A quote that
settles the scope.

A quote should state exactly what is included, what is excluded, the price, how long the price holds, and what happens if the job changes. Most disputes are about scope rather than money, and the exclusions line prevents more arguments than any other part of the document.

General guidance for UK businesses, not legal or tax advice. Requirements change — check gov.uk, or ask your accountant, before relying on it.

LAST REVIEWED 27 AUGUST 2026 · BIZZLE

What has to be on it?

FieldRequiredWhy
The word 'Quotation' or 'Estimate'YesThey mean different things. A quote is a fixed offer that becomes binding on acceptance; an estimate is an indication. Use the one you actually mean.
Your details and the customer'sYesThe entity offering and the entity being offered to.
A quotation number and dateYesSo the accepted version is identifiable when the job starts three months later.
What is includedYesThe specification. Materials, labour, what standard, what finish. Vagueness here is what you argue about later.
What is not includedYesThe single most valuable line in the document. Making good, disposal, scaffolding, parking, out-of-hours work, anything discovered once you open the wall.
The price, and whether VAT appliesYesState whether the figure includes or excludes VAT. Ambiguity here is a real dispute, not a pedantic one.
An expiry dateRecommendedMaterial prices move. Without an expiry, a quote from March is arguably still open in November.
Payment terms and any depositRecommendedWhen payment is due, and what deposit is required before work starts or materials are ordered.
How variations are handledRecommendedWhat happens when the job changes: priced in writing before the extra work happens, not settled at the end.
How to acceptRecommendedA signature, a reply, or a click. Make acceptance a single easy action and more quotes convert.

Quote or estimate — which should you send?

QuoteEstimate
What it isA fixed offer for defined workAn informed indication of likely cost
Once acceptedGenerally binding at that priceNot a fixed price
Use it whenScope is clear and you can price itScope is genuinely unknown until you start
RiskYours, if you underpriceThe customer's, so it needs managing carefully

Why speed beats presentation

Customers gathering several quotes generally choose one of the first that looks competent. A better-looking quote sent four days later competes with someone already booked in.

The bottleneck is rarely pricing. It is that quoting happens in the evening after a full day, which is exactly when nobody wants to open a laptop.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions people ask.

Is a quote legally binding?

Generally it becomes binding when the customer accepts it, which is why the scope and exclusions matter so much. An estimate does not fix the price in the same way.

Can I withdraw a quote?

Before it is accepted, yes. After acceptance you have a contract. An expiry date is the clean way to close the window without a conversation.

Should I show a breakdown?

It depends who you are quoting. Businesses often want one; consumers sometimes use it to price-shop each line. A summary with detail available on request is a reasonable middle.

What if the customer asks for extras once the job has started?

Price them in writing before you do the work, however small, and get a yes back. A variation agreed on the doorstep and invoiced at the end is exactly the line that gets queried, and by then the work has already been done for free.

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