I normally only do smallish jobs and until now people have always been happy with a text/phone (oral quote) call for the job. But this lady wants a quote on an email. I have my hotmail address which is my name @hotmail but should I get a more professional sounding domain like TJG Construction or something? I do handyman work so cover three areas- painting, landscaping and carpentry so construction could cover all three I guess.
How do you write out the quote? I guess i need her address and last name, i guess in the top left side
I was going to write-
Dear Ms Smith,
This is the quote for painting the outside of your house. I will be giving the masonry two coats and paint all the sills with two coats. Any screws or nails will be removed and the holes filled prior to painting. My price for this work is £1,100 for labour. If the work takes considerably less time than expected then I might be able to reduce the cost. And can negotiate this at a later date. The job may take longer than on a flat surface because the render has a jaggid surface which may need going over with a brush.
Please don't hesitate to contact me.
Burt Smith
Tel 0000000000
NH, TBH, I am surprised that you have agreed to do the work. Is work hard to come by - I would have thought that at £130 per day you would be rushed off your feet (no disrespect intended). I was abut to suggest a few things, but Notchs advice and example was spot on.
Remember that you are writing a business quotation - not a love letter
I sincerely hope that you have not agreed to halve the scaffold charge - that would be ridiculous. Try not to take punters comments too personally, but lay out your stall and stick to it. I have always considered it as the punters job to minimise expenditure of family funds, and my job to maximise my income!
NEVER suggest that your charge will be open to negotiation - once the work is done, they have the whip hand (and your cash), you will end up losing. Always provide details of your get out clauses, say if your punter supplies the paint and there isn't enough or it does not cover as well as you expect - you will need more chargeable time.
Will you offer any guarantee, and under what circumstance?
It has never been easier to provide professional looking quotations. I had a few different ones saved for different jobs, and would edit the saved copies to suit the particular job. As time progressed, issues would arise, and sometimes it would cost me. That would trigger a review of my contracts, and I would ensure that THEIR problems did not become MY problems.
I do not get the scaffold business? Did you say you need it, or has she insisted that you use it? Either way, it is her expense. You are not qualified to comment on, and certainly not to sign anything, the safety aspects, and the scaffolders are responsible for that.
I am no longer SE, but when outside contractors were required, I generally introduced them to the client, and they ordered and paid. That way you do not become responsible for any shortcomings, and you will not get stuffed wit the bill. If, for any reason, I had to engage others services, I always charged a percentage over their quote. It is called business.
Unfortunately, you got off on the wrong foot with this woman, but she is not a rare example, so you have to earn to manage them.
FWIW, I would normally say to get a non Hotmail address, but your rates dictate that you have to minimise expenditure.
