What Goes in a Quote Customers Say Yes To? A Template for Tradespeople

By the Oski Marketing team · Updated 11 October 2026 · 5 min read

A quote customers say yes to has four ingredients: their name spelt correctly, a photo of a similar job, one clear price and a start date. Send it the same day, keep it to one page and follow up once, three days later. Written well, it takes under ten minutes.

The ad at a glance

What are the four ingredients?

1. Their name, spelt right. It sounds trivial, and a misspelt name suggests carelessness. Check it against the enquiry.
2. A photo of a similar job. One image of finished work, with permission, shows what they can expect.
3. One clear price. A single total, or a short breakdown that adds up. No hunting.
4. A start date. Giving a date turns "maybe" into a plan and nudges a decision.

Add what is excluded and how long the quote is valid, and you have everything a customer needs. Our guide to how long a quote should be explains why one page is usually enough.

What is the three-step method?

1. Send it the same day. Speed shows you are organised, and the first useful quote often sets the standard for the rest.
2. Keep it to one page. Put the details that matter on page one, and refer to a separate sheet for terms.
3. Follow up once, three days later. A short, friendly check-in. Then leave it.

If you can send it from your phone at the job, even better. A quote written while the visit is fresh is usually clearer than one pieced together in the evening.

What does a copyable template look like?

Here is a layout you can adapt. Replace the square brackets with your details.

Quote for [Customer name]
[Address or area]
Date: [date]   Valid for: [period]

The work
[Two or three sentences in plain words: what you will do.]

Price
[One total price, or short list of parts and a total.]
[State whether VAT is included, where it applies.]

Not included
[One or two things customers often assume are covered.]

Start
[Start date] and about [how long] to finish.

To accept
Reply to this message or ring [number] and we will book your start date.

Terms are on the attached sheet.
[Your name, trade, registration number, phone number]

Keep the wording friendly and plain. A quote is a conversation in writing, not a legal document, even though it can form part of a contract. Ask a solicitor or trade body if you need guidance on your terms.

Why add a photo?

Because it makes the price feel real. A customer who sees a similar finished job understands what they are paying for, and the quote stops being only a number. Choose a photo that matches the job, such as a similar bathroom or boiler, and use one with the customer's permission and no faces or house numbers. Keep it small so it does not push the price down the page.

Our guide on using photos of your work covers how to choose and store them for exactly this purpose.

What if the customer does not reply?

Send one short follow-up after about three days. Something like: "Hi [name], just checking you received the quote. Happy to answer any questions." If there is still no reply, leave it. It is fine to ask once whether anything was unclear, as in why customers say they went with someone else, but do not chase repeatedly.

Keep a note of lost quotes. If several customers go quiet at the same point, such as after seeing the price, you learn something about your pricing or your presentation.

What common mistakes make a quote harder to accept?

• Burying the price after paragraphs of text.
• Jargon the customer has to look up.
• No start date, which gives no reason to decide now.
• No way to say yes, such as no clear instruction.
• Long delay, so the customer has chosen someone else first.

Fixing even one of these usually improves your response.

What if you need to visit before you can quote?

Say so plainly and give the customer a date. A message such as "We need to see the bathroom before we can give an accurate price. We can visit on Thursday afternoon" is better than a vague promise. After the visit, send the quote the same day. If the survey is free, mention it, and if it is not, say how much it costs and whether it comes off the price if they go ahead.

Should you offer more than one option?

Sometimes. For a larger job, two clear options, such as a standard fit and a premium fit, can help customers decide without asking for a discount. Keep each option short, with its own price, and say which one you recommend and why. Do not offer more than two or three, because too many choices slow the decision. For small jobs, one price is usually best.

What to do this week

1. Copy the template into a document or notes app on your phone.
2. Fill it in for your next job and send it the same day as the visit.
3. Add one photo of a similar finished job, with permission.
4. Diary a follow-up message for three days later.
5. If you want us to turn your quote into a clean, branded one-pager, send us a message.