Guide
How to follow up on a quote as a tradesman
Follow up within 24 to 48 hours to check the quote arrived, again after about a week, then send one final nudge. Keep every message short, friendly and specific to the job. That's it. The rest of this guide gives you the exact timings and wording.
Most quotes aren't lost to price. They're lost to silence. The customer meant to reply, got busy, and booked whoever stayed in touch. Following up feels like pestering, so most tradespeople never do it, and the ones who do win work everyone else quoted for. Ask around any trade forum and you'll find the same story from both sides: customers waiting on tradespeople who never came back, and tradespeople quoting jobs they never hear about again.
Why quotes go cold
Silence after a quote almost never means no. It usually means one of these:
- They're comparing quotes and yours is sitting in a tab with two others.
- Life got busy. The bathroom matters less than the school run. They forgot.
- They have a question they feel awkward asking, often about price or timing.
- The email never landed or went to spam. It happens more than you'd think.
Every one of those is fixed by a short, friendly follow-up. None of them is fixed by waiting.
The follow-up schedule that works
The consensus from tradespeople, and from every trade-business coach worth reading, is a three-touch schedule:
| When | The message | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 24–48 hours | "Did the quote come through OK? Any questions, just ask." | Confirms it landed, opens the door for the awkward question. |
| About 7 days | "Still keen? Happy to talk it through or tweak the spec." | Catches the comparers and the forgot-abouts. |
| About 14 days | "I'll close this one off unless I hear back. Door's open if plans change." | Gets a decision either way and leaves a good impression. |
Two follow-ups convert most of what's going to convert. The third is about closing the loop politely so the customer remembers you well next time.
What to say
Short beats clever. Use the customer's name, name the job, and make replying easy:
Want the full set, including the final nudge and a price-hold line? Grab our free quote follow-up templates. Fill in the name and job, copy, send.
Email, text or phone call?
- Text or WhatsApp gets read fastest and suits homeowners. Two lines, friendly, done.
- Email keeps a record and suits landlords, agents and commercial clients. Send follow-ups from your own address so replies come back to you.
- A call works when there's something to discuss, like options or start dates. But calls get screened, and many customers find them pushy for a simple "still interested?". Lead with a message; call when they engage.
When to stop
After the third message, stop. Chasing beyond that costs goodwill and rarely wins the job. Close the quote off, keep the details on file, and stay findable. A polite final message often produces a reply months later when the customer's plans catch up with them.
Or let the follow-ups send themselves
This whole guide is a system you have to remember to run, on every quote, forever. Tradechase runs it for you. Log a quote you sent anywhere in about 20 seconds, and if the customer goes quiet it sends your follow-up by email or SMS on the schedule you set. Nothing sends that you didn't set up. See how quote follow-ups work.
Common questions
What is the best way to follow up on a quote?
A short, friendly message that refers to the specific job. Check in within 24 to 48 hours to confirm the quote arrived and ask if there are any questions, then follow up again after about a week. Text or WhatsApp usually gets the fastest reply from homeowners; email keeps a better paper trail for landlords and commercial clients.
How long should you wait before following up on a quote?
Wait 24 to 48 hours for the first check-in. If you hear nothing, follow up again after about 7 days, and send a final light-touch message around day 14. Leaving it longer than two weeks usually means the customer has moved on or booked someone else.
How do you professionally follow up on an estimate?
Keep it brief, reference the job, and make replying easy. For example: "Hi Sarah, just checking you got the quote for the bathroom refit. Happy to talk anything through. If you would like to go ahead I can pencil in a start date." No pressure lines, no guilt.
How many times should you follow up on a quote?
Two to three times is the working consensus among tradespeople: a quick check-in, a one-week nudge, and a final message that closes the loop politely. After that, stop. More than three unanswered messages starts to cost you goodwill and referrals.