# How to Request a Quote by Email, and How to Reply to One

> How to request a quote by email and reply to a request with your own: two copy-paste email pairs and the questions that save a second round.

Canonical: https://www.invoqk.com/blog/how-to-request-a-quote-by-email-and-how-to-reply-to-one
Last updated: 2026-10-31

## Key takeaways

- A request for a quote works when it states the scope, quantities, location, deadline, price form and reply date in one email, so the supplier can price it without asking anything back.
- A reply to a request for a quote works when it restates the scope, lists what is included and excluded, and names a total, a validity date and one way to accept.
- In the United States a signed written offer that promises to stay open is binding for the stated time, up to three months, and in Germany an offer binds the sender for the period it states.

**Request a quote** is the act of asking a supplier or contractor for a written price on a defined piece of work before you agree to it. This guide gives you both halves of the exchange. First, the email a buyer sends to ask for a price. Second, the email a freelancer or small business sends back. Each comes with wording you can copy and the questions that stop the exchange needing a second round.

In brief: put six facts in the request, put five in the reply, and set one date on each. Everything else is detail.

## What does it mean to request a quote?

A **quotation** is a written offer to do defined work for a stated price within a stated time. A buyer asks for one so that several suppliers can be compared on the same terms. A seller gives one so the buyer can say yes in a single reply.

The two sides have opposite problems. The buyer wants a price that is complete, so there are no surprise extras later. The seller wants a request that is complete, so the price is not a guess. Most delays come from one missing fact on either side.

A **quote offer** is the quote seen from the seller's side, and a **quotation offer** is the same thing in formal wording. In both cases the document is an offer the buyer can accept. That is why the precise wording matters, and why the legal section below is worth two minutes.

If you only need the document itself, the [quote template](/templates/quote-template) gives the layout. This guide covers the emails around it, which the template does not.

## How do you write an email to request a quote?

Write the email so a stranger could price the job from it alone. A request for a quote needs the scope, the quantity, the place, the dates, the form of the price and a reply date. Put them in that order, in short lines, and attach any drawing or photo.

The chart below lists the six lines.

![Checklist of six items a request-a-quote email should contain](https://www.invoqk.com/charts/request-a-quote-email-checklist.svg)

### The six facts a request must carry

1. **Scope in one sentence.** Say what you want done, not how. For example, "Repaint the interior of a two-bedroom flat" is a scope. "Need painters" is not.
2. **Quantity and specification.** Give sizes, counts, materials and standards. A supplier cannot price "some shelves" but can price "six oak shelves, 120 cm wide".
3. **Place and timing.** State the site address or country, the earliest start and the deadline. Delivery and travel cost money, so the place changes the price.
4. **The form of price you want.** Ask for a fixed total, or for unit rates, or for a total with a range. Without this, you will receive three different formats.
5. **What must be itemised.** Ask for delivery, installation, tax and any optional extras to be listed on separate lines. This is the line that prevents a second round.
6. **Reply date and validity.** Say when you need the quote back and how long it must stay valid. Both dates save a chaser email.

### Copy-paste wording: the request

```
Subject: Request for a quote: interior repaint, 2-bedroom flat, Manchester

Hello Sam,

I would like to request a quote for the following work.

Scope: repaint walls and ceilings in a two-bedroom flat (68 m2),
two coats, white matt. Woodwork is not included.
Site: 14 Elm Road, Manchester M14. Access is on the ground floor.
Timing: start any time from 2 December 2026; finish by 20 December 2026.
Price form: a fixed total, with labour, materials and any call-out
fee on separate lines. Please add VAT as its own line.
Please tell me what you have assumed (for example, furniture moved by me).

Please reply by 6 November 2026, and keep the quote valid for 30 days.
Photos of each room are attached.

Thank you,
Priya Shah
```

Notice what the email does not do. It does not state a budget, because that anchors the price. It also does not say "best price", which invites a guess. It asks for assumptions, which is the cheapest question in the whole exchange.

