You can write a solid quote in an afternoon if you check five things before it goes out. This checklist covers them, and each check takes under 10 minutes. It works whether you draft by hand, from an AI quote template or with an AI chat assistant's help.
Who this checklist is for
This is for small business owners who quote before work starts: plumbers in Hamilton, electricians in Tauranga, consultants in Nelson, designers in Dunedin, and anyone else who sends a price and waits for a yes.
If you often send quotes late, rewrite them three times, or end up arguing about what was included, start here. If an AI tool drafts any of your wording, the checklist matters even more, because it only knows what you tell it and it can get things wrong. A person should check every figure.
The checklist
1. Check the price is right
What to check: Every number, and whether it covers your real costs and time.
How to check: Re-add the line items with a calculator. Compare labour hours and materials against your last two similar jobs. Check supplier prices are current.
What good looks like: The total matches the lines, each line has a clear basis (hours and rate, or a unit price), and you would still be happy with the job if it took a little longer than planned.
2. Check the scope is clear
What to check: What is in the job, and what is not.
How to check: Read it as the customer would. Could they tell, without asking you, what they are getting? Then list two or three things they might assume are included, and decide whether they are.
What good looks like: A short list of inclusions, a short list of exclusions, and no vague phrases like "general work" or "as needed". Leave out background, sales pitch and anything you are not committing to.
3. Check the terms are yours
What to check: Payment, timing and what happens if things change.
How to check: Find three answers in the quote: when do you get paid, how much is due upfront, and how are changes handled? If any answer is missing, the customer will fill the gap their own way.
What good looks like: Clear payment dates, a stated process for extra work ("changes are quoted and agreed in writing before we start them"), and nothing copied from a template you have not read.
4. Check the deadline is realistic
What to check: Two dates: when you can deliver, and when the customer needs to decide.
How to check: Open your calendar. Does the start date clash with other jobs? Add a buffer for weather, supplier delays or sick days. Then set an expiry date on the quote so the price does not hang around indefinitely.
What good looks like: A start date or window you can actually meet, and a clear "this quote is open until" date, usually 14 to 30 days out.
5. Check the tone matches your business
What to check: Does it sound like you?
How to check: Read the first paragraph aloud. If you would not say it to a customer standing in front of you, change it. This matters most with AI-drafted text, which can come out stiff or overly polished.
What good looks like: Plain words, the customer's name spelled correctly, and a friendly next step such as "reply to this email or ring me to go ahead".
Scoring: what your answers mean
Tick each item you can honestly say yes to.
- All five ticked: send it.
- Four ticked: fix the one that is missing first, then send it.
- Three or fewer ticked: redraft. A quote with several gaps tends to cost you time later, either in back-and-forth or in work you did not price.
Fix the worst one first
Don't try to fix everything at once. Start with the item that could hurt most.
- Price if you are unsure about the money. A wrong number is the hardest mistake to walk back.
- Scope if the job is complex, with many parts or several people involved.
- Terms if you have had a dispute or a late payment before. Write the clause that would have prevented it.
Then run the checklist again. It usually takes a few minutes the second time.
The template
Here is a simple structure, shown as an example for a hot water cylinder replacement in Hamilton. It covers price, scope, terms and timing, with tone running through all of it.
- Opening line: "Hi Sam, thanks for having me round on Tuesday. Here is the quote for replacing your hot water cylinder."
- Scope: Includes removing the old cylinder, supplying and fitting a new one, and connecting to existing pipes. Excludes any repair to the cupboard or wall behind it.
- Price: Illustrative example only: labour of 6 hours at NZ$95 an hour is NZ$570, materials are NZ$310, and the total is NZ$880.
- Terms: Half is due before we start and the balance on completion. Any extra work is quoted and agreed before it begins.
- Timing: "I can start the week of the 14th. This quote is open until the 28th."
- Next step: "Reply to this email or ring me to go ahead."
Swap in your own trade, wording and numbers, then run the five checks above.
If you have questions about using AI to speed up your quoting, you are welcome to get in touch through our contact page.
