Bathrooms and boiler jobs are where plumbers get burned by bad quoting — everything looks straightforward until a wall comes off and the pipework underneath tells a different story. Here's a template that protects your margin without scaring off the client.
What a professional plumbing quote must include
- Scope of work. List the actual stages — first fix, second fix, sanitaryware supply and fit, tiling if you're covering it — rather than "bathroom refit" as one line. Specificity is what stops the client assuming things are included that aren't.
- Materials vs labour, split out. Put your day rate or hourly labour on separate lines from supplied fittings, so the client can see exactly what they're paying for the bath, the taps, and your time to fit them.
- Compliance mentions. If gas work is involved, state you're Gas Safe registered and that a gas job will be signed off accordingly. For anything touching the water supply, note compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. It's a small line that signals you do things properly.
- Exclusions. Be explicit about what isn't covered — making good tiling or plaster after pipework is exposed, electrics for an extractor fan (unless you're doing it), or replacing rotten floor joists found once boards are lifted. This is where provisional sums come in, covered below.
- Validity date and payment terms. State how long the price stands and your deposit requirement — sanitaryware suppliers move prices often enough that an open-ended quote is a real risk to your margin.
Build a quote with this exact structure in about two minutes — free, no account needed.
Create your quote free →Worked example: bathroom install
A typical full bathroom refit, priced at realistic UK trade rates:
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| First and second fix plumbing (16 hrs) | 16 | £42.00 | £672.00 |
| Supply and fit bath, panel and mixer taps | 1 | £320.00 | £320.00 |
| Supply and fit WC and basin | 1 | £280.00 | £280.00 |
| Tiling to wet areas (12 hrs) | 12 | £38.00 | £456.00 |
| Tile adhesive, grout and sundries | 1 | £90.00 | £90.00 |
Provisional sum noted: price excludes any joist, floor or wall repairs required once old sanitaryware and tiling are removed — this will be quoted separately once uncovered. Valid for 21 days from date of issue.
Day-rate vs fixed-price: the trade-off
A day rate protects you on jobs where you genuinely don't know what you'll find — an old house with unknown pipe runs, or a refit where the client keeps changing their mind on fittings. The downside is the client takes on the risk of the job running long, and some clients hate the open-endedness of it.
A fixed price wins the job more often — clients overwhelmingly prefer certainty — and it rewards you for working efficiently rather than by the hour. The risk sits with you: if it takes longer than planned, that's your margin eaten, not theirs. The practical answer most plumbers land on is a fixed price for the scoped work, with named exclusions covered as provisional sums or extra billed at your day rate if they arise.
Handling provisional sums for the unknowns
A provisional sum is money set aside in the quote for a known risk you can't price precisely until the job's opened up — classic examples are rotten floor joists under an old bathroom, or lead pipework behind a chimney breast. Rather than guessing high and losing the job on price, or guessing low and eating the cost, name the risk explicitly on the quote: "Allowance of £150 for floor joist repairs if required, confirmed once existing flooring is lifted." This does two things — it shows the client you've thought about what's realistically behind the tiles, and it gives you a documented basis to charge more if the worst turns up, rather than an awkward conversation with no paper trail.
Get a professional quote out the door today — no subscription, nothing to install.
Create your quote free →More quoting guides
Frequently asked questions
Should a plumbing quote be day rate or fixed price?
Fixed price wins more jobs because clients want certainty, and it's the right approach whenever you can walk the job and see what's involved — a straightforward bathroom refit or tap replacement. A day rate makes more sense when there's genuine uncertainty, such as diagnosing an intermittent leak or working in an old property with unknown pipe runs. Many plumbers use a hybrid: fixed price for the scoped work, with named provisional sums or a stated day rate for anything found once the job is opened up.
What is a provisional sum on a plumbing quote?
It's a named allowance for a specific risk you can't price exactly until the job is opened up — for example, an allowance for floor joist repairs if the boards turn out to be rotten under an old bathroom suite. Rather than a vague "price may change" disclaimer, a provisional sum states the risk, gives an estimated figure, and explains it will be confirmed once uncovered. It protects your margin and gives the client fair warning, instead of a surprise invoice later.
Do I need Gas Safe registration mentioned on the quote?
If the job includes any gas work — fitting a boiler, gas fire, or gas hob — yes, it's worth stating your Gas Safe registration number on the quote. It's a legal requirement to be registered to carry out that work at all, and mentioning it reassures the client you're doing the job legitimately, which matters more to homeowners on gas jobs than almost anything else on the page.