Why the document matters
"I can do your kitchen for £4,500" in a text is not a quote — it's the start of a dispute. A proper quote is a contract: it says what you'll do, what you won't, when you're paid and what happens if things change. It protects you legally and signals you're a professional, which is often what wins the job.
What a UK quote must include
For a consumer (homeowner): your trading name and address; VAT number if registered; a clear description of the work and what's not included; the total price; VAT treatment (in or out); payment terms; a validity period; the 14-day cancellation right for work agreed in the home; and your contact details. The quote builder lays all of this out for you with the terms already written in.
Quote vs estimate — the legal difference
A quote is a fixed price; once accepted you can't charge more for the agreed work. An estimate is a considered guess — the final figure can move but must stay reasonable (courts typically expect within ~10–15%, and you must flag increases in writing before they happen). Label it clearly: "This is a fixed-price quotation" or "This is an estimate only." Most renovation work should be a quote (you've seen it); most repair work an estimate (you haven't found the problem yet).
Payment terms that protect you
- Deposit: under £500 on completion; £500–£5,000 take 30–50% up front; larger jobs 25% up front plus staged payments.
- Due date: "payment due within 7 days of invoice" — never a vague "on completion."
- Late-payment interest: for business clients you can state statutory interest under the Late Payment Act. Log and chase it all in Get Paid.
VAT: homeowners vs businesses
To homeowners, always quote the VAT-inclusive figure — "£5,280 including VAT," never "£4,400 + VAT" as a surprise. To businesses, ex-VAT is fine as they reclaim it. Not registered? "This price is final — no VAT added." The VAT calculator gets the numbers right either way.
Format wins jobs
One page, clear headings, itemised (labour, materials, total), no typos, plain English. Send it as a PDF within 48 hours of the visit — and never quote without seeing the site, or you'll be wrong and it'll cost you. Follow up once if you don't hear back; then move on.
Common mistakes
- Vague scope — say what you will and won't do (electrics, structural, appliance supply).
- No VAT statement — "includes VAT at 20%" or "excludes VAT," explicitly.
- Calling it a "quote" when you mean an estimate — the wrong label can bind you to a price you can't hold.
- Forgetting the 14-day cancellation right — state it, or it can be used against you later.
Build it in minutes with the quote builder; price it first in the job-cost calculator.