Estimate vs Quote — the difference
| Estimate | Quote | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | An early figure, while things are still unclear | A firm offer for work you've seen and priced |
| The price | Can change | Should hold |
| Use it when | You haven't seen everything yet — no drawings, finishes not chosen, can't see behind walls | You've had a proper look and know what you're pricing |
| Main risk | Customer treats it as a fixed price | You miss something and it comes out of your margin |
When to send an estimate
Send one when a customer needs an early budget but key information is still missing — drawings aren't finished, finishes haven't been chosen, or there's work you can't inspect yet. Say what the figure is based on, give a range if you can, and explain what could change it. Don't call something an estimate just because you haven't had time to price it properly — that's a different problem, and it's worth fixing separately.
When to send a quote
Send a proper quote once you've seen enough to price the job with confidence — the work included, the price, whether VAT is on top, payment terms, how long the price stands, your assumptions, what's excluded, and how you'll handle extras. If part of the job is still uncertain, quote the part you know and price the uncertain part separately. That's clearer than folding a guess into one number.
If the job changes on site
Stop and get the change agreed before doing extra work — a text message is enough. Say what's changed, what it costs, and get a reply back in writing. That's much easier to point to later than two different memories of a phone call.
Watch out for
- "All work included" without saying what that actually covers.
- No exclusions for hidden damage, access or customer-supplied items.
- No time limit on the price, while material costs can move.
- No plan for extras requested on site.
- Calling a firm figure an "estimate" while the rest of the document promises a finished job for that price.
Simple rule
If you can see the job and price it, send a quote. If something important is missing, send a clearly-labelled estimate and explain why. If there's real uncertainty, price a proper look first, then quote the main job afterwards.
Turn the agreed scope into a proper quote
ProfitQuote helps you organise costs, exclusions, contingency and profit before producing the customer document.
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