How to write a quote: list your business details and ABN, a quote number and expiry date, what you will and won't do, each line item with its price, the GST, the total, and how payment works, then get the customer's acceptance in writing before you start. In Australia an accepted quote generally becomes part of a binding contract, so the wording matters. Below: the checklist, the GST rule for householders, deposits and variations, and a worked tradie quote. To build one in a minute, use the free quote generator.
What should a quote include in Australia?
A quote should identify you and your customer, describe the job precisely, price it line by line with GST shown, and say how long the price stands and how payment works. Business Queensland's guide to preparing a quote lists the same core items, down to a signature line for acceptance.
- Your details: business or trading name, ABN, address, phone, email, and licence number if your trade requires one.
- Customer and site: name, contact, and the job address if it differs.
- Quote number, date and expiry: e.g. Q-0107, issued 16 October, valid for 30 days.
- Scope: what's included, and a separate list of what's excluded.
- Line items: description, quantity, rate and amount.
- Totals: subtotal, GST and total, with the total including GST shown clearly.
- Payment terms: deposit, progress or final payment, and when each is due.
- Timeline: start date and expected duration, with some buffer.
- Acceptance: a line to sign or a "reply to accept" instruction.
A quote isn't a tax invoice, so the ATO's tax invoice rules don't apply to it. But using the same ABN, GST treatment and line items you'll invoice with means the invoice later is a copy, not a rewrite.
Quote vs estimate: is a quote legally binding?
A quote is a firm price; an estimate is an informed guess. Business Queensland says that once a customer accepts a quote it becomes a legally binding contract, and that "unlike quotes, estimates are not legally binding". If you can't price the job firmly yet, call the document an estimate and say the price may change.
That's why the expiry date matters. Without one, you may be held to a price long after your material costs have moved. If you need part of a job priced loosely, such as hidden pipework you can't see until the wall is open, quote the known work firmly and give an estimate or hourly rate for the unknown part. The difference between a quote, an invoice and a receipt is laid out in our quote vs invoice vs receipt guide.
Building and trade work has extra rules. In NSW, residential building work over $5,000 (including GST) needs a written contract, with a small jobs contract for work between $5,000 and $20,000 and a more detailed contract above $20,000. A quote alone may not meet those requirements.
Should a quote include GST?
If you're registered for GST, yes, and for quotes to consumers the total including GST must be shown as one figure. The ACCC says businesses must display the total price as a single figure, including taxes such as GST, and a part price can't be more prominent than the total.
So "$2,038.00 + GST" on its own is not enough for a householder. "$2,038.00 + $203.80 GST = $2,241.80", with the $2,241.80 at least as prominent, is. The ACCC's exception is prices shown only to other businesses, which can be quoted excluding GST. If you're not registered for GST, don't show any GST at all. Business.gov.au repeats the rule on its display prices page, and our guide on adding GST to an invoice covers what happens if a "+GST" quote turns into a flat-price invoice.
How long should a quote be valid for?
There's no legal standard. Thirty days is a common default, and shorter makes sense if your supplier prices move monthly. What matters is that there is an expiry date on the page.
Write it as a date, not just a period: "Valid until 15 November 2026" is harder to argue with than "valid 30 days". If a customer accepts after the expiry, you can honour the price or reissue the quote at current rates. Reissue it with a new quote number so there's no confusion about which price applies.
How much deposit can I ask for?
It depends on your state and industry, and for home building work the limits are set by law. In NSW the maximum deposit for residential building work is 10%. In Victoria, Consumer Affairs Victoria says a domestic building deposit can't exceed 10% where the contract price is under $20,000, or 5% at $20,000 or more. Victoria's new domestic building contract laws are due to start by 1 December 2026, so check the current limits before you quote.
Outside building work, deposits are a commercial decision. Business Queensland notes that in some industries asking for half up-front is common, which covers materials and helps cash flow. Whatever you choose, put the amount and due date on the quote, then issue a deposit invoice when it's accepted. For setting due dates, see invoice payment terms.
How do I write a quote? A worked tradie example
Here's a quote from a GST-registered electrician to a householder in NSW for lighting and a switchboard safety switch upgrade. Prices are entered excluding GST, then GST is added and the total including GST is shown as the headline figure.
| Quote Q-0107 · valid until 15 November 2026 | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 12 hrs | $95.00 | $1,140.00 |
| Supply and install LED downlights | 6 | $48.00 | $288.00 |
| Supply and install double power points | 2 | $65.00 | $130.00 |
| Switchboard RCD (safety switch) upgrade | 1 | $420.00 | $420.00 |
| Waste removal | 1 | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,038.00 | ||
| GST (10%) | $203.80 | ||
| Total price including GST | $2,241.80 | ||
Check: $1,140 + $288 + $130 + $420 + $60 = $2,038.00. GST is 10% of that, $203.80, and $2,241.80 ÷ 11 = $203.80. Below the table, the quote adds:
- Excludes: patching or painting around new downlight holes; any fault found in existing wiring (quoted separately if found).
- Payment: 10% deposit of $224.18 on acceptance; balance within 7 days of completion.
- Variations: any change to the scope will be quoted and agreed in writing before the work is done.
