How to write a quote: the 9 sections every complete quote needs

A good quote answers the client's questions before they ask them. Even with the right price, an incomplete quote triggers a chain of back-and-forth emails, and the decision slips. Having reviewed quotes from hundreds of firms over the years, we keep seeing the same gaps in the same places. If you are wondering how to write a quote that gets a fast yes, the 9 sections below form a skeleton that works in almost any industry.

1. Title and quote number

"Quote" on its own is not enough. Use a title that describes the job, such as "Office air conditioning system, 4th floor", plus a reference number you can track. If the client receives three quotes in the same week, they should be able to find yours by its number.

2. Your company details and logo

Legal company name, address, phone, email and tax or VAT registration number. Accounts will ask for these at order stage anyway, and providing them up front builds trust.

3. Client and contact person

Next to the company name, write who actually requested the quote. Knowing who to call when you follow up matters as much as the quote itself.

4. Line items: code, description, quantity, unit

Every line should have a product code or short description, a quantity and a unit. If you sell technical products, add the details that make comparison easy, such as capacity, model or size, to the description line.

5. Unit price, discount and tax

Show the discount openly instead of hiding it: list price, discount rate and net price. Whether VAT or sales tax is included or excluded should be clear on every line or at the total.

6. Totals

Subtotal, discount, tax and grand total on separate lines. Totals calculated by hand are the most common source of errors, so use formulas or a dedicated tool.

7. What is included and what is not

Installation, delivery, commissioning, labour outside the materials. Leaving out what the price covers is the single biggest cause of disputes after the order is placed.

8. Payment, delivery and warranty terms

Deposit percentage, payment terms, delivery time and warranty period. A few short bullet points are enough.

9. Validity period and signature

State how long the prices are valid and add the name of the person who prepared the quote. The expiry date also gives you a natural reminder date for your quote follow-up.

Quick checklist

• Does the title describe the job, and does it have a number?
• Is the client's contact person named?
• Is it clear whether tax is included or excluded?
• Are inclusions and exclusions listed?
• Is there a validity date and the name of the person who prepared it?