A quote is often the first piece of paperwork a customer sees from you. A clear one answers their questions before they ask, makes it easy to say yes, and saves an argument at the end of the job. Here is what to put on it, with an example at the end.
The short version: list labour and materials separately, show VAT plainly, say what's included and what isn't, give a date the price holds until, set out the deposit and payment terms, and send it with a link the customer can accept from.
Labour and materials, listed separately
Split the price into the work and the things you're fitting. A single line that says "Supply and fit, £1,850" leaves the customer guessing, and guessing turns into haggling.
Listing them separately helps in three ways:
- The customer can see where the money goes.
- If they want to change the job, you change one line instead of starting again.
- If a material price goes up before they accept, you know which line to update.
For labour, show either the hours and your rate, or a fixed price for each task. Hours suit work where time is the main cost; a fixed price suits jobs you've done many times. Either way, say how many people the price assumes.
For materials, name the item where it matters to the customer. "10-way dual RCD consumer unit, metal clad" tells them what they're getting; "consumer unit" doesn't. Small items can share one line, such as "cable, clips and fixings", as long as you say what it covers.
You don't need to show your cost price or your markup. The customer is buying the finished job at the price on each line.
VAT, shown clearly
If you're VAT registered, show three figures: the total before VAT, the VAT with its rate, and the total including VAT. Put your VAT registration number on the quote, as you will on the invoice.
Householders care about the total they'll pay, so make that the figure that stands out. Business customers who reclaim VAT will look at the figure before VAT, so keep that easy to find too.
Most work is charged at the standard rate of 20%, but not all of it. Some work, such as installing certain energy-saving materials, has a different rate. If you're not sure which applies, check the GOV.UK guide to VAT rates on different goods and services or ask your accountant.
If you work for other VAT-registered builders under the Construction Industry Scheme, the domestic reverse charge may apply. The quote then shows the price without VAT and a note that the customer accounts for it.
If you're not VAT registered
Don't add VAT and don't show a VAT line. A short note such as "No VAT charged: not VAT registered" stops the customer wondering whether it will be added later.
If you're close to the registration threshold, watch for jobs that will run past the date you register. From that date you charge VAT on the work you supply, so say on the quote whether the price includes any VAT that becomes due. GOV.UK explains VAT registration.
What's included and what isn't
Plenty of end-of-job disagreements start with something one side thought was included and the other didn't. Write both lists down.
Under "included", put the parts of the job the customer might not think to ask about:
- Removing and disposing of the old item.
- Testing, and any certificate you'll hand over.
- Telling Building Control, if the work needs it.
- Tidying up and taking your waste away.
Under "not included", put the things they might assume you'll do:
- Making good plaster, and decorating.
- Moving furniture or lifting flooring to get access.
- Parking permits or skip licences.
- Fixing faults you find in existing work.
Then list the assumptions behind the price. "Assumes the existing pipework is in good condition" or "assumes clear access to the loft" tells the customer what could change it. Say what happens if something unexpected turns up: you'll stop, explain, and give a price for the extra work before you do it.
How long the price is valid
Material prices move, and your diary fills up. Put a date on the quote, such as "Valid until 15 November 2026", rather than "valid for 30 days", so nobody has to work out when the 30 days started.
Keep the period shorter for jobs heavy on materials whose prices change often.
Say what happens after the date: "After this date we'll check the price before booking the work." That keeps the door open without tying you to an old price.
The valid-until date is about the price, not the start date. If your earliest start is six weeks away, say so separately, so the customer isn't caught out.
Deposit and payment terms
If you take a deposit, say how much it is, what it's for and when it's due. A deposit usually pays for materials you're ordering for this job, or holds a date in your diary. A fixed amount, such as "£190 to book", is easier to read than a percentage.
Then set out when the rest is due and how the customer can pay:
- When: on completion, when the invoice arrives, or within a set number of days.
- How: bank transfer, card through a payment link, or both.
- Stages: on a longer job, tie each payment to a clear stage, such as "first fix complete", rather than a calendar date.
Say what happens to the deposit if the job is cancelled, and make sure that fits the customer's cancellation rights, which are covered below.
Offering options: Good, Better, Best
Some customers want the lowest price that gets the job done. Others will pay more for a longer warranty or a better finish. Three options let them choose without you guessing their budget, and turn "yes or no" into "which one".
A few rules keep options useful:
- Make every option a proper job you'd be happy to do. "Good" is the sound basic version, not a trap.
- Give each option its own full price, including VAT, so nobody has to add things up.
- Say what changes between them in plain words: "adds surge protection", "ten-year warranty instead of five".
- Mark the one you'd recommend, and say why in a sentence.
- Stop at three. Beyond that the choice gets harder, not easier.
Options suit jobs with a real spread of choices, such as boilers, consumer units, bathrooms or garden landscaping. For a simple repair, one clear price is better.
Sending it so the customer can accept from a link
A PDF attached to an email works, but it leaves the customer to reply, print and sign, or ring you. A link to the quote online lets them read it on their phone and accept there and then.
A good accept link lets the customer:
- Read the whole quote, with the same details as the PDF.
- Pick an option, if you've offered more than one.
- Accept or decline, and add a note if they want to.
- Pay the deposit as part of accepting, if you ask for one.
- Download a copy for their records.
Send it the same day if you can. If you haven't heard back after a few days, a short follow-up is fine, and a reminder before the valid-until date gives them a reason to decide.
If the customer is a consumer and accepts away from your premises, including online, they usually have 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Give them the cancellation information when they accept. If they want you to start within those 14 days, get that request from them in writing.
An example quote
Here's how those parts fit together on one quote for a small electrical job. The customer, the job and every figure are made up for this guide.
Example only
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Labour | |
| Replace consumer unit, test and certify6 hours at £45.00 an hour, one electrician | £270.00 |
| Two new double sockets in the kitchen3 hours at £45.00 an hour | £135.00 |
| Materials | |
| 10-way dual RCD consumer unit, metal clad1 at £145.00 | £145.00 |
| Surge protection device1 at £48.00 | £48.00 |
| Double sockets, white2 at £6.50 | £13.00 |
| Cable, back boxes, clips and fixings | £32.00 |
| Labour | £405.00 |
| Materials | £238.00 |
| Total before VAT | £643.00 |
| VAT at 20% | £128.60 |
| Total to pay | £771.60 |
Included
- Removing and disposing of the old consumer unit
- Testing every circuit, and an Electrical Installation Certificate
- Telling Building Control through our scheme
- Tidying up and taking our waste away
Not included
- Making good plaster around the new sockets, and decorating
- Fixing faults found in existing circuits. We'll stop and price these before doing any work.
Assumptions
Clear access to the meter cupboard. The power will be off for most of one day.
Payment
A deposit of £190.00 when you accept, to order the consumer unit and book the date. The balance of £581.60 is due when the job is finished, by bank transfer or card. If you'd like to go ahead after 15 November 2026, we'll check the price before booking the work.
Everything Sam needs to decide is on one page: what the work is, what it costs and why, what's left out, how long the price holds and what to pay when.
Quotes like this in FESK.UK
Quotes in FESK.UK keep labour and materials on separate lines, show VAT, carry a valid-until date and an optional deposit, and can offer Good, Better and Best options. You send them by email or text with a link the customer accepts from.