Quote on site, not at the kitchen table at 9pm

Ask a room full of tradies what they hate most about running their own business, and quoting at night is near the top. You have done a full day on the tools, had dinner, and now you are at the kitchen table trying to remember what the third job looked like. It eats your evenings, and it costs you work.

There is a better way: do the quote while you are standing there.

Why quoting later loses jobs

• Someone else gets there first. Customers often get two or three quotes. The first decent one has a real head start.
• You forget things. The extra gate, the tree that needs trimming, the second tap. Small misses become either lost money or awkward conversations.
• It piles up. One quote a night becomes four by Thursday. Some never get done.
• The customer cools off. When you are on site they are keen. Three days later they are busy with something else.

Why quoting on site works

When you quote on the spot, everything is in front of you. You can see the job, measure it and ask questions. The customer can tell you what they want while you are both looking at it. And if the quote lands in their inbox before you have even started the ute, you look like the most organised tradie they have ever dealt with.

A simple on site routine

1. Walk the job with the customer. Ask what they want and what matters most to them: price, timing, finish.
2. Take photos. The area, any problems, access, anything you might need to explain later. Photos in the quote show the customer exactly what you saw.
3. Talk it through. Say the job out loud as you go, the way you would explain it to your offsider: how many hours, how many workers, what materials, what is included and what is not.
4. Check it. Read the quote back once. Is everything there? Is GST right? Is there a valid until date?
5. Send it before you leave. Sit in the ute for two minutes and hit send.

Set up your rates once

The reason quoting takes so long is often that you are working out the same numbers every time. Write down your standard rates: hourly, day rate, per metre, call out fee, common materials. Then every quote is a matter of picking lines and putting in quantities, not doing maths from scratch.

Have your standard lines ready

Most trades do the same kinds of jobs over and over. Keep a short list of your usual inclusions and exclusions, like "All green waste removed" or "Painting of new walls not included". Reusing good wording makes every quote clearer and faster.

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What if it is a big job?

Some jobs genuinely need more thought: big renovations, jobs with lots of subbies, anything that needs pricing from suppliers. That is fine. Even then, send something on the day: "Thanks for having me out. I am getting prices from my suppliers and will have your quote to you by Thursday." Then make sure it arrives by Thursday. Being clear and on time still wins.

Explain it while you are there

One of the biggest advantages of quoting on site is that you can talk the customer through it in person. Point at the hedge and say what you will do with it. Show them the part that is worn. When the quote arrives a few minutes later, it matches the conversation they just had with you, and that builds trust far better than an email out of the blue two days later.

It is also the best time to mention extras they might want, like a gutter clean while you are up there, without it feeling like a sales pitch.

Follow up

If you have not heard back in a few days, a short friendly message keeps you front of mind without being pushy. Plenty of jobs are won on the follow up.

Get your evenings back

The real win is not just more jobs. It is finishing work and actually being finished. Dinner with the family, the footy, or just sitting down, without a pile of quotes waiting.

How Its All Sorted helps

In Its All Sorted you tap the red dot and talk through the job like you are telling your offsider, and Kel writes the quote with your rates already in. You check it, add your photos, and send it with an Accept button before you leave the driveway. You find out the moment they say yes.