A quote that wins the job is clear, fast, and leaves no room for doubt. It names the work, states one price, says whether GST is included, and tells the customer exactly how to say yes. Send it the same day and you beat the tradie who takes a week to reply.
Most jobs are not lost on price. They are lost on a vague text message that says "around two grand" with no detail. Here is the structure that turns a quote into a booked job.
The six things every quote needs
- Your details. Business or trading name, your ABN, phone, and email. This is the first trust signal.
- The customer and the site. Their name and the job address, so there is no mix-up later.
- A clear scope of work. What you will do, in plain English. "Supply and install 3 double power points in the kitchen, make good and test." Specifics stop arguments.
- The price. A fixed total, or line items that add up to one. State clearly whether GST is included.
- What is not included. Call out exclusions like rubbish removal, painting, or unforeseen repairs. This protects you from scope creep.
- How to accept and how long it lasts. "Reply yes to this quote to book. Valid for 30 days." Make the next step a single tap.
Our free Quote Template lays all six of these out for you, so you fill in the blanks and send a tidy quote in a minute.
Price it so you actually make money
A professional-looking quote means nothing if the number underneath loses you money. Before you quote a price, make sure it covers your real costs, not just your time on the tools. Work out your true day rate first, then build the job up from there.
If you charge by the hour, plug your numbers into the free Charge-Out Rate Calculator so you are not quietly going backwards on every job.
Speed wins more than polish
Research into trade and home-services leads consistently points the same way: the business that responds first wins a large share of the work. Customers chasing a quote are anxious and want certainty. The first clear price in their inbox often ends the search.
So the goal is not a perfect quote in five days. It is a clear, professional quote in five minutes. A template gets you there because the layout is already done.
Make it easy to say yes
The last line of your quote should remove every reason to hesitate:
- Give one clear way to accept (reply to the message, or tap a link).
- State a start window so they can picture the job getting done.
- Add simple payment terms, for example a deposit on acceptance and the balance on completion.
When the customer accepts, turn the quote straight into a job. Capture the site details on a job sheet, and when the work is finished, send an ATO-compliant tax invoice built from the same numbers. One quote, one job, one invoice, no double handling.
Look the part every time
Customers judge your work by how you present yourself before you have lifted a tool. A consistent, professional quote tells them you will be just as organised on site. Use the same clean layout on every job, send it fast, and make accepting it effortless. That is how a quote stops being a price and starts being the reason you got the call.