Quoting a job you have not seen — photos, ranges, and the re-quote at the door
A client texts three photos and asks how much. A photo shows size and condition, but not what is behind it. This guide shows when a photo is enough and what to ask for. It shows how to write your assumptions into the price. It also covers a rough figure on the phone and a job that does not match.
You can quote a job you have not seen when a photo shows everything that sets the price. If it does, give a firm price with written assumptions. If it does not, give a range and confirm it on arrival, or say you need to see it first. Ask for a wide shot, a close-up, and something for scale. If the job does not match, re-quote before you start.
A client texts three photos and asks how much. You have not seen the job. If you say nothing, you may lose it. If you give a number, the client may hold you to it. You can give a price and still protect yourself. Here is how.
The test: can a photo show everything that sets the price?
Ask what sets the price of this job. Usually it is four things: the size, the access, the condition, and what is behind it. A photo shows the first three well. It cannot show the fourth.
If the price depends on something you cannot see, a photo is not enough. If it depends only on what you can see, a photo may be.
Three honest answers
- A firm price with written assumptions. Use this when the photos show what sets the price. The assumptions say what the price rests on.
- A range, confirmed on arrival. Use this when most of the job is clear, but one part is not. You give the limits now. You confirm the price when you see the job.
- "I need to see it." Use this when a wrong price would cost you. Offer a visit and say the fee first. The guide on charging for the visit shows how.
What to ask for
Send the client a short list. A clear list gets useful photos the first time.
- A wide shot of the whole area.
- A close-up of the problem.
- Something for scale, such as a tape measure.
- Where you park, and how you get to the job.
- The model or rating plate, if there is one.
- The measurements, if the client has them.
- A short video, if the client can take one.
The quoting from photos pack has the text for this step.
Write the assumptions into the quote
Start each assumption with "This price assumes". For example: "This price assumes the pipe is accessible from the cupboard". Then add an exclusions line: "It does not include ...". Say that you will tell the client the new price before you start, if the job does not match.
Add a validity date too. The glossary explains a quote versus an estimate, a provisional sum, and quote validity. The quote generator lays the quote out.
A ballpark on the phone
A client may ask for a rough figure on the phone, before you have anything to look at. Give a range, never one number. One number becomes the price in the client's mind. Say what the range depends on. Then write it down after the call, and send it as a short text.
On arrival, before you start
Look at the job before you pick up a tool. Compare it with the photos and your assumptions.
If it matches, confirm the price and start work. If it does not match, re-quote at the door, before you start. Say what is different and give the new price.
The client can say no. If they do, you leave. State any call-out fee before the visit, not at the door. Rules about such fees differ by country, and this guide gives no legal advice.
A surprise after work starts is a different problem. The guide on finding a hidden problem mid-job covers it.
Keep it in one place
In BizBinder, add the job with the status quote. Write a dated note with the photos you saw, your assumptions, and the price you gave. Add the quote from your own notes.
BizBinder stores no photos and has no approval or e-sign step. It sends none of these messages. Keep the photos on your phone, and write each message yourself.
Where the other guides pick up
- The full quote: how to quote a job.
- The first reply: responding to a new inquiry.
- After the quote: when the client says yes.
Common questions
Should I give a ballpark price?
Give a range, never one number. Say what the range depends on. Write it down after the call, so both of you remember the same thing.
What photos should I ask for?
Ask for a wide shot, a close-up, and something for scale. Ask where you park and how you get in. Ask for the model or rating plate, any measurements, and a short video.
Is an estimate binding?
It depends on the country and on what you wrote. This guide gives no legal advice. Say in writing whether your price is firm or a range. The glossary explains the difference between a quote and an estimate.
Can I charge if the client says no at the door?
Only if you said the call-out fee before the visit. Put it in writing first. Rules differ by country, and this guide gives no legal advice.
Does BizBinder store the photos?
No. BizBinder stores no photos and has no approval or e-sign step. Keep the photos on your phone. Write a dated note on the job with your assumptions and the price you gave.
Want the price you gave kept with the job?
BizBinder stores no photos, has no approval or e-sign step, and sends none of these messages. You send each message yourself. It does let you add a job with the status quote and write dated notes on it. Note your assumptions and the price you gave.
You are on the list.
A person reads every request. You will hear from us within one business day.
- 01 A person reads your note — not a queue.
- 02 You get an invite as spots open.
- 03 Your admin starts filing itself.
The free library is open while you wait. Nothing in it needs an account.
- guide How to price a job so the number holds up The quote works only if its number works. Start with the price, then write it up.
- tool Free Quote & Estimate Generator Fill in your business and client details. Add line items, mark any as optional, and set a deposit. A clean quote builds as you type. Turn it into an invoice with one click.
- tool Quote & invoice terms builder Tick the clauses that fit the job and fill in your numbers once. You get a plain-English terms block. Copy it, print it, or send it into the quote generator.