How to Write a Quote for Building Work (Free Template, 2026)

A good quote does three things at once:

Wins the job — by being clear, professional, and easy to say yes to.
Protects you — by setting out exactly what's included and what isn't.
Gets you paid — by making the payment terms obvious upfront.

A bad quote does the opposite: vague scope, no terms, no deadline, and you spend the next three months arguing about whether the second coat of paint was included.

Quote vs estimate — what's the difference?

A quote is a fixed price. Once you give it, the customer can hold you to it (and you can hold them to paying it). An estimate is your best guess — useful for early conversations but not legally binding.

Always give a quote once you've seen the job. Never say "it'll be about £X" and walk away — that becomes your quote in the customer's mind.

What every quote needs

1. Your business details

Trading name and any Ltd company details
Address and phone number
VAT number (if registered)
Trade body or certification numbers (NICEIC, Gas Safe, FMB, etc.)

2. Customer details

Name and address
Site address if different

3. Job description

A line-by-line breakdown of:

What you're doing
What materials you're using
How long each part will take (or quantities if priced by unit)

Bad: "Painting living room — £400." Good: "Living room walls — 2 coats emulsion, 22m² — £220. Ceiling — 2 coats emulsion, 18m² — £80. Woodwork — primer + 2 coats satin, 3 doors + skirting — £160. Materials (paint, brushes, fillers, dust sheets) at cost + 20% — £80. Total: £540."

4. Price

Subtotal
VAT (if registered, show the rate)
Grand total — clearly highlighted

5. What's NOT included

This is the section that prevents arguments. Spell out anything the customer might assume is included but isn't:

Making good plaster or rendering
Decoration after the work
Moving furniture
Skips or waste removal
Permits or council fees

6. Timeline

Start date (or "within X weeks of acceptance")
Estimated duration
Working hours (so the neighbour doesn't complain)

7. Payment terms

Deposit (typically 25–50% on acceptance for trades)
Stage payments for bigger jobs
Final balance on completion
Payment method (bank transfer, card, cheque)
Late payment terms

8. Validity

"This quote is valid for 30 days from the date above."

This lets you raise prices later without feeling bad.

9. Acceptance

A line for the customer to sign
"I accept this quote and agree to the payment terms above."

The free template

Here's the structure you can copy into a doc right now:

[Your business name]
[Address, phone, email]
[Trade body number, VAT number if applicable]

QUOTE
Quote number: Q-2026-XXX
Date: [today]
Valid until: [today + 30 days]

To: [Customer name]
Site: [Address]

Description of work
─────────────────────────────────────
1. [Task] — [quantity / hours] — £XXX
2. [Task] — [quantity / hours] — £XXX
3. [Task] — [quantity / hours] — £XXX

Subtotal: £XXX
VAT (20%): £XXX
Total: £XXX

What's not included
─────────────────────────────────────
• [List anything excluded]

Payment terms
─────────────────────────────────────
• 30% deposit on acceptance (£XXX)
• Balance on completion (£XXX)
• Bank transfer to [account details]

Validity: This quote is valid for 30 days.

Signed: ___________________   Date: ___________
[Customer name]

Common mistakes to avoid

Don't quote from a description alone. Visit the job, take photos, measure. A "quote" based on a phone call isn't a quote.
Don't bury the price. Show it clearly. Customers want to know the number fast.
Don't use vague language. "Some prep" or "as required" is asking for a dispute. Specify what's included.
Don't forget the deposit. No deposit = no commitment. Get 25–50% upfront for any non-trivial job.

The bottom line

A quote is a sales tool disguised as a piece of paperwork. The clearer it is, the more likely you are to win the job AND get paid without arguments.

GraftLog's AI quote builder creates a professional PDF quote like this in about 60 seconds. Try it free for 14 days →