Most profit isn’t lost on the main items but on the small things that never made it into the quote: taking away rubble, an extra visit, floor protection or a box of silicone. Here are seven items worth having in every quote.
In short
- Everything you do or buy for the job should be a line item or built into the price.
- Count site visits and travel time at their real cost.
- Write the terms for extra work into the quote before you start.
- Save your line items as a catalogue so you never forget them again.
1. Waste and rubble removal
Taking out tiles, sanitaryware or old windows creates waste that someone has to take away. Skip hire, trips and tip fees all cost money. List them as a lump sum or per m³.
2. Protecting the room
Plastic sheeting, tape, floor and furniture protection. Small per piece, but on a bigger job it adds up to a full day’s work and materials. A “protection” line per m² or as a lump sum settles it.
3. Site visits and travel time
Survey, measuring, delivering materials and coming back while things dry. Every visit means fuel, the van and an hour you don’t bill. The travel cost calculator shows what that really costs.
4. Surface preparation
Levelling, stripping old paint, priming, skimming. If the surface work isn’t described in the quote, the client expects it to be included. List it separately, with a unit.
5. Consumables
Silicone, plugs, screws, sandpaper, discs, adhesive. Each piece is cheap, but together they easily reach 3 to 5 % of the job. A lump-sum “consumables” line is common and fair.
6. Final cleaning
The client wants a room they can use. A rough clean after the work takes time and should be listed, even as a lump sum.
7. Terms for extra work
Almost every job turns up something along the way. Write into the quote how extra work is charged, for example at your hourly rate or through an extra quote the client signs first.
How never to forget them again
Build your own catalogue of line items with prices and units and start from it. In AdBooks you add catalogue items to a quote in one click, and the free templates by trade already contain the typical items for your work.
Frequently asked questions
Should consumables be a separate line?
They can be a separate lump-sum line or built into the labour price. What matters is that they are covered, not paid out of your profit.
How do I charge for site visits?
As a separate line per visit or per km, or built into the labour price. The travel cost calculator works out the real cost per visit.
What if the client asks for extra work?
Make an extra quote and have the client sign it before you start. That way there is no argument at the end.