### When you need to get a free quotation

Many suppliers will **give a free quotation** for standard work, and some charge for a detailed survey that is credited if you hire them. Ask in the first email, in one line: "Is there a charge for the quote, and is it credited if I go ahead?" That single sentence removes an awkward conversation later.

### How many suppliers should you ask?

Three is the usual number. Two gives you no spread, and more than five gives you more reading than the extra price information is worth. Send the same email to each, word for word, so the replies can be compared.

## How do you reply to a request for a quote?

Reply within the time the buyer gave, restate the scope in your own words, give a priced total, say what is included and excluded, and name a date until which the price holds. Then give one way to accept. A reply that does these five things can be accepted in a single message.

To **send a quote** well, treat the email as a cover note and the quote as the attachment. The email gets read first, and it should hold the total, the validity date and the next step. The attachment holds the detail.

### The five things a reply must carry

1. **The scope, restated.** Repeat the buyer's request in a sentence. If you misread it, the buyer will say so now, not after the work.
2. **A priced total, itemised.** Show labour, materials, delivery and tax on separate lines. A single number with no lines invites a haggle.
3. **Inclusions and exclusions.** List what the price does not cover. This is the section most replies skip and the one that causes most disputes.
4. **Assumptions.** Write down what you have assumed, such as access, working hours or who supplies materials. An assumption written down is a boundary. An assumption left unwritten is an argument.
5. **Validity and acceptance.** State the date the price expires and the exact words that accept it.

### Copy-paste wording: the reply

```
Subject: Quote QUO-2026-0042: interior repaint, 14 Elm Road

Hello Priya,

Thank you for your request. Here is my quote for repainting the
interior of the two-bedroom flat (68 m2), two coats, white matt.

Total: 2,280.00 GBP including VAT (labour 1,380.00, materials
520.00, VAT at 20% 380.00). Full breakdown is attached.

Included: walls and ceilings, dust sheets, filling of small holes.
Not included: woodwork, wallpaper removal, moving furniture.
Assumed: ground-floor access, power and water on site, work
Monday to Friday between 8:00 and 17:00.

Start: Monday 7 December 2026. Duration: seven working days.
This quote is valid until 6 December 2026.

To accept, reply "Accepted" to this email. I will confirm the
start date in writing.

Kind regards,
Sam Okafor
```

The arithmetic matters. Labour 1,380.00 plus materials 520.00 is 1,900.00, and 20% VAT on that is 380.00, so the total is 2,280.00 GBP. Add the lines yourself before you send any reply. Buyers notice a quote that does not add up, and the doubt spreads to the rest of it.

### Reply template for a request you cannot price yet

If the request is missing a fact, ask for it in one email, in a numbered list, and say when you will quote after the answers arrive. For example:

```
Thank you for your request. I need three things to give a fixed price:
1. Are the ceilings 2.4 m or higher?
2. Is the flat furnished during the work?
3. Do you want woodwork included, as an option?
I will send the quote within two working days of your answers.
```

This is better than sending a guess with a wide range. A numbered list is easy to answer from a phone, and the promise of a delivery time keeps the buyer waiting for you rather than shopping around.

## Which questions avoid a second round?

The questions that avoid a second round concern scope boundaries, additional charges, site access, scheduling and payment arrangements. Ask them in the first email, because every question asked in the second email costs a day or more. The table sets out the question, who should ask it, and what it prevents.

| Question | Who asks | What it prevents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What is excluded from the price? | Buyer | A surprise line after you accept |
| Are delivery, installation and tax listed separately? | Buyer | Quotes that cannot be compared |
| What have you assumed about access and materials? | Buyer | Disputes over extra time |
| Is this a fixed quote or an estimate? | Buyer | An invoice higher than the figure |
| How long is the price valid? | Buyer | A price that changes before you decide |
| Is the quote free, or credited if I hire you? | Buyer | An unexpected survey fee |
| Is there anything that would change the price? | Seller | A rush of revisions |
| Who accepts, and how? | Seller | A yes that nobody can prove |
| What deposit is due on acceptance? | Seller | A start date with no money behind it |

An **estimate** is an approximate price that can change, while a **quote** is a fixed price for defined work. Ask which one you are getting, in those words. Many people use the two terms as if they were the same, and the gap between them is where invoices exceed expectations. For a fuller treatment of how to price the job, see the post on how to [prepare a quotation](/blog/how-to-prepare-a-quotation-price-the-job-and-set-terms).

