Quote examples by trade, itemised and ready to accept

What a good quote does that an estimate does not

An estimate is a guess the final bill may move away from; a quote is a price the business commits to for the work described. That is why every quote here is specific about scope: the number of power points, the litres of the hot water unit, the square metres of roof, the number of guests. When something genuinely cannot be known until the job starts, such as rot behind a wall, the quote says so and says how it will be priced, instead of padding the total to cover it.

How the trades price differently

Electricians and plumbers usually separate the call out, labour and parts, so the customer can see what each costs. Painters and roofers price by area and by stage. Cleaners price per visit with the number of visits as the quantity. Caterers price per head and let the client change the guest count within a range. Creative trades such as photographers and designers price by the hour or the deliverable and offer extras as optional lines. Each page explains the pricing shape it uses and the licence or compliance detail the trade is expected to show.

From quote to job

Every quote here can be accepted online with a typed name and a drawn signature. Where a deposit is set, a deposit invoice is issued the moment the customer accepts, with a card pay link, and a balance invoice is drafted for the rest. Quotes are valid for a stated number of days; after that the quote expires and cannot be accepted, which protects the business when material prices move.

Every page in this collection

• Catering quote example priced per guest

  A catering quote should price the food per guest, show staff and equipment as their own lines, and set the date final numbers are due. This example from a Sydney caterer prices a 60 guest garden party at $6,740 including GST, with the guest count adjustable from 40 to 80 and two extras the host can add.

• Cleaning services quote for a medical centre, priced per visit

  A cleaning services quote should price the regular clean per visit, list exactly what is cleaned, and say what the cleaners will not touch. This example from a Darwin commercial cleaner quotes three evening cleans a week for a medical centre at $2,520 plus GST for the first month, with visits the practice can set to match its opening days.

• Copywriting quote for website copy, priced per page

  A copywriting quote should price each page or piece separately, say how many rounds of changes are included, and state who owns the words. This example from a Canberra copywriter quotes a small architecture practice's website at $4,390 plus GST, with case studies priced per project so the practice can decide how many to publish.

• Electrical quote example for a switchboard upgrade

  An electrical quote should name the work, price parts and labour by line, and say what certificate the customer receives. This example from a Geelong electrician replaces a ceramic fuse board with a new switchboard and eight safety switches for $2,820 including GST, with LED downlights and interconnected smoke alarms as options.

• Graphic design quote for a brand identity and can labels

  A graphic design quote should list each design deliverable, say how many concepts and rounds of changes are included, and state when copyright passes to the client. This example from a Perth studio quotes a logo, brand guidelines and three can labels for a small brewery at $6,150 plus GST, with labels priced per design.

• Landscaping quote example for a back garden makeover

  A landscaping quote should price measurable work by the metre or square metre, so the customer can see how the size of the garden drives the cost. This example from a Perth landscaper prices a back garden with a 12 metre retaining wall, 85 square metres of turf, planted beds and reticulation at $12,900 including GST, with paving and lighting as options.

• Painting quote example for an exterior repaint

  A painting quote should price preparation on its own, measure the main surfaces, and say how old paint and rotten timber will be handled. This example from a Brisbane painter quotes the exterior of a 1930s Queenslander at $11,730 including GST, with the weatherboards priced per square metre and the fence and deck as options.

• Plumbing quote example for a hot water system replacement

  A plumbing quote should separate the product from the labour, say what is removed and what certificate is issued, and tell the customer how long they will be without water. This example from a Central Coast plumber replaces a failed electric storage unit with a 270 litre heat pump for $4,640 including GST, with two small extras the customer can add.

• Renovation quote example for a laundry

  A renovation quote should price each trade, state any allowances for things the owner still has to choose, and say what contract follows. This example from a Leichhardt builder prices a full laundry renovation at $14,780 including GST, with tiles to an allowance, a 10% deposit, and a note that a written contract follows before work starts.

• Roofing quote example for a tile roof restoration

  A roofing quote should price the safety set up, count the repairs, and measure the coating by area, so the owner can see what each part of the job costs. This example from a Melbourne roofer restores a 185 square metre concrete tile roof for $8,062 including GST, with new gutters and gutter guard as options.

• Videography quote for a brand film and social cut downs

  A videography quote should break the job into planning, filming and editing, say what files the client receives and how they may use them, and price extras separately. This example from an Adelaide production company quotes a two minute bakery film and three social cut downs at $6,370 plus GST, with drone footage and captions as options.

• Wedding photography quote with adjustable hours and extras

  A wedding photography quote should say how many hours are covered, what the couple receives and when, and what happens to the date if they wait. This example from a Yarra Valley photographer prices eight hours and a 600 image gallery at $4,500 including GST, lets the couple set the hours from six to ten, and holds the date with a fixed booking fee.