Quote breakdown: what to show the customer and what to keep
Every quote has two sides. The customer needs enough detail to trust it and compare it. You need every cost, hour and profit figure behind it. They're not the same breakdown.
Updated
Every quote has two sides. There's the one your customer reads, and there's the working behind it that only you should see. A lot of quoting goes wrong because tradies treat them as the same document: either the customer gets a one-line price they can't trust, or they get your whole price list with your costs showing through.
The customer's side: enough to trust and compare
Homeowners usually get two or three quotes and line them up. If yours is a single line and a number, and the other two are itemised, yours reads like something's been left out. A clear customer breakdown answers the questions they'd otherwise ring you about:
- What's included. The parts of the job in plain words: "Supply and install 6 LED downlights, including cabling and testing."
- What's not included. Anything they might assume is in: painting after, rubbish removal, council fees.
- Options. If there's a better unit or an extra gate, show it as an option with its own price, so they can pick it without asking for a new quote.
- One total inc GST. Consumers expect to see the single total price they'll pay. See GST on quotes.
- The deposit and how to pay it. See how much deposit to take.
How much detail to show
You don't have to pick one level for every customer. Think of it as three settings:
| Setting | What the customer sees | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Full breakdown | Every line with its price | Customers who want to check every item, insurance work, bigger jobs |
| Section totals | Each part of the job, what it covers and what it costs | Most jobs: clear enough to compare, not a recipe to copy |
| Total only | The descriptions and one total | Small jobs, repeat customers, anyone likely to haggle line by line |
Section totals is a good default. The customer can see the bathroom strip-out, the waterproofing and the tiling each have a price, without seeing your rate per square metre on every line.
Your side: the breakdown you keep
This is the part most tradies never write down, and the part you need when a customer rings back months later asking how you got to the number. For every quote, keep:
- Each line with its quantity, including the hours on labour lines.
- What each line costs you, at the supplier prices you used on the day.
- What the customer pays for it, and your profit on that line.
- The options you offered, including the ones they didn't pick, and which one started selected.
- Totals: your cost, your profit, the price ex GST, GST, the total inc GST and the deposit.
- A private note: how you measured it, what you assumed, anything unusual about access.
Kept together, that's a quote template with a cost breakdown. It also tells you which jobs paid. For more on setting the numbers in the first place, see how to price a job and the charge-out rate calculator.
Keep the two sides apart
The mistake to avoid is a spreadsheet with a cost column you hide before you print. One day the column doesn't get hidden. Keep your working in a separate place from the customer's copy, so your costs and profit can't end up in their inbox. Then when they come back, you can open your side and see exactly what you allowed for. See how to keep a record of how you priced a job.
By trade
What goes in the customer's breakdown changes with the trade, so start from your trade's page:
- Electricians: points, lights and the board as separate parts, with the certificate on the quote.
- Plumbers: the hot water unit as a choice, with labour and fittings in their own part.
- Builders: sections that follow the job, with what's not included written down.
- Fencers: panels, posts and removal, with the fence type as a choice.
- Tilers: the membrane and screed on their own lines, not in the fine print.
How Karven does it
In Karven each quote has both sides. When you send it you pick what the customer sees: Full breakdown, Section totals or Total only. The total is the same whichever you pick. Behind it, the quote page has Your private breakdown (PDF): every line with your cost, what the customer pays and your profit, then the totals, the deposit and your private note. It's saved with the quote and never goes in the customer's link, their PDF or the email. See your cost and profit and what they see before you send.
Checklist
- Customer side: parts of the job, what's included and not, options, one total inc GST, deposit
- Pick the detail level per quote: full, section totals or total only
- Your side: every line's cost, price, hours and profit, the options offered, totals and a note
- Keep your side separate from the customer's copy
- Keep it with the quote for when they ring back
Common questions
- Should I give the customer a full breakdown of my quote?
- Give them enough to see what's included and compare it fairly: the parts of the job, what each part covers, and one total inc GST. A line-by-line price list is your choice. Some customers want it, and some will use it to shop your quote around. Your own costs and profit never go on the customer's copy.
- What is the difference between an itemised quote and a cost breakdown?
- An itemised quote lists the lines the customer pays for, with or without a price on each. A cost breakdown is your working: what each line costs you, the hours, your rate and the profit you put on top. The customer sees the first. Only you see the second.
- How do I stop customers taking my quote to a cheaper tradie?
- Show section totals or the total only instead of every line with its price. The customer still sees what each part of the job covers, but they don't get your full recipe to hand to the next quote.
- What should a quote template with a cost breakdown include?
- For each line: the item, the quantity, what it costs you, what the customer pays and your profit on it. Then your total cost, total profit, the price ex GST, GST and the total inc GST, the deposit, and a private note about how you measured and priced it.
- How long should I keep my quote breakdown?
- Keep it with the quote for as long as the customer might come back to you, which can be months or years for warranty and repeat work. Your accountant can tell you how long to keep business records for tax.
Write and send the quote from your phone
With Karven, your customer gets a clear quote, you keep a private breakdown, and a follow-up is ready when a quote goes quiet.
- A clear quote on their phone
- Your private breakdown, kept for later
- Follow-ups Karven writes for you
Free for 21 days, with no card needed.
Related guides
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