## How do you compare quotes once they arrive?

Compare quotes only after you have made them cover the same scope. Add every excluded line from each reply to its total, then compare the adjusted totals. The cheapest headline price is often not the cheapest quote.

Here is a worked example. A buyer asks three suppliers to quote a small fit-out. The replies arrive as follows.

- **Supplier A** quotes $4,200 and leaves out delivery ($350) and installation ($260).
- **Supplier B** quotes $4,650 with everything included.
- **Supplier C** quotes $4,380 and adds $520 of extras on a second page.

![Bar chart of three supplier quotes as sent: A 4,200, B 4,650, C 4,900 dollars](https://www.invoqk.com/charts/request-a-quote-email-compare.svg)

On the headline numbers, Supplier A looks cheapest. Once the missing lines are added, the totals change.

- Supplier A: $4,200 as quoted, plus $350 delivery and $260 installation, gives $4,810.
- Supplier B: $4,650 as quoted, with nothing to add, gives $4,650.
- Supplier C: $4,380 as quoted, plus $520 of extras already shown, gives $4,900.

Supplier B is the cheapest like-for-like by $160 over A and $250 over C. A buyer who had chosen on the headline would have paid $160 more than necessary. The fix is in the request: asking for delivery, installation and extras on separate lines would have made the three replies match from the start.

## How long should a quote stay valid?

A quote should stay valid for 14 to 30 days for most small jobs, and for a shorter time where material prices move quickly. State the date, not just the number of days, so there is nothing to count. A date such as "valid until 6 December 2026" cannot be misread.

![Bar chart of quote validity: 14 days, 30 days and the three-month cap on US firm offers](https://www.invoqk.com/charts/request-a-quote-email-validity.svg)

Fourteen and thirty days are common choices, not legal minimums. Contract law does set certain limitations on how an offer behaves, and those limitations differ considerably between jurisdictions.

### United States

For goods, the Uniform Commercial Code gives a rule for a **firm offer**. A firm offer is an offer by a merchant, in a signed writing, that promises to be held open. Under [UCC section 2-205](https://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/2/2-205), such an offer is not revocable for lack of consideration during the time stated. If no time is stated, it holds for a reasonable time. In no event does the period exceed three months. The rule applies to merchants offering to buy or sell goods. Services follow the common law of the state, so this is a point to check, not to assume.

For example, a supplier who writes "this price is held open until December 6" in a signed email has promised to keep it open to that date. A supplier who writes nothing has made an offer that can lapse after a reasonable time.

### Germany

In Germany, [section 145 of the Civil Code (BGB)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_bgb/englisch_bgb.html) states that a person who offers to enter into a contract is bound by the offer unless they have ruled out its being binding. Section 148 adds that if the offeror has set a period for acceptance, the offer can only be accepted within it. In practice, a German quote that says "freibleibend" (without commitment) is not binding, and one with a stated period is.

### United Kingdom

For UK readers, the practical rule is a trade custom rather than a number: ask the supplier whether the figure is a fixed [quote or an estimate](/blog/quote-vs-estimate-which-is-binding-and-which-should-you-send), and get the answer in writing. This guide does not rely on a statute for the UK, because the position depends on the contract and the type of work. If the sum is large, take advice.

None of this is advice on your own situation. The point of a validity date is simple: it tells both sides when the offer ends.

