Construction Quotation Format
Construction quotation format for contractors: required fields, an itemised bathroom refit sample with totals, payment stages, exclusions and variations.
A construction quotation format gives the homeowner or business client a fixed price for clearly described building work, broken down so they can see where the money goes. The format below works for refits, extensions, repairs and small commercial jobs: header and client details, scope, itemised pricing, provisional sums, exclusions, payment stages, timeline and acceptance. We also include a filled-in bathroom refit sample with every total checked.
Quote, estimate or bid?
An estimate is a best guess that may change; a quotation is a firm price for a defined scope. A bid is usually a quotation submitted in competition against tender documents. If the client asks for a "rough idea", label it clearly as an estimate. If you are pricing from plans for a formal tender, a bid proposal template is more suitable. Our article on quote vs estimate explains the differences in detail.
Required fields in a construction quotation format
Header
- Business name, logo, address, phone, email, licence or registration number where your trade or location requires one, and tax number if registered.
- Quotation number, date and valid-until date. A consistent quotation number format makes jobs easy to track.
Client and site
- Client name, contact details, site address (if different), and site visit date.
Scope of work
- Plain-language description of each stage, with sizes and specifications.
- Who supplies which materials and fixtures.
Pricing
- Item, quantity, unit, rate, amount; or stage totals.
- Provisional sums and prime cost allowances, clearly labelled.
- Subtotal, tax and total.
Terms
- Payment stages, start date and duration, exclusions, variations procedure, warranty, insurance, waste disposal and site rules.
- Acceptance block with signature and date.
Construction quotation sample: bathroom refit
| Quotation no. | Q-2026-063 |
|---|---|
| Date / valid until | 12 November 2026 / 12 December 2026 |
| Client | Mr and Mrs Okafor, 27 Beech Avenue |
| Job | Full refit of first-floor bathroom, 2.4 x 2.1 m |
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strip out existing suite, tiles and flooring; protect stairs and landing | 1 lot | 650.00 | 650.00 |
| Plumbing first and second fix, relocate WC waste | 1 lot | 1,100.00 | 1,100.00 |
| Electrical: extractor fan, 4 downlights, shaver point | 1 lot | 480.00 | 480.00 |
| Plaster ceiling and make good walls | 1 lot | 380.00 | 380.00 |
| Supply wall and floor tiles (22 m2 plus 10% waste, 25 m2) | 25 m2 | 32.00 | 800.00 |
| Tiling labour, walls and floor, including adhesive and grout | 22 m2 | 55.00 | 1,210.00 |
| Fit sanitaryware, vanity unit and shower screen | 1 lot | 520.00 | 520.00 |
| Sanitaryware allowance (PC sum, client to choose) | 1 | 1,800.00 | 1,800.00 |
| Skip hire and waste disposal | 1 | 260.00 | 260.00 |
| Subtotal | 7,200.00 | ||
| Tax at 20% | 1,440.00 | ||
| Total | 8,640.00 | ||
Tile quantity check: walls and floor measure 22 m2. Adding 10% for cuts and breakage gives 24.2 m2, rounded up to 25 m2 because tiles are sold in whole boxes. That is why the supply line and the labour line show different quantities.
Payment stages: 25% deposit on acceptance (2,160.00) to order materials; 50% when first fix plumbing and electrics are complete (4,320.00); 25% on completion (2,160.00). Total 8,640.00.
PC sum: if the client's chosen sanitaryware costs 2,100.00, the difference of 300.00 plus tax is added on the final invoice; if it costs less, the difference is credited.
Exclusions: repairs to joists or subfloor found after strip-out (priced as a variation), decoration outside the bathroom, building control fees if required.
Timeline: 10 working days, start date to be agreed on acceptance.
How to price each line
For each item, add materials (with waste), labour hours at your loaded rate, any subcontractor price and a share of overhead, then your profit. Take the tiling labour: 22 m2 at roughly 2.5 m2 per hour is about 9 hours of tiling, plus preparation, cutting, grouting and cleaning, call it 18 hours. At 45.00 per hour that is 810.00; adding adhesive, grout, trims and sealant (roughly 150.00), overhead and profit brings it to 1,210.00, or 55.00 per m2. Our labor and materials invoice guide shows how to present materials and markup, and our guide to job costing helps you check after the job whether your rates held up.
For larger projects with many trades, pricing against a bill of quantities format keeps every item measured the same way.
How to write a construction quotation, step by step
- Visit the site. Measure, photograph and note access, parking, existing services and anything that looks like hidden trouble, such as damp or soft floors.
- Agree the scope with the client. Confirm which fittings they will choose, what stays and what goes, and whether they want you to handle permits.
- Take off quantities. Areas for tiling and plastering, lengths for skirting and pipework, counts for fittings.
- Get prices from suppliers and subcontractors in writing, with their lead times.
- Price labour from realistic hours, not best-case days.
- Add site costs, overhead and profit, then check the total against similar past jobs.
- Write the scope, exclusions and payment stages in plain language.
