How do joiners quote kitchens they did not supply?

Quote fitting-only with explicit assumptions: units arrive on site assembled, tolerances within X mm, customer responsible for damaged or incorrect panels, adjustment time beyond half a day is charged as a variation. Get the kitchen schedule before quoting — you cannot price what you cannot measure.

How do I handle bespoke work that changes scope mid-way?

Document every change as a variation on the job record before you carry out the extra work. A brief text is not a variation — a written line on the quote revision is. Customers who approve changes in writing understand the additional cost; those who approve verbally often forget.

Quote software for joiners — bespoke work without guesswork quotes

Joinery spans sharp second-fix pricing and open-ended bespoke. Your quotes should separate supply, machining time, fitting, and finishing so changes have a place to land. A customer who changes a door style three days before delivery needs a variation on the quote — not an argument about what ‘included’ meant.

What goes wrong without a proper system

Rough notes, lost measurements, quote details buried in texts, extras agreed verbally — joiner jobs move fast and admin usually happens late. That is where margin quietly disappears.

No single thread from enquiry to payment
Rewriting the same scope because it lived on paper
Forgotten add-ons after a long day on the tools

One low-admin hub for the full job

Pro Quoter is not another bloated office CRM. It is built by a real tradesman for tradesmen who want customers, diary, measures, quotes, jobs, invoices, receipts, team handovers and follow-ups in one place.

Built for real-world signal, not perfect office WiFi — designed to keep you moving when the signal drops, save on-site, and sync when you are back online.

Enquiry → measure → AI-assisted quote → send → book → invoice → records
Send the right job details to the right person without WhatsApp chains and screenshots
Templates and consistent pricing help you quote faster and protect margin

AI for wording — not for replacing your trade

Need help wording the quote? AI can help turn rough notes into something professional — quote descriptions, customer messages and follow-ups. AI-assisted: you stay in charge of price, scope and what gets sent.

How joiners usually price work

Per item for doors and architrave packs — price each door set including ironmongery, lining adjustment and hanging. Linear metres for skirting and architrave runs. Day rate for workshop time on bespoke where design evolves. Fixed packages for repeat house types where you know exactly what a four-bed second fix involves.

Hardware grades affect price fast — brass lever vs stainless, standard vs fire-rated
Factory finishing vs site finishing — quote clearly which you are providing
Templates for repeat house types cut quoting time on new-build contracts
Supply-and-fit vs fit-only — separate rates for each to avoid absorbing other suppliers’ problems

Typical workflow (enquiry to paid)

Survey or take drawings → scope second fix items per room → materials schedule → workshop or ordering slots → install diary sequence around other trades → snagging list with customer sign-off → invoice. For bespoke: design sign-off → deposit → workshop → dry fit → final install → snag → balance invoice.

Estimate example (structure, not a price list)

Second-fix house: door sets × 12 (type, grade, ironmongery per door); lining adjustments 3 doors (non-standard reveal); skirting supply and fix 120 linear metres; architrave 180 linear metres; staircase balustrade supply and fit; kitchen fitting (units, worktop, pelmet — customer supplies); understairs cupboard bespoke framing and shelves.

Invoice example — what to show

Match line items exactly. Bespoke extras — extra door moved from plan, additional shelf unit, hardware upgrade — as separate lines with written confirmation reference. Customers who approve variations in writing pay faster and argue less.

Materials tracking and markup

Timber moisture content matters — price decent kiln-dried stock, not the cheapest that twists after two winters. MDF for painted work, solid for stained. Markup covers delivery, offcuts, the board the merchant shorted, and the sheet that chipped in the van. Keep blade, bit and fixing costs tracked — they add up to real money over a year.

Day rate, m² or hourly — what customers understand

Fixed per item where scope is predictable and you have done the job type before. Day rate where design is still evolving, customer is indecisive, or the house is old enough to have surprises. Be explicit which you used — customers comparing your per-item quote to a day-rate quote from a competitor are comparing different things.

Tax, CIS and records

Tools, blades and abrasives are consumables — keep receipts or your margin calculation lies to you. Workshop equipment is capital expenditure — advice needed on write-down. Van costs, fuel and materials delivery all claimable. Keep records weekly not annually.

Pain points this trade feels first

Bespoke scope drift — customer changes mind after workshop time spent
Waiting on other trades before second fix can start
Factory mistakes on sizes — your install day, their error
Fine finishing time consistently underestimated

FAQ

How do joiners quote kitchens they did not supply?: Quote fitting-only with explicit assumptions: units arrive on site assembled, tolