Quoting software for carpenters and joiners
TradeKwote helps UK carpenters and joiners turn job notes into a clear, professional quote in about 60 seconds, from hanging doors to bespoke fitted wardrobes. You set every price; TradeKwote writes up the work.
Carpentry quotes range from a quick fixed price for hanging three doors to a detailed quote for bespoke joinery with timber choices and finishes. Either way, the customer wants to know exactly what they're getting and what the finish will look like.
What a good carpentry quote includes
- What you're making or fitting, with sizes where they matter.
- Materials, such as the timber or board type (oak, pine, MDF, birch ply), ironmongery and fixings.
- Whether it's first fix (structural work such as studwork, joists and door linings) or second fix (doors, skirting, architrave and fitted furniture).
- Finishing: whether you're leaving it ready for painting, priming it, or supplying a finished item.
- Who supplies what, for example if the customer is buying the doors.
- Making good, waste removal and the time the job will take.
How carpenters usually price work
Standard jobs, such as hanging doors or fitting skirting, are often priced per item or per metre. Bespoke joinery is usually priced per job, built up from the design time, materials, workshop time and fitting. Day rates are common for first-fix work on building sites.
Rules worth mentioning
- Fire doors, for example between an integral garage and a house or in flats, must be installed correctly with the right frame, seals and closers, following the manufacturer's certification.
- Structural work, such as altering joists or loft conversions, can need Building Regulations approval.
- If you work for other contractors under CIS, the VAT domestic reverse charge may apply.
How TradeKwote helps carpenters
- Dictate the job as you measure up, and TradeKwote writes a clear description of the work and finish.
- You enter each line item, such as materials, labour or per-item prices, and TradeKwote never adds items or changes your prices.
- Add up to 5 photos of the space so the scope is specific. Photos stay private.
- Ask for a deposit before you order timber, and choose payment terms.
- VAT is handled, including the domestic reverse charge.
- On Pro, save templates for jobs you repeat, such as internal door hanging.
Tips for winning more carpentry work
- Describe the finish clearly, for example "primed and ready for painting" or "oak, oiled", so there are no surprises at handover.
- Say who is buying what. If the customer is supplying doors or ironmongery, put it in writing.
- For bespoke work, include the lead time from deposit to fitting.
- Mention how you'll protect floors and keep dust down, since most carpentry happens in lived-in homes.
Example
Job note: Alcove units both sides of chimney breast, painted MDF, shelves above, cupboards below. Your lines: materials £420, workshop and fitting £1,100.
A quote describing the units, materials and paint-ready finish, with your prices, a deposit before materials are ordered, and VAT.