- Send the quote as a PDF with a validity date and signature block, and follow up a few days later.
Writing scope that cannot be misread
Compare "Tile bathroom" with "Supply and fix 300 x 600 mm porcelain tiles to all walls full height and to the floor, including adhesive, grout, trims and silicone; client to approve tile sample before ordering". The second version tells the client what they get, tells your tiler what to do and tells everyone what is extra. Write every line of scope that way: action (supply, fix, remove), item, size or specification, location and what is included.
Consumer expectations for home improvement quotes
Homeowners are often advised what to look for in a quote. The US Federal Trade Commission's guidance on avoiding home improvement scams says a written estimate should describe the work, materials, completion date and price, advises against paying the full cost up front and notes that some states limit how large a down payment can be. It also says that contracts signed at the customer's home or away from the seller's place of business should include notice of a three-business-day right to cancel. A quote that already meets these points builds trust. Local rules vary, so this is general information, not legal advice.
Handling variations after the quote is accepted
Once the walls are open, surprises appear. Suppose the strip-out reveals two rotten floor joists. Stop, photograph the problem, and send the client a short written variation before doing the work:
| Variation V1 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sister two damaged joists with new C24 timber, 2.4 m each, including fixings | 290.00 |
| Labour, 4 hours at 45.00 | 180.00 |
| Tax at 20% | 94.00 |
| Variation total | 564.00 |
Get the client's written approval, by email or a signature, then add the variation to the next stage invoice as a separate line. The revised contract sum becomes 8,640.00 + 564.00 = 9,204.00. Keeping variations numbered and approved in writing is the single most effective way to avoid end-of-job disputes. If the client declines a variation, record that in writing too, so it is clear the issue was raised and the decision was theirs.
Variations for different construction jobs
| Job | Format tips |
|---|---|
| Small repair | Single lot price, call-out fee, materials at cost, short validity |
| Kitchen or bathroom refit | Stage pricing, PC sums for fittings, strip-out and disposal lines |
| Extension | Stage payments by foundations, shell, roof, first fix, finishes; provisional sums for groundworks |
| Commercial fit-out | Schedule of values, monthly progress billing, retainage |
| Subcontract package | Reference main contractor's drawings, attendance, programme dates |
Common mistakes on construction quotes
- No exclusions. Hidden rot, asbestos or structural repairs must be named as excluded or provisional.
- Large up-front payments. Tie payments to visible progress.
- No variations clause. State that extra work will be priced in writing before it starts; see our guide to change orders.
- Forgetting waste and protection. Skips, dust sheets and floor protection cost money.
- Unclear tax. State whether figures include or exclude tax.
- No acceptance signature. A signed quote is your best evidence of what was agreed.
From quote to stage invoices
Each payment stage becomes an invoice that references the quotation number and states the stage reached. On commercial jobs, follow the approach in our construction invoice guide for progress claims and retainage.
Our free invoice generator lets you build the quotation and each stage invoice with your logo, line items and tax, and download them as PDFs. There is nothing to sign up for, so you can price a job on site and send it the same day.
Frequently asked questions
What is a construction quotation?
A construction quotation is a contractor's written price for a defined scope of building work, such as an extension, refit or repair. It lists the work, materials, labour and other costs, the total with tax, the payment stages, the timeline and the terms. Once accepted, it usually binds the contractor to the price for the described work, with changes handled through written variations.
How do I write a quotation for construction work?
Visit the site, measure and note existing conditions, then list the work in the order it will happen. Price each item from materials plus waste, labour hours and any subcontractor costs, then add site costs, overhead and profit. Write clear inclusions and exclusions, set staged payments linked to progress, add a validity period and include an acceptance signature block.
Should a construction quote be itemised?
Itemising is strongly recommended. A breakdown shows the client what they are paying for, makes your quote easier to compare fairly with others and gives a basis for valuing changes. You can still present a single fixed total. Some contractors itemise by stage rather than by every material to avoid clients cherry-picking items, which is a reasonable middle ground.
What payment schedule is normal for construction work?
A deposit to book the job and order materials, then stage payments tied to clear milestones, such as first fix complete, plastering complete and practical completion. Avoid asking for the full cost up front; consumer guidance warns homeowners against it, and some places limit deposit sizes. For commercial work, monthly progress billing with retainage is common.
How long is a construction quote valid?
Thirty days is common for small works, with some contractors using 14 days when material prices are volatile. Larger projects may hold prices for 60 to 90 days. State the validity period clearly and note that start dates are subject to availability at the time of acceptance, so a client accepting late does not assume the original start date still stands.
What is a provisional sum in a construction quote?
A provisional sum is an allowance for work or items that cannot be priced accurately yet, such as repairs behind a wall or fittings the client has not chosen. The final cost is adjusted up or down once known. Label provisional sums clearly and explain how they will be reconciled, so the client understands that part of the total may change.
Invoice Creator Editorial Team
Guides on invoicing, cash flow and small-business finance from Invoice Creator, operated by Next Software Development Company. Content is reviewed for accuracy against the fields our own invoice generator produces.
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