Guide
What a carpentry quote should include
A quote you can compare has seven things in it. Most of the disputes people have with tradespeople come from one of the seven being missing.
The seven things
A description of the work specific enough that a different carpenter could price the same job from it. Labour, separated from materials. Materials, named: the board thickness, the door range, the hardware brand. Exclusions, said out loud: making good, painting, disposal, scaffold. VAT, stated as included or not. A timeframe, with a start date and a duration. Payment terms, including any deposit and when the balance falls due.
Quote or estimate
A quote is an offer at a fixed price. An estimate is a considered guess and can change. Both are legitimate and the difference is important: for well-defined work, ask for a quote; for anything where nobody can see behind the wall yet, an estimate with a named contingency is more honest than a fixed price that will be revised.
What you should not accept is a fixed price that behaves like an estimate. If the number can move, the quote should say what would move it.
Deposits
A deposit covering materials on a made-to-measure job is normal, typically the material cost or around a third. A large deposit for labour before anything happens is not, and paying most of a job up front removes your only leverage.
Stage payments suit longer jobs: something at the start for materials, something at a defined milestone, and a final payment on completion after snagging. Agree the milestones in writing before the first payment.
Variations
Work that changes mid-job should be priced and agreed before it happens, in writing, even briefly. A message saying 'the extra cupboard is £340, ok to proceed' is enough and it prevents most end-of-job arguments. The time to discuss a variation is when it appears, not on the final invoice.
Your rights
Work for a consumer must be carried out with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If it is not, you are entitled to have it put right. Where a contract was agreed in your home rather than at a business premises, you generally have a 14 day cancellation right, and a trader should tell you about it in writing. Paying any part by credit card on a job over £100 gives you additional protection.
Common questions
Should a quote be free?
Quoting a straightforward job usually is. Some carpenters charge for a detailed survey or a design, and will often credit it against the work.
How long is a quote valid?
Commonly 30 days, because timber and hardware prices move. A quote with no expiry is worth confirming before you book.
What if the final bill is higher than the quote?
A fixed-price quote should not move unless you agreed a variation. Ask for the variations in writing before paying, and check each one was agreed at the time.