Write a clear quote: scope, assumptions and changes

Written by the Offertje editorial team. Examples are illustrations, not market-rate research. Reviewed 5 November 2026.

A useful quote answers more than “how much?”. Your customer should be able to see what they will receive, what you need from them and what happens if the job changes. Write those points before polishing the layout. A neat PDF cannot rescue an unclear description.

Describe an outcome you can check

Replace “website updates” with a bounded deliverable: “Update the text and images on five existing pages, check the layout on mobile and desktop, and complete one round of corrections.” The second description gives both parties something to compare with the finished work. It also exposes assumptions: the site already exists, the customer supplies approved material, and new functionality is outside the price.

For practical work, describe quantities and the condition you have assumed. “Paint two prepared interior walls, approximately 30 square metres in total” is easier to evaluate than “paint the room”. Measurements and site conditions should come from the actual job, not a generic price example.

Make the price match the scope

Suppose your own calculation is 12 hours at £40 plus £120 of materials. That produces £600 before any applicable VAT. Show enough detail for the customer to understand the total without exposing confidential supplier costs or treating estimated hours as an open-ended commitment. Decide whether you are presenting a fixed price for the described work or an estimate with assumptions, and state that clearly.

The calculation does not establish whether you should charge VAT. Check your status and the treatment of the actual supply. Where VAT applies, make the tax and the customer’s total understandable. The VAT calculator helps with the arithmetic, not that classification.

Agree changes before doing them

If the customer later asks for two additional pages, record what is being added and the effect on price and timing. For example: “Add two pages using the existing design: four additional hours at £40, £160 before applicable VAT. Delivery moves by two working days after receiving the text.” Request agreement before starting the extra work.

• Give the quote a reference and a validity date.
• List deliverables, exclusions and customer-supplied information.
• State payment stages and the conditions for starting.
• Keep a dated record of the agreed version and later changes.

Sector-specific and consumer requirements can add obligations, so this is a practical drafting method rather than a complete contract. Use the quote tool once the scope and your own figures are ready.