How to Quote a Job Accurately and Avoid Losing Money
A practical method for estimating time, materials and risk so your quotes are competitive without leaving you out of pocket on the day.
A quote is a promise made before you know everything. Quote too high and you lose the job. Quote too low and you win it, then spend the day resenting it. Accuracy comes from method, not instinct, and the method is mostly about being honest with yourself about how long things take.
Start with a proper brief
Most quoting errors begin with a vague request. Before you put a number down, make sure you know:
- What exactly needs doing, in the customer's words
- The size and condition of the space or item
- Access: stairs, parking, lifts, narrow doorways
- Who supplies materials and equipment
- When it must be finished, and whether the customer will be home
- Any constraints, such as pets, noise limits or shared areas
Photos and short videos are enormously helpful. Ask for them. See questions to ask before sending an offer for a ready-made list.
Break the job into tasks
Never quote a job as one lump. List each task and estimate it separately:
- Preparation and protection
- Main work
- Finishing, snagging and clear-up
- Travel and any collection of materials
- Disposal or removal, if applicable
When you add them up, you often discover that "a two-hour job" is closer to four once setup and clear-up are counted.
Estimate time with evidence
Your best data is your own history. Keep a simple log of how long tasks actually take: a room painted, a flat cleaned, a wardrobe built. After a few jobs you will have personal averages.
Until then:
- Be cautious about manufacturer or online time claims; they assume ideal conditions.
- Add time for the property's quirks, such as old walls and awkward access.
- Allow for interruptions: a customer chatting, parking delays, a missing part.
Add a risk buffer, sensibly
A buffer is not padding; it is the price of uncertainty. Scale it to how much you do not know:
| Situation | Typical approach |
|---|---|
| Familiar job, seen property, photos | Small buffer |
| Familiar job, unseen property | Moderate buffer |
| Unfamiliar job or older building | Larger buffer, or hourly pricing |
| Possible hidden issues | State exclusions, or quote after a visit |
When uncertainty is high, consider hourly pricing with a cap instead; see hourly rate vs fixed price.
Separate labour from materials
List materials separately where appropriate, with how they will be sourced and charged. Decide in advance:
- Will you buy materials and add a handling margin?
- Will the customer buy them directly?
- What happens if the customer supplies the wrong item?
Our guide on buying materials and handling customer-supplied items covers this in more detail.
Write the scope and exclusions
A good quote has three parts: what is included, what is excluded and how changes are handled. For example:
- Included: assemble wardrobe, fix to wall, remove packaging
- Excluded: removal of the old wardrobe, wall repairs
- Changes: extra tasks charged at an hourly rate, agreed before starting
Writing it down reduces disputes and gives you a basis for conversation if the customer asks for more on the day. Also record agreements in writing; see setting expectations before the job starts.
State validity and timing
Prices change. Add a validity period, such as "valid for fourteen days", and mention any dependence on the start date. This stops a customer returning months later expecting the same figure.
Check your quote before you send it
A quick checklist:
- Does the total cover my minimum charge?
- Have I included travel and parking?
- Is every material and hire item listed?
- Would I be happy to do this job for this amount on a bad day?
- Is the scope clear to someone who has never met me?
Learn from every job
After each job, compare quote with reality. Note the time you estimated, the time it took and why. This is the single most valuable habit in pricing. Within a few months, your accuracy will improve noticeably.
Common mistakes
- Quoting from a one-line message.
- Leaving out clear-up time.
- Forgetting to include parking or congestion costs.
- Matching a competitor's price without checking your own costs.
- Giving verbal prices that later become disputes.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge for quoting?
For simple jobs, quoting from messages and photos is usually free. For jobs requiring a long site visit or detailed measurements, some providers charge and credit the fee if the work goes ahead. State your approach clearly.
What if I realise on the day that the job is bigger?
Stop and talk to the customer before continuing. Explain what you found, offer options and agree any change in writing.
Is it okay to give a price range?
Yes, if the range is narrow and you explain what determines where in the range the final price falls. Very wide ranges can look evasive.