How to write a building quotation that gets signed

A quotation is not a bill of quantities, but it comes out of one

A bill of quantities speaks to technicians; a quotation speaks to the client. The foundations are the same, though: clear work items, measured quantities, rates you can justify. A quotation built on a bill stands up better than a lump-sum figure. If the client asks why, the answer is there, line by line.

What it has to contain

Your letterhead with logo and company details; the client and site references; the list of work items with descriptions a client can actually read, quantities, unit rates and values; any discount (or mark-up) shown openly; VAT at the rate that applies to that kind of work; how long the offer stays valid; the payment terms; what is excluded. Exclusions in writing are worth more than ten phone calls afterwards.

The mistakes that cost money

Vague descriptions ("bathroom refurbishment") that invite an argument; forgetting tipping charges, scaffolding or temporary works; copying old rates out of a previous quotation; leaving the offer undated and open-ended. And the most ordinary one of all: an ugly document — the quotation is often the first physical thing a client sees of the firm.

How you do it with ComputoLab

With ComputoLab Pro you turn a bill of quantities into a quotation with the items already in place, or you build the offer by picking from your own price list; you set the letterhead and logo up once, keep a client address book, handle discount, VAT and validity, and print a clean PDF ready to send and to sign.

Read also: How to prepare a bill of quantities · Published price books