- Acceptance: sign and return, or reply "Accepted" by email.
The deposit is 10% of $2,241.80, which is $224.18. That keeps it within the NSW 10% cap if the job counts as residential building work. The same quote is a few minutes' work in our free quote template for Australian businesses: enter the lines, tick GST, set the "valid until" date and download the PDF.
How do I handle variations to a quote?
Price the change, get it accepted in writing before you do the work, and carry it through to the invoice. In NSW, variations to a home building contract must be in writing, attached to the contract and signed by both parties, per the NSW Government's contracts page.
In the example, the customer asks for two more downlights on the day. That's 2 × $48.00 = $96.00, plus $9.60 GST, so $105.60. A one-line written variation ("Add 2 LED downlights, $105.60 incl. GST") signed or confirmed by text before you install them is what stops a dispute at invoice time. A verbal "yeah, chuck a couple more in" is the most common way a fixed-price quote ends in an argument.
The slow part of quoting isn't writing the quote. It's waiting for a yes, then retyping it all as an invoice. InvoiceSonic (from the same team) lets the customer accept the quote online, then turns it into a deposit, progress or final invoice with the line items carried over. That's on Pro (A$19/month, 7-day trial); the free plan covers reusable clients and GST fields.
How do I turn an accepted quote into an invoice?
Copy the quote's line items, add any signed variations, give the document a new invoice number and date, head it "Tax Invoice" if you're registered for GST, subtract the deposit already paid and set a due date. The invoice number is new; the quote number can go in the reference line.
| Final tax invoice (ref. Q-0107) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Quoted work (excl. GST) | $2,038.00 |
| Variation: 2 extra LED downlights (excl. GST) | $96.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,134.00 |
| GST (10%) | $213.40 |
| Total including GST | $2,347.40 |
| Less deposit paid | −$224.18 |
| Balance due | $2,123.22 |
Check: $2,241.80 + $105.60 = $2,347.40, and $2,347.40 ÷ 11 = $213.40 GST. On our quote page, "Convert to invoice" carries the line items over and changes the heading, number and dates. You can also turn the quote into a tax invoice in the Australian generator, which checks the ATO fields as you type. If you invoice from the van, the tradie invoice template has labour and materials lines ready. For staged jobs, our guide to invoicing for building work covers progress claims.
What are the most common quoting mistakes?
Most quote disputes come from what the quote didn't say: no expiry date, no exclusions, a price without GST, or a change agreed verbally. Each one is cheap to prevent and expensive to argue about later.
- No expiry date. You may have to honour a months-old price.
- "+GST" to a householder. Show the single total including GST.
- Vague scope. "Bathroom lighting" invites argument; "6 LED downlights, existing switch" doesn't.
- No exclusions. If patching, painting or rubbish removal isn't included, say so.
- Starting before acceptance. Business Queensland recommends confirming acceptance in writing before you start work or order materials.
- Verbal variations. Price and confirm every change in writing.
- Re-using the quote number as the invoice number. Invoices need their own sequence; see how to number invoices.
The short answer
Write a quote with your ABN, a quote number and expiry date, a precise scope with exclusions, line items with GST, a single total including GST for consumers, payment and deposit terms within your state's limits, and an acceptance line. Put every variation in writing, then convert the accepted quote into a tax invoice with a new number and the deposit subtracted.
If you quote every week, the time sink is the chase between "sent" and "accepted", then retyping. InvoiceSonic Pro lets customers accept online and turns the quote into the invoice with the lines already filled in, with automatic reminders if it isn't paid.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Building and licensing rules differ by state; check your state's fair trading or consumer affairs regulator before relying on a quote as your contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is a quote legally binding in Australia?
Once the customer accepts it, a quote generally forms part of a legally binding contract. Business Queensland says that unlike quotes, estimates are not legally binding. Put an expiry date on every quote so you aren't held to an old price.
Should a quote include GST?
If you're registered for GST, yes. For quotes to consumers, the ACCC says the total price must be shown as a single figure that includes GST, at least as prominently as any part price. '$2,038 + GST' on its own isn't enough. Quotes only to other businesses can be shown excluding GST.
How long should a quote be valid for?
There's no legal standard. Thirty days is common; use less if your material prices move quickly. What matters is that the quote has an expiry date, so you aren't obliged to honour it months later.
How much deposit can I ask for on a quote?
It depends on your state and industry. For residential building work in NSW, the maximum deposit is 10%. In Victoria, domestic building deposits are capped at 10% under $20,000 and 5% at $20,000 or more, with new laws due by 1 December 2026. Check your state regulator before setting a deposit.
What's the difference between a quote and an invoice?
A quote is sent before the work and offers a price. An invoice is sent after the work, or at a payment stage, and asks for payment. A quote isn't a tax invoice; once the job is done you issue a tax invoice with its own invoice number.
How do I turn an accepted quote into an invoice?
Copy the line items, add any signed variations, give it a new invoice number and issue date, head it 'Tax Invoice' if you're registered for GST, subtract any deposit already paid and set a due date. In our example, $2,347.40 less a $224.18 deposit leaves $2,123.22 due.
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