The short version
A quote that wins is fast, specific, shows one clear total price including GST, and makes it easy for the customer to say yes. Most jobs aren't lost on price alone. They're lost to a slow reply, a vague scope, or a quote the homeowner can't compare.
How to quote a job: what it must include
A proper quote tells the customer exactly what they're getting, for how much, and how to accept it. business.gov.au and Business Queensland both list the basics. Use this checklist:
- Your business name, ABN and licence number
- The customer's name and the job address
- The date of the quote and a quote number
- Scope of work in plain English: what you'll do
- Inclusions and exclusions: what's in and, just as important, what isn't
- Itemised costs (materials, labour, any extras) and the total price
- GST, shown clearly
- Payment terms: deposit, progress payments, when the balance is due
- Expected start and finish dates
- How long the quote is valid for
- How to accept, in one simple step
If a homeowner has to ring you to work out what's included, the quote isn't finished.
Quote or estimate: what's the difference?
An estimate is a rough guide to the likely cost and isn't binding. A quote is a fixed price for a defined scope, and once the customer accepts it, it's a contract. business.gov.au, Business Queensland and WA Consumer Protection all draw the same line.
So if you can't price something until you open up the wall, say so in writing. Quote what you can, and list the unknowns as exclusions or as separately priced variations.
Show one total price, including GST
Homeowners compare totals. Under the ACCC's price display rules, when you show consumers a price made up of parts, you also need to show the single total price, GST included, at least as prominently as any part price.
The trap is quoting "ex GST" to a homeowner. Your $4,000 quote turns into $4,400 at the invoice, the tradie down the road quoted $4,300 inc. GST, and you look dearer when you weren't. Lead with the total, GST in, and show the GST amount underneath.
Price for profit, not just to win
business.gov.au puts it simply: quote for profit, not just to win the job. Build every price from the same parts:
- Materials at today's price, not last year's
- Labour at a rate that covers your wage, super, insurance and the hours you can't bill
- Travel and time getting to and from the job
- A buffer for the things that always come up
- Your margin because that's what keeps the business running
If you're always the cheapest, you're usually paying for the job yourself.
Speed wins
Reply within the hour if you can, even if it's just "Got it, I'll have your quote to you by Thursday." A widely cited Harvard Business Review study found that firms which contacted online leads within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify them as firms that waited even one hour longer. That study looked at general online sales leads, not trades, but anyone who's chased a homeowner who has already booked someone else knows the feeling.
Make it easy to say yes
The quote that gets picked is the one a busy homeowner understands in a minute:
- A plain-English scope, not trade shorthand
- Photos or a quick sketch if it helps
- A clear expiry date ("valid for 30 days")
- One acceptance step: reply "yes", sign here, or tap accept
- What happens next: "Once you accept, I'll book you in and send the deposit invoice."
Follow up once or twice, then stop
Most homeowners don't say no. They just go quiet. A simple pattern works:
- Day 2:"Hi Sarah, just checking the quote came through OK and whether you had any questions about the scope."
- Day 7:"Hi Sarah, happy to hold this price until the 30th. If you've gone another way, no worries at all, and thanks for asking me to quote."
Then leave it. Two friendly follow-ups read as professional. Five read as desperate.
Bigger jobs: contracts and deposits (NSW)
In NSW, residential building work has extra rules on top of your quote. Per the NSW Government guide to home building contracts:
- Jobs over $5,000 inc. GST need a written contract.
- The deposit is capped at 10% of the contract price.
- Jobs over $20,000 need a large-job contract, and home building compensation (HBC) insurance must be in place before you take a deposit or start work.
Other states have different thresholds and rules, so check your own state regulator.
Free quote template (copy and paste)
[YOUR BUSINESS NAME] ABN: [ABN] Licence no.: [LICENCE] Phone: [PHONE] Email: [EMAIL] QUOTE #[NUMBER] Date: [DATE] Valid until: [DATE + 30 DAYS] Customer: [NAME] Job address: [ADDRESS] SCOPE OF WORK [Plain-English description of what you'll do] INCLUDED - [Item] - [Item] NOT INCLUDED - [Item, e.g. patching and painting after the work] - [Item] PRICE Materials ........................ $[ ] Labour ........................... $[ ] Other ([describe]) ............... $[ ] Subtotal (ex GST) ................ $[ ] GST .............................. $[ ] TOTAL (inc GST) .................. $[ ] PAYMENT TERMS Deposit: $[ ] on acceptance ([X]%) Balance: $[ ] due [on completion / within 7 days of invoice] TIMING Start: [DATE or "within X days of acceptance"] Expected finish: [DATE] TO ACCEPT Reply "I accept quote #[NUMBER]" or sign below. Signed: ____________________ Date: ____________
It works for builders, electricians, plumbers and most other trades. Swap the line items to suit your work.
Quoting on Quick Quote
On Quick Quote, each job goes to at most three tradies, so you're one of three, never one of ten. Everything above still applies, and two things matter most:
- Include a price if you can. Homeowners can accept a quote without a dollar figure, but a clear price helps them decide.
- Write a short, specific message.Two or three lines on what you'll do and when beats "call me to discuss" every time.
You can list your business for free. Pro is A$49 a month inc. GST, with no lock-in contract. Find local jobs in your trade, such as electrician jobs, plumber jobs or builder jobs. Homeowners often check our cost guides before they post, so it pays to know the price band too.
List your business free and quote local jobs. One of three, never one of ten.
Related: Four questions to ask before you pay for tradie leads
Quick answers
What should a tradie quote include?
Your business name, ABN and licence number, the customer and job address, a plain-English scope, inclusions and exclusions, itemised and total costs with GST shown, payment terms, start and finish dates, how long the quote is valid, and how to accept. If the customer has to call you to understand it, add more detail.
Is a quote legally binding?
An estimate isn't binding, but an accepted quote is a contract for the price and scope written in it. That's why exclusions matter: anything you can't price yet should be listed as excluded or as a separately priced variation. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should I quote inc. or ex GST?
For homeowners, lead with the total including GST. The ACCC's price display rules say consumers must see the single total price, GST in, at least as prominently as any part price. Show the GST amount on a separate line underneath.
How long should a quote be valid for?
Pick a period that matches how fast your material prices move. 30 days is common. Write the expiry date on the quote itself, not just "30 days", so there's no argument later about when the price lapsed.
How fast should I send a quote?
Acknowledge the enquiry within the hour if you can, even with "quote by Thursday", then send the quote when you said you would. Research on online sales leads found replies within an hour performed far better than slower ones.
How do I follow up a quote without being pushy?
Follow up twice: once around day 2 to check it arrived and answer questions, and once around day 7 with the expiry date and an easy out. Then stop. A polite final message keeps the door open for the next job.
Next step
List your business free, or go Pro for A$49 a month inc. GST. Max three tradies per job, no lead or per-quote fees, no lock-in.
Related
- Four questions to ask before you pay for tradie leads
- What to hire for when rates bite (homeowner companion)
- Cost guides: electricians · plumbers · handymen
