Guides · Quoting · 6 min read · Updated 25 September 2026
How to quote a plumbing job, and win more of them
Plumbing quotes range from a tap in ten minutes to a bathroom over two weeks, and the same quote habits cover both: a clear scope, itemised lines, exclusions in writing, and a deposit on anything with a unit to supply.
What goes on a plumbing quote
- Your business name, ABN, plumbing licence number and contact details.
- Customer and site address.
- Scope in plain words: what you will do, where, and what happens with the old unit or fittings.
- Itemised lines: call-out, labour as hours or fixed, units and materials supplied with quantities.
- Exclusions: tiling, patching, concrete cutting, council fees, unforeseen pipework behind walls.
- GST and the total including GST.
- Valid until, usually 30 days.
- Deposit and payment terms: for example 30 percent on acceptance for supply jobs, balance on completion, due in 7 days.
- An acceptance line for a signature or typed name and date.
Pricing
Quote from a price list so your call-out, hourly rate and common items are the same on every job. Mark up supplied units and materials; you are carrying the purchase, the pick-up and the warranty. Price the job in front of you, not the one you hope it is: if access is poor or the existing pipework is suspect, say so and price it or exclude it.
Send it before you leave
A quote sent from the van in the driveway wins more jobs than a better one sent on Friday. SmokoBooks builds it from your price list, puts your logo and licence on it, and emails the PDF from the app.
Follow up once, then convert
One polite email three or four days later picks up the customers who got busy. When they accept, get it in writing, and let the quote become the job and then the invoice without retyping anything. Variations go in writing before the extra work starts.
Common questions
Should I charge for a quote?+
Free for small domestic jobs, which customers expect. For a bathroom or a re-pipe that needs a proper site visit, a quoting fee credited against the job is fair.
Do I quote the hot water unit at cost?+
No. Add a markup that covers your time sourcing it, the pick-up and the warranty risk.
What if I find more work once I open the wall?+
Stop, describe it, send a written variation with the price, and get it accepted before continuing. That is what the exclusions line on the quote was for.
General information for Australian sole traders and small trade businesses, not tax or legal advice. Thresholds, rates and due dates change: confirm the current figures on ato.gov.au or with your accountant.