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Quoting guides to price, send and win work

Every guide answers one question you hit while quoting, short answer first, then worked numbers and wording you can copy straight onto your next quote.

Pricing guides on overhead, markup, margin and deposits
Wording to copy for emails, terms and acceptance
A starting path if you are new to quoting

By WhizQuote Editorial

All guides by topic

Writing and sending quotes

How to write a quoteThe eight parts of a quote, in order, with wording that prevents disputes.How to write an estimateSeven steps, a priced flooring example and the wording that keeps a range honest.Itemised quoteThe columns every line needs and a fully priced patio example with tax and a deposit.Quote numberingEight numbering formats with examples, revision rules and links from quote to invoice.Quote email templateSix ready to copy emails for sending a quote, plus subject lines and a send checklist.Quote follow upA three touch timing plan, emails to copy and answers to the replies customers really send.Quote acceptanceAcceptance blocks, emails and a formal letter, plus the reply that confirms the booking.Quote rejectionReply scripts for every kind of no, a staged offer that keeps your rate, and a lost quote log.Win more quotesMeasure your win rate, then fix speed, clarity, options and follow up before you cut a price.

Pricing the job

Pricing a jobPrice a job from five parts, with a worked fence example, labor table and margin math.Labor costBuild a true labor cost per hour from wages, burden and billable hours, with a worked job.Materials markupWork out your own materials markup from handling costs, with a tile example and wording.Markup vs marginBoth formulas, conversion tables each way, and what mixing up markup and margin costs.Overhead costTurn a year of running costs into an overhead rate per hour, with O&P worked through.Fixed price or hourlyFixed price, time and materials and cost plus compared, with one repair priced three ways.Deposits on quotesSize a deposit from upfront costs, with job examples, stage payments and legal caps.

Rules and terms

Is a quote legally bindingOffer, acceptance and the valid until date: when a quote turns into a contract.How long is a quote validCommon quote validity periods, expiry wording and how to re-price a late acceptance.Quote terms and conditionsA 12 clause terms template for quotes, with samples for trades, services and supply.Variations and change ordersPrice extra work, credit removed work and get changes signed before you start.

Comparisons

Quote vs estimateFixed price or best guess: how quotes and estimates differ and when to send each.Quote vs invoiceQuote, invoice and receipt compared, with one job traced from price to payment.Bid vs quote vs proposalBid, quote, proposal or estimate: what each means and which one to send.Proforma invoice vs quotationQuotation or proforma: what each one does and where it sits in the sale.Quoting softwareFree quote makers, invoicing apps, field service and estimating tools compared fairly.

Where to start

Practical quoting guides for people who price work for a living: how to write a quote or an estimate, how to price a job so it pays, which terms protect you, and how to follow up and win the work. Each guide gives the short answer first, then the detail, worked numbers and wording you can copy. New to this and unsure how to quote a job? Start with the first guide below.

New to quoting? Read how to write a quote first, then how to price a job. Together they cover the layout of a good quote and the numbers behind it, which is most of what decides whether you win the work and whether it pays.

If a quote is already out, the guides on following up and quote acceptance help you close it. For the rules where you work, open your country page from the quote templates library.

How these guides are written and checked

Every guide is written to answer one question properly, with the short answer at the top. Legal and tax points are checked against official government and regulator pages, and example prices are labelled as examples. Read the editorial policy for how we research, update and correct guides.

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