## How do you accept a quote in writing?

Accept a quote by replying with a clear yes that names the [quote number](/blog/quotation-number-how-to-number-quotes-and-set-an-expiry-date), the total and the start date. A reply of "Accepted, QUO-2026-0042, 2,280.00 GBP, start 7 December 2026" can be shown to anyone later. Keep the email, because it is your evidence.

For the seller, make acceptance easy. A line such as "reply 'Accepted' to this email" removes the need for a signature, and most small jobs do not need one. For larger work, add a signature and date block to the quote itself, or take a deposit on acceptance to confirm commitment.

### What the accepted quote becomes

An accepted quote is the basis for the invoice. Copy the lines across without retyping, and the invoice matches the agreement. If the scope changes after acceptance, write a short change note with the new total, and send it before the extra work starts, not after.

Invoqk can take a job description or an email like the reply above and produce a numbered quote, then carry it forward into an invoice. You can start from a [free invoice and quote generator](/new) or browse the [document templates](/templates).

## What mistakes make a request for a quote fail?

The mistakes are predictable, and every one of them has an inexpensive correction.

- **A vague scope.** "Website quote" is not a request. State the pages, the features and who supplies content.
- **No reply date.** Without one, quotes arrive over three weeks, and the first has expired before the last arrives.
- **No exclusions listed.** A total with no exclusions is a promise to do everything, whatever the seller meant.
- **Different wording to each supplier.** The replies cannot be compared if the questions differed.
- **A total with no breakdown.** The buyer cannot see what to drop to bring the price down.
- **No follow-up.** A quote that nobody answers is usually forgotten, not rejected. One line a few days before expiry is enough.

A follow-up that works is short: "Your quote QUO-2026-0042 is valid until December 6, 2026. Reply if you would like me to hold the date." After the quote is accepted, the payment side begins, and a [payment reminder email generator](/payment-reminder-email-generator) helps when the invoice is late.

## A checklist before you send either email


Use this before pressing send. It takes under a minute.

- Does the email name the scope in one sentence?
- Are quantities, place, start and deadline all stated?
- Is the form of the price (fixed, rates or range) stated?
- Are delivery, tax and extras on their own lines?
- Is there a reply date and a validity date, written as dates?
- Is the way to accept written as a sentence the buyer can copy?
- Do the numbers add up when you add them yourself?

This guide was written by the [Invoqk](/about) editorial team, and the legal points were fact-checked against the UCC and the BGB texts linked above. Corrections are welcome through the contact details on the site.

## FAQ

### How do I politely request a quote by email?

Open with one line saying you would like to request a quote, then give the scope, quantity, place, dates and the form of price you want. Close with a reply date and a thank you. A polite request is a complete one, because it respects the supplier's time.

### Is a quote legally binding?

It depends on the country and the wording. In the United States, a merchant's signed written offer to sell goods that promises to stay open is binding for the stated time, up to three months, under UCC section 2-205. In Germany, an offer binds the sender unless they rule that out, and a stated acceptance period limits when it can be accepted.

### What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?

A quote is a fixed price for defined work, while an estimate is an approximate price that may change. Ask the supplier which one you are getting and ask for the answer in writing. Many invoices exceed expectations because the buyer assumed an estimate was a quote.

### How long should I wait for a reply to a request for a quote?

Give the supplier the reply date in the request, usually five to ten working days for ordinary work. If nothing arrives by that date, send one short follow-up. If there is still no answer, move on to the next supplier.

### Can I ask for a free quotation?

Yes, and many suppliers give one for standard work. For complex jobs, some charge for a survey and credit it if you hire them. Ask in the first email whether the quote is free or credited, so the answer is known before any work is done.

### What should I put in the subject line when I send a quote?

Use the word quote, the quote number and the job: for example, "Quote QUO-2026-0042: interior repaint, 14 Elm Road". It is easy to find later and it tells the buyer what the attachment is before they open it.

## Related

- [Free invoice template guides: compliance & getting paid](https://www.invoqk.com/blog)
- [Invoqk home](https://www.invoqk.com)