The short version
| Quote | Estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed for the work described | A best guess |
| If it takes longer | Your loss | Client may pay more, within reason |
| If the client adds work | Extra, agreed separately | Extra, agreed separately |
| Best for | Clear jobs you can see | Repairs and unknowns |
What a quote commits you to
A quote is a fixed price for the work you describe. If the job takes you an extra day because you misjudged it, that day is on you. What protects you is the description: the clearer you say what is included, the easier it is to show that something new is extra.
Write what is not included as well: "Price excludes making good of plaster beyond the new socket positions." One line like this saves an argument.
Build a clear quote from photos on site, with what is included spelled out line by line.
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What an estimate commits you to
An estimate is not a blank cheque. What you tell a client about price can bind you if they rely on it, and where no fixed price was agreed they only have to pay a reasonable amount. There is no set percentage you can go over, but landing well above your estimate without warning is the surest way into a dispute.
- Say what the estimate is based on and what could change it.
- Tell the client as soon as you know it will go over, before you carry on.
- Get their go-ahead in writing for the new figure.
The middle ground: a quote with unknowns priced separately
Most jobs are mostly clear with one or two unknowns - what is behind the tiles, the state of the joists. Give a fixed price for what you can see and price the unknowns separately: a day rate, a price per joist replaced, or a set sum to be adjusted once you know. The client gets certainty on most of the job, and you are not gambling on the rest.
Anything the client adds once you have started is extra work whichever you gave - see charging for extra work.
General information for England and Wales, not legal or tax advice. For your own situation, speak to a solicitor, accountant or Citizens Advice.