Job Quote Templates

What Is a Job Quote?

A job quote lists the assumed costs associated with a sale or service. Though it’s important to be as accurate as possible when drafting these documents, job quotes aren’t legally binding and can be subject to change. Their purpose is to provide a reasonably accurate cost estimate for a service that’s made up of many smaller individual expenses.

A new T-shirt, for example, has one clear price. But an interior decorator or a landscaper has lots of separate expenses (raw materials, labor, transport, etc.) that add together to create a total job cost. A job quote should provide cost estimates for all of the individual expenses it deems necessary for the sale. The customer can then compare it with job quotes from other providers before making a final decision.

What Is a Job Quote Template?

A job quote template is a preformatted document designed to help businesses and contractors draft high-quality job quotes. These templates come in a wide variety of styles and include subheadings, tables, lists, and other preloaded features.

Instead of starting from scratch, use a job quote template to copy-paste itemized expenses and other project details into a professional format. Templates save businesses time and ensure consistency across all sales documents.

Download your preferred job quote template. Then, edit it using a word processor, making sure to replace all placeholder captions and text boxes.

What Is the Difference Between a Job Quote and a Job Estimate?

The terms ‘quote’ and ‘estimate’ are sometimes used interchangeably, which can be confusing for new businesses. Both include a total sale price, but job estimates tend to be less detailed. It is appropriate for an estimate to include approximated costs. A job quote should use information from the customer (layout, dimensions, preferred materials, etc.) to make sure the costs calculations are bespoke.

Whether job quote or estimate, it’s a good idea to include a proviso that states unforeseen changes and costs may arise. It will protect your company from legal challenges if additional unavoidable costs are incurred.

Essential Elements of a Job Quote Template

Job quotes should have a similar format to your company’s cost invoices to make creating an invoice at a later date much easier. Here are some important details to include:

Quote Expiry: it’s standard practice for the issuing company to provide the customer with a thirty-day decision window, after which the quote is redrafted as a sales agreement or expires. Include the date of issue and the thirty-day-later expiry date.

Quote/Customer ID: giving every new quote a unique ID is an easy way to keep records organized and easily accessible.

Contact Details: job quotes should include the names and addresses of the issuing business and the customer.

Primary Contact: include the name of the individual who wrote the quote, so the customer knows who to contact with their questions.

Goods and Services: this is the main part of a job quote, so make sure it’s clearly itemized and formatted. List each new product or service on its own line with its own price calculation. Where relevant, include the approximate number of man-hours required for the service, process, or installation. Don’t forget to include transportation and/or shipping costs if appropriate.

Net Price: the quoted figure at the end of the document should include – as far as possible – every expense the company believes is necessary for the job. It should also include taxes, shipping fees, hourly rates, and all discounts and incentives offered to the customer. Changes to the job quote after it has been accepted will require fresh negotiations, which may lead to costly delays.

Terms and Conditions: in most cases, clearly laid out payment terms are enough information. If you need to add extra terms and conditions, include them in a separate section.

Customer Signature: include space for the customer to sign the job quote if they feel satisfied with its terms and wish to proceed.

Provided the document’s formatting is appropriate, a job quote can be quickly turned into a sales invoice by removing the expiry date and replacing the quote ID with an invoice number.

Final Thoughts

Job quotes are professional documents that should be approached with care and attention to detail. They may not be legally binding contracts, but they still form an important part of the sales process. Providing customers with comprehensive and accurate quotes is a good way to start building trust in the relationship from the first point of contact.