BRIEF
How to Send a Quote to a Client, With Three Examples Written Out
Email the quote within a day of talking to the client. Put the total, the expiry date, and the one thing they do to say yes in the first two lines of the email itself, not only in the attachment. Three worked examples with real line items follow.
Connery Davoodian · Founder, Fynl ·
The short version of sending a quote
Send the quote by email within 24 hours of the site visit, call, or consultation, while the client still remembers you. The email should do three jobs in its first two lines: say the total, say the date the price expires, and say exactly what the client does to accept. Everything else, including line items, terms, and what is not included, goes in the quote itself.
The common mistake is writing "Please find attached your quote, let me know if you have any questions." That sentence makes the client open an attachment on their phone, pinch and zoom to find the number, and then decide on their own what "yes" looks like. Many will simply put it off. A quote with no expiry date and no single accept step works more like a brochure than an offer.
If you have not built the document yet, start with the quote template and Gmail email set up in Google Docs. This page is about what goes in the email for different kinds of jobs and what happens after you press send.
Three quote examples, written out
The businesses and prices below are illustrations, not market rates. Swap in your own numbers. What carries over is the structure: the price and expiry go up front, the deposit is stated as a dollar figure rather than a percentage, and there is one accept action.
Wedding photographer
Subject: Your quote for June 13 wedding coverage: $4,200, valid until Oct 30
Hi Dana and Chris, thanks for the call this morning. Your total is $4,200 for 8 hours of coverage with a second shooter and an engagement session. To hold June 13, accept the quote and pay the $1,260 deposit at the link below. I don't hold dates without a deposit, and this price is good until October 30.
[Accept and pay deposit]
The full breakdown is on the quote. Reply to this email if you want to change anything. — Maya
Body shop
Subject: Repair quote, 2021 RAV4 rear bumper: $1,537.50 before tax
Hi Mr. Patel, here is the quote from this afternoon's inspection: $1,537.50 plus tax. Parts prices are held for 30 days. If we find hidden damage once the bumper is off, we will call you with a revised price before doing any extra work. Reply YES to this email to book, and we'll order parts the same day.
Deck contractor (California)
Subject: Quote for 12x16 composite deck: $12,300, valid 21 days
Hi Sam, your total is $12,300, which includes the permit and haul-away. To get on the schedule, sign the quote at the link below. The down payment is $1,000, and the rest is billed in stages as work is completed, as listed on page 2.
The table shows the numbers behind each one, including what the deposit costs you in card fees at Stripe's standard US online rate of 2.9% + 30¢. That rate is current as of writing, so check Stripe's pricing page for yours.
| Job | Line items | Total | Deposit | Card fee on deposit | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding photography | 8 hrs coverage $3,200; second shooter $600; engagement session $400 | $4,200 | $1,260 (30%) | $36.84 | 14 days |
| Bumper repair | Parts $640; labor 6.5 hrs × $95 = $617.50; paint and materials $280 | $1,537.50 + tax | None (or $640 parts deposit) | $18.86 if taken | 30 days |
| Composite deck | Materials $6,900; labor $4,800; permit $250; disposal $350 | $12,300 | $1,000 (capped by CA law) | $29.30 | 21 days |
The deck line matters most. A flat 30% deposit on that job would be $3,690, and in California that would be illegal. Business and Professions Code 7159.5 caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. Other states have their own rules for contractors, so look up yours before copying a percentage from a template.
PDF attachment or online quote link
Both work. The question is how many steps sit between the client reading the price and you holding a deposit. With a PDF, the client opens the file, replies, and then pays through a separate link. If you go that route, set up a Stripe payment link that tells you who paid so the deposit doesn't arrive anonymously. With an online quote, the client reads, accepts, signs, and pays on one page.
Here is a rule you can act on. If you send fewer than about five quotes a month and most clients book in person anyway, a PDF and a payment link is fine and costs nothing. If you send more than that, or if your deposits regularly arrive days after the client said yes, use an online quote tool. Wave and Square both offer estimates on their free plans. Paid job tools like Jobber add scheduling. Fynl ($49/month) puts quotes, contracts, deposit invoices, and the client record in one place. It sends quotes by email only and does not do SMS, so it is the wrong pick if your clients only answer texts.
Is a click or a typed name legally a signature? In the US, the federal ESIGN Act generally gives electronic signatures the same standing as ink. An online accept button with a recorded name and date is usually stronger evidence than "sounds good" in an email reply. For large contracts, ask a local lawyer.
What to do after you press send
Most quotes that go nowhere were never declined. Nobody followed up. Put the follow-ups in your calendar the moment you send, so the schedule doesn't depend on you remembering.
- Day 2: One line asking if they have questions about anything on the quote. Don't mention price.
- Day 7: Offer something concrete, such as a call, a revised scope, or an alternative option at a lower total.
- Day before expiry: "Your quote expires tomorrow. After that I'll need to re-price parts and materials." This is the email that gets replies, because the deadline is real.
- Expiry day: Mark it lost and note the reason if you know it. The reasons you collect over time tell you whether your pricing or your speed is the problem.
To find out which step actually works for you, count over your next 20 quotes how many were accepted after each follow-up. That number is more useful than any industry average.
Questions people also ask
Should I text a quote instead of emailing it?
A text works as a heads-up ("Quote's in your inbox, total is $1,537.50"), but send the quote itself by email or as a link so the client has a dated copy with line items and terms. A price sent only by text is easy to lose and hard to point back to in a dispute.
How long should a quote be valid?
Long enough for the client to decide, but short enough that your costs haven't moved. Two to four weeks is common. Use the short end if your materials or parts prices change often, and always write the actual expiry date rather than "30 days."
Is a client replying 'yes' to my email a binding agreement?
It can be evidence of acceptance, but it's weaker than a recorded signature on the quote itself. For anything over a few thousand dollars, have the client sign the quote or a contract, which the ESIGN Act generally treats as valid when done electronically.
What's the difference between a quote and an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price for a defined scope. An estimate is your best guess and can change. If the price might move, as with hidden damage on a car or rot under a deck, call it an estimate or state in writing how changes are handled and approved.
Sources
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