Most lost jobs are lost in the quote, not in the work. A vague quote invites the customer to commodity-shop you against a competitor; a precise quote with clear scope and payment terms positions you as the professional. Here is the system field-tested by tens of thousands of trades — independent of industry.
The six-step quote process. Walk the job. Don't quote sight-unseen unless it is a $100 service call you have done 50 times. The site visit is where you spot the gotchas that wreck your margin.
What a winning quote looks like. A winning quote does three things at once: itemizes enough to justify the price, totals to a single confident number at the bottom, and signals professionalism through clean formatting and clear terms. Customers who get three quotes are looking for reasons to disqualify. Don't hand them ammunition.
Contingency math. On a $5,000 bathroom remodel, 15% contingency adds $750 to the price. If everything goes smoothly, that $750 is profit. If the subfloor is rotted under the tub (it usually is), the $750 covers the surprise without you having to call the customer for a change order.
The follow-up sequence that wins more jobs. 75% of jobs are won by the contractor who follows up first. Send a text within 48 hours: 'Hi Sarah — checking if you had any questions about the quote I sent. Happy to walk through it on a call.' If no answer in a week, follow up again with a soft scarcity nudge: 'I have an opening the week of the 22nd — wanted to give
Frequently asked questions
How long should a quote be valid?
30 days is standard. Material prices and your schedule move; an open-ended quote exposes you to both. State the expiry date on the document.
Should I show line-item labor hours?
No. Show labor as a dollar amount or as 'installation' — never as hours. Hours invite negotiation and let the customer second-guess your speed.
What's the win-rate I should aim for?
Roughly 40–60% on quoted jobs. Below 30% you are overpriced or unfocused; above 70% you are underpriced and leaving margin on the table.
