What to Include in a Building Quote — Checklist for Tradespeople

A building quote is more than just a price on a piece of paper. It is a document that sets expectations, builds trust, and protects both you and your client. A thorough, well-structured quote reduces the chance of disputes, helps the client understand exactly what they are paying for, and makes you look far more professional than the competition.

Whether you are quoting for a kitchen extension, a bathroom refit, or a simple plastering job, here is everything your quote should include.

Your Business Details

Every quote should start with your full business information. This includes your business name (or your full name if you trade as a sole trader), your address, phone number, email address, and any relevant registration numbers. If you are VAT registered, include your VAT number. If you hold trade accreditations — Gas Safe, NICEIC, TrustMark, or similar — list those too.

Including this information is not just professional; it is reassuring. Clients feel more confident hiring someone who presents themselves as an established, legitimate business. It also means the client has everything they need to contact you or verify your credentials without having to ask.

Client Details

Include the client's full name, property address, and contact information. This may seem obvious, but many tradespeople skip it or get it wrong. Having the correct client details on the quote ensures there is no confusion about who the quote is for or where the work will take place, which matters when you are juggling multiple enquiries.

A Clear Description of the Work

This is arguably the most important section of the entire quote. Describe exactly what work you will carry out, in enough detail that there can be no misunderstanding about the scope. Avoid vague phrases like "bathroom renovation" — instead, spell out what that includes: removing the existing suite, installing a new bath, basin and toilet, tiling the walls and floor to a specified area, and connecting to existing plumbing.

Be equally clear about what is not included. If the quote covers labour and materials but not decoration, say so. If it covers the ground floor but not the first floor, say so. Ambiguity in the scope of work is the number one cause of disputes between tradespeople and clients. Taking five minutes to write a clear description can save you hours of difficult conversations later. Our guide on common quoting mistakes covers this in more detail.

Itemised Costs

Break your price down into individual line items rather than providing a single lump sum. This typically means separating labour from materials, and ideally breaking the work down into stages or elements. For example, a kitchen fitting quote might list demolition and removal, plumbing first fix, electrical first fix, carpentry, tiling, plumbing second fix, and electrical second fix as separate items.

Itemised pricing shows the client exactly where their money is going. It builds trust, reduces the likelihood of price negotiations, and makes it easier to adjust the quote if the client wants to add or remove elements. If you need help calculating these figures accurately, our guide on how to price a job as a tradesperson walks through the process step by step.

Project Timeline

Clients want to know not just how much the work will cost, but how long it will take. Include an estimated start date (or a note that the start date is to be confirmed), the expected duration of the work, and any key milestones if it is a larger project. Be realistic — it is far better to slightly overestimate and finish early than to promise a tight schedule and overrun.

If the timeline depends on factors outside your control, such as building control inspections, material lead times, or other trades completing their work first, mention these clearly. Managing expectations upfront prevents frustration later.

Terms and Conditions

Your terms and conditions protect you legally and set clear expectations about how the project will be managed. At a minimum, include the following: what happens if additional work is required that was not in the original scope, your policy on variations and change requests, your liability and insurance details, and any guarantees or warranties you offer on the completed work.

You do not need pages of legal jargon. A few clear, straightforward paragraphs are enough. The important thing is that both parties understand the ground rules before any work begins.

Payment Terms

State clearly how and when you expect to be paid. This should cover your payment methods (bank transfer, cash, card), whether you require a deposit before starting (and how much), any stage payments for longer projects, and when the final balance is due — typically on completion or within a set number of days.

Being upfront about payment terms avoids awkward conversations later and helps with your cash flow planning. For larger projects, stage payments tied to specific milestones are standard practice and protect both parties.

Validity Period

Always include an expiry date on your quote — typically fourteen to thirty days from the date of issue. Material prices change, your availability changes, and you do not want to be held to a price you quoted three months ago when circumstances have shifted. A validity period gives the client a reasonable window to make their decision while protecting you from being locked into outdated pricing.

Make Quoting Quick and Easy

If writing detailed quotes feels like a time-consuming chore, you are not alone — it is one of the most common frustrations tradespeople have. That is exactly why tools like QuoteSmith exist. You enter the key details and line items, and the AI generates the full scope of work, timeline, terms and conditions, and payment terms automatically. The result is a professional, branded PDF quote you can send in minutes rather than hours.

A thorough quote does not just help you win the job — it sets the foundation for a smooth, dispute-free project from start to finish.