How long should a quote be valid, and when should you follow it up?
A quote needs an end date and a follow-up plan. How to choose a validity period, when to chase an unanswered quote, and what to say so it does not sound like pressure.
By Primemgr TeamHow we research and check this
Most service businesses make quotes valid for 14 to 30 days, and follow up an unanswered quote two or three days after sending it, then once more before it expires. The validity period protects you from price changes; the follow-up is where most quotes are won, because a customer who has not replied has usually not decided rather than said no.
Choosing a validity period
Situation | Typical validity | Why |
|---|---|---|
Labour-only or standard services | 30 days | Your costs change slowly |
Materials with volatile prices (copper, timber, refrigerant) | 7 to 14 days | Supplier prices can move within weeks |
Special-order equipment | Tied to the supplier’s quote | Your price is only as fixed as theirs |
Seasonal work (air conditioning in summer, heating in winter) | 14 days | Your diary fills up; the slot may not be there later |
Write the end date on the quote as a date. "Valid until 27 October 2026" is clearer than "valid for 30 days", and nobody has to work out when the 30 days started. What a quote commits you to, compared with an estimate, is covered in quote vs estimate.
When to follow up
- Two or three days after sending: check it arrived and offer to answer questions.
- About a week later: if there is still no answer, ask whether anything is holding it up: timing, price, a part of the scope.
- A few days before it expires: say when the price ends, without pressure.
- After it expires: if they come back, re-price rather than honour an old number, and tell them why.
What to say
- "Just checking the quote for the bathroom fan reached you. Happy to talk through any of it."
- "Is there anything in the quote you would like changed? Some customers split the work into two visits to spread the cost."
- "The price on this quote holds until Friday 27 October. After that I may need to re-check material costs."
Avoid fake deadlines and discounts that appear only when you chase. Customers notice, and it teaches them to wait for the discount next time.
What an unanswered quote tells you
Track how many quotes are accepted, declined and left unanswered. Many unanswered quotes usually means a slow response to the enquiry, a quote that is hard to understand, or no follow-up. Many declined quotes, with reasons, tell you about price or scope. Asking for a reason when a customer declines, even an optional one, gives you the most useful pricing information you will get.
In Primemgr
Each Primemgr quote has an expiry date; when it passes, the quote is marked expired and can no longer be accepted, so nobody accepts last season’s price by accident. A quote follow-up automation sends a reminder to customers who have not answered, and another can offer a fresh quote after one expires. A customer who declines is asked for a reason. The guide on writing a quote customers accept covers the quote itself.
Official guidance
- Tax invoices (Australian Taxation Office)
- Invoicing and taking payment from customers (GOV.UK)
- Manage your finances (U.S. Small Business Administration)