For builders
Building work quote template (free) and a quicker way to get paid
Estimating is one of the biggest unpaid jobs in a building firm. A clear template saves hours, and a written stage payment schedule protects your cash flow on jobs that run for weeks.
Free building work quote template
An example laid out the way customers expect. Example prices only: use your own.
Quote
Single-storey rear extension (shell)
- From
- [Your business name]
- For
- [Customer name and address]
- Quote no.
- [Q-0001]
- Date
- [Date]
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excavate and pour foundations | 1 | £4,800.00 | £4,800.00 |
| Blockwork, brickwork and cavity insulation to wall plate | 1 | £9,600.00 | £9,600.00 |
| Flat roof structure, insulation and EPDM covering | 1 | £5,200.00 | £5,200.00 |
| Steel beam and installation, as per engineer's design | 1 | £2,400.00 | £2,400.00 |
| Skip hire and waste removal | 3 skips | £320.00 | £960.00 |
- Total before VAT
- £22,960.00
- VAT at 20%
- £4,592.00
- Total
- £27,552.00
Terms
- Excludes Building Regulations fees, structural engineer's fees, windows, doors and internal finishes, which are quoted separately.
- Valid for 30 days from the date of this quote.
- Payment in stages as set out below.
Payment schedule
- Deposit on booking (15%)£4,132.80
- Foundations complete (25%)£6,888.00
- Walls to wall plate (30%)£8,265.60
- Roof on and watertight (20%)£5,510.40
- Completion (10%)£2,755.20
How builders usually get paid
Building work of more than a week or two should always be paid in stages tied to progress the customer can see.
Try other splits for your own jobs with the free deposit and stage payment calculator.
Built for how builders work
Hours of unpaid estimating
Keep your standard rates and items in templates and build each quote in minutes. Follow-ups then make sure the work you priced gets an answer.
Funding the job yourself
Stage payments tied to milestones mean you are never weeks of labour and materials out of pocket. QuoteChase chases each one if it is late.
Final balances that drag on
Automatic reminders on day 1, 7, 14 and 30, then the right formal letter for a business or homeowner, recover the balance without the arguments.
Questions
How should builders structure stage payments?
A modest deposit on booking, then payments tied to visible milestones such as foundations, walls and roof, with a final payment on completion. Agree the schedule in writing on the quote.
Should builders charge for quotes?
Most domestic quotes are free, but charging for detailed design or long-distance visits is reasonable. A survey fee refunded against the job is a common compromise.
What should be excluded on a building quote?
Anything you are not pricing: fees, design, finishes, and how unforeseen ground conditions or hidden defects will be handled. Clear exclusions prevent disputes later.
Quote, follow up and get paid as a builder
Save your items and prices once, send a branded quote from your phone in about 30 seconds, and let QuoteChase follow it up, take the deposit and chase the final payment.
Free 14-day demo. Nothing reaches a real customer.
Useful next
- Deposit and stage payment calculatorSplit a job into a deposit, stage payments and a final balance, with the amount due at each step.
- Should tradespeople charge for quotes?When a free quote makes sense, when to charge for a survey or design, the difference between a quote and an estimate, and how to stop losing evenings to quotes that go nowhere.
- Roofing quote template for roofersFree roofing quote template for UK roofers with example line items for a re-roof. Send quotes from site, take deposits and follow up homeowners automatically.