Quote template: 10 things every quote should include (and 5 signs you’ve outgrown yours)
Clients rarely read a quote on its own. They put two or three side by side, and the total is only part of what they compare. They also want to know what exactly they’re paying for, when you can start, and what happens if something changes halfway through. A good quote template makes sure every quote you send answers those questions, and that nothing gets left out on a busy day.
Below are the 10 things every quote should include, a checklist you can hold up against your own template, and 5 signs that your Word or Excel template is now slowing you down more than it helps.
What is a quote template?
A quote template is a ready-made document where the fixed parts (header, payment terms, legal wording) are already filled in, and you only complete the variable parts (line items, quantities, prices, dates) for each client. It does two jobs: it makes quotes faster to produce, and it keeps every quote complete, consistent and professional.
What to include in a quote: 10 essentials
1. Header and reference details
Your business name, logo, tax number and contact details, the client’s name and address, a quote number and the date. The quote number earns its place when a client rings three weeks later about “that quote you sent”.
2. Scope: what’s included, and what isn’t
Two or three sentences on the work you’re taking on, plus a separate line on what the price doesn’t cover, such as waste removal, painting or permits. Many disputes start with something nobody wrote down.
3. Line items with units and quantities
Write “floor tiling, 24 m²” instead of “tiling, complete”. Units and quantities make your quote comparable, and they show the client you actually measured the job.
4. Unit prices and line totals
A unit price and a total on every line, then the net amount, tax and grand total at the bottom. Showing materials and labour separately helps the client see where the money goes.
5. Surcharges, discounts and optional extras
Rush or weekend surcharges, your minimum charge and any optional upgrades each get their own visible line. With optional items the client picks what they want, which leaves less room for haggling over the total.
6. Start date and expected duration
When you can start and roughly how long the job will take. For many clients this matters as much as the price.
7. Validity period
“This quote is valid for 15 days from the date of issue.” It protects your prices if material costs rise, and it gives the client a gentle reason to decide.
8. Payment terms
Deposit, stage payments, payment deadline and method. If this is only agreed over the phone, each side will remember it differently at the end of the job.
9. Terms and legal wording
Warranty, how extra work and changes are handled, and a link to your terms and conditions. Have the wording checked once by a lawyer or accountant, then reuse the same text on every quote.
10. The next step
Spell out how the client accepts: reply by email, sign, or call you. A quote that doesn’t say what to do next often ends up sitting in an inbox.
Quote template checklist
Open the last quote you sent and go through it with this table.
| Element | Included? | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Header, quote number, date | ☐ | No quote number, so it can’t be traced later |
| Scope and exclusions | ☐ | Nothing says what the price doesn’t cover |
| Line items with units | ☐ | “Complete” lines with no quantity |
| Unit prices, net, tax, total | ☐ | Only a grand total |
| Surcharges, optional extras | ☐ | The surcharge first appears on the invoice |
| Start date | ☐ | “To be agreed” |
| Validity period | ☐ | Missing, so clients expect the old price months later |
| Payment terms | ☐ | The deposit was only mentioned on the phone |
| Terms, warranty | ☐ | Outdated text carried over from an old template |
| Next step | ☐ | No instructions on how to accept |
5 signs you’ve outgrown your quote template
If you send a handful of simple quotes a month, a well-built Word or Excel template does the job. As volume and complexity grow, the template asks for more and more manual work.
- You do the maths by hand. Surcharges, quantities and discounts get added up in your head or on a calculator, and a broken formula only shows up when the client asks about it.
- You copy from old quotes. You open last week’s quote, overwrite the line items and hope the previous client’s name isn’t still in there somewhere.
- Versions pile up. “quote_v3_FINAL_fixed.docx”, and you’re no longer sure which one went out.
- Replies take days. Quotes wait until you have an evening free to sit down with the template. We looked at what that costs in 5 signs your quotes are too slow.
- Every change means another round. The client asks for a price without the painting, so you reopen the file, recalculate, save and send it all over again.
If three of these sound familiar, you’re probably spending more time filling in the template than thinking about what goes in the quote. We worked out how many hours a month that adds up to in this article.
What comes after the template?
A template fixes the layout, but it doesn’t do the pricing. The next step is to keep your pricing rules (unit rates, surcharges, minimum charge) in one place and let software do the calculation, so you only check the result.
This is the step EstiWise takes over. It builds each quote from your own pricing logic, in your own branding, with your logo and your legal wording, so the fixed parts of the 10 essentials above are set up once. You can adjust the parameters before the quote goes out, and the client receives it as an interactive link instead of an attachment. If your price list still needs work, our guide to predictable pricing is a good place to start.
FAQ
How long should a quote be valid?
There’s no single right answer. If material prices move quickly, a shorter period such as 15 or 30 days makes sense. What matters is that the validity period is clearly stated on the quote.
Should I build my quote template in Word or Excel?
Excel is better at calculating, Word is better at layout. Many businesses use both, calculating in Excel and pasting into Word, and that copy-paste step is exactly where errors creep in.
Does a simple quote need terms and conditions?
A short version, yes: validity, payment terms, warranty and how changes are handled. Ask a lawyer or accountant to check the exact wording, as this article isn’t legal advice.
See it with your own quote
Book a free demo and we’ll show you how a quote comes together from your own services, prices and branding. Prefer to look around yourself? Try EstiWise free for 7 days, no credit card needed.
Author: Vivien Hazuga
