the fictional example above, your request could be:
Create a quote for Alex Morgan for preparing and painting the bedroom walls. Labour is 2 days at £220 per day, plus £35 for consumables. The customer supplies paint. Exclude ceiling, woodwork and plaster repairs. The business is not VAT registered. Use GBP and my saved Quote template.
Check the resulting PDF before sharing it. Follow the WhatsApp quote walkthrough for the setup steps, or create your Docket account.
Common questions
How long should a quote be
Use enough space to explain the scope, price and terms clearly. A small job may fit on one page; a job with several rooms or stages may need more. Do not shrink the text until the quote is difficult to read.
Can I use the same template for different customers
Yes. Reuse the structure and branding, then replace the customer, scope, dates and prices. Docket can also help you make a reusable template from an image of your existing quote.
Is a quote the same as an invoice
No. A quote proposes a price for work; an invoice bills the customer. A receipt records a payment received. Creating an invoice does not, by itself, establish that the customer has paid.