Sign shop quote template
A good quote does two jobs. It makes it easy for the customer to say yes, and it says exactly what they're getting, so nobody argues about it later. Here's what to put on one. See a sample quote as a PDF.
The top of the page
- Your shop: name, logo, address, phone and email.
- A quote number: so you can both find it again when they call back in three weeks.
- The date, and how long it's good for: your material costs move, so don't leave a price open forever. Thirty days is common.
- Who it's for: customer, contact and the address the job goes to.
What they're getting
- A plain description: "Printed and laminated sign" means more to a customer than a product code.
- The size and the material: "48 x 96 in, 3mm aluminum composite panel". This is what heads off "I thought it would be bigger".
- The quantity and the price. Show the price for the job. Your costs and markups stay off the page.
- Install, travel and permits as their own lines: or say clearly that they aren't included. These cause more arguments than the sign does.
How the money works
- The total, with tax.
- The deposit to start, and the balance: as dollar amounts, not just a percentage.
- The lead time: and when the clock starts. "5 business days after proof approval" is clearer than "one week".
Terms worth having
Keep them short enough that someone will read them. These are common points, not legal advice, so have someone who knows your state look over your own version.
- Work starts once the deposit is paid and the proof is approved.
- How many proof rounds are included, and what more costs.
- Colors on screen and in print can differ, unless they've approved a printed sample.
- Who's responsible for permits, landlord approval and locating utilities.
- What happens if the site isn't ready on install day.
- What's covered if something fails, and for how long.
A way to say yes
Make it easy. A signature line works, and a link they can approve from works better for anyone reading on a phone. Then follow up: a quote with no answer isn't always a no, sometimes it just got buried.