Quote
template

A clear quote wins work and prevents arguments later. It tells the customer exactly what they will get, what is not included, how much it costs, how long the price holds and how payment works. Once accepted, it is the reference point for every invoice on the job. This template covers each of those parts, and the lines carry straight over to your deposit, stage and final invoices.

When to use a quote

Send a quote whenever you can price a job with confidence: a bathroom refit after a survey, a website with a defined scope, a catering order for a set number of guests, a batch of products. If you cannot know the final cost until the work is under way, such as a repair where the fault is hidden, give an estimate instead and say it is an estimate. For regular customers, a short quote by email is fine, as long as the scope, price and terms are written down somewhere both sides can see.

What a quote must show

An example quote

The template comes filled in with example lines like these, so you can see how each part works before replacing them with your own.

Line by line: Strip out existing bathroom and dispose of waste, 1 job × £650.00 = £650.00; Supply and fit bath, basin, WC and shower (as specified), 1 job × £3,200.00 = £3,200.00; Tiling, walls and floor, 18 square metres, 18 × £55.00 = £990.00; Electrical: extractor fan and lighting, 1 job × £420.00 = £420.00. The subtotal is £5,260.00, VAT at 20% adds £1,052.00, and the quote total is £6,312.00. The figures are illustrative; replace them with your own.

How to fill in the template

1. Visit or talk through the job, and write down exactly what the customer wants.
2. Break the work into clear lines with quantities and prices.
3. List anything not included, and any assumptions you made.
4. Show VAT, and give consumers the VAT-inclusive total.
5. Add validity, deposit, payment terms and a likely start date.
6. Ask the customer to accept in writing, and keep the acceptance with the quote.

Give each quote its own number in a single sequence, and never reuse one. A number lets you and your customer refer to the document without confusion, and an unbroken sequence shows your records are complete. The invoice number generator suggests a format that stays tidy for years.

When a quote becomes binding

A quote is an offer. When the customer accepts it, by signing, by email or by telling you to go ahead, a contract exists on the terms in the quote. For consumers, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 makes what you say or write about the service binding if the customer relies on it, including the price and any timescales you gave. You cannot then charge more for the same work unless the quote allowed for it, for example a clearly stated provisional sum, or the customer agrees a change. If the customer asks for extra work, price it and get agreement before doing it.

Quote or estimate?

A quote is a fixed price for defined work. An estimate is an informed guess, which can change as the job goes on. Customers often treat an estimate as a promise, so label it clearly, and give a quote whenever you can. Our guide to quote vs estimate covers the difference.

Writing the scope

The scope is the part of the quote that prevents disputes. Describe the finished result, the materials and specifications you have allowed for (brands, sizes, finishes), and any work you are relying on others to do. Where the customer is supplying something, say so. Then list exclusions: making good, decoration, waste removal, permits, and anything hidden that you could not inspect. A customer who has read a clear scope is much less likely to be surprised by the final invoice.

Showing VAT on quotes

If you are VAT registered, show the price before VAT, the VAT and the total. When quoting consumers, the price they see must include VAT; quoting a figure "plus VAT" to a homeowner and adding it later is a common source of complaints and can be an unfair trading practice. Business customers are used to net prices, but still show the VAT. If you are not registered, say that no VAT is charged, and keep an eye on the £90,000 threshold: registering part way through a job changes what you must charge.

Validity and price rises

Give every quote an expiry date, often 30 days, so you are not held to an old price when materials go up. If the customer accepts after the date, re-check your costs and re-issue the quote if needed. For long jobs where material prices could move, you can include a clearly stated price adjustment clause for named materials, but for consumers it must be fair and transparent, so keep it simple and specific.

From quote to invoice

Once accepted, the quote is the basis of every invoice on the job. Quote its number on the deposit invoice, any stage payment invoices and the final invoice. If you use the quote generator, the same lines can be turned into an invoice, which keeps descriptions and prices consistent. Any variations are shown separately against the original quote.

Consumers' right to cancel

If you quote a consumer and the contract is made at their home or online, rather than at your premises, they usually have 14 days to cancel. You must give them information about that right and a cancellation form. If they want work to start within the 14 days, get their request in writing; if they then cancel, they pay for the work done up to that point. Failing to give the cancellation information can extend the cancellation period and leave you unable to charge for work done.

Common quote mistakes

• A vague scope. "Refit bathroom" invites argument; list what is and is not included.
• Quoting consumers a price plus VAT. Consumers must see the VAT-inclusive total.
• No expiry date. Without one, a customer may hold you to an old price months later.

Checklist before you send it

Before a quote goes out, check it against the list of what it must show:

• The word "Quote" or "Quotation", a number and the date is on it and correct.
• Your details and the customer's is on it and correct.
• A clear description of the work or goods, with quantities is on it and correct.
• What is not included is on it and correct.
• The price, and whether VAT is included is on it and correct.
• How long the quote is valid is on it and correct.
• Payment terms, deposit and timescale is on it and correct.
• A copy is saved with your records.

Sending it

Send the quote as a PDF attached to an email, not as an editable file. In the email, say what it is, its number, the amount and any date that matters, so the reader can act without opening the attachment. Send it to the person or inbox that deals with it, which for a business is often an accounts address rather than the person you worked with, and keep a copy of the email and the PDF together in your records.

Keep a copy

Keep a copy of every quote you issue or receive, digital is fine, with the payments that relate to it. From 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 must keep digital records and send HMRC quarterly updates under Making Tax Digital, falling to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. The MTD requirement checker shows when it applies to you, and how long to keep invoices covers retention.

Download the quote template

The template comes as a Word document for Word, Google Docs and Pages, an Excel workbook for Excel and Google Sheets, and a print-ready PDF. Replace the words in square brackets with your own details. In the Excel version each line, the subtotal and the total are formulas, so the figures update as you type. Or fill it in online with the free quote generator, which makes a finished PDF with your details, in your colours.

Related documents in the same family: the purchase order template and estimate template. All of them follow the same numbering and record-keeping rules, and each page explains what that document must show.

A TapTax account, free to start, creates and sends invoices, tracks which are paid, keeps receipts and bills with your records, and files your quarterly updates to HMRC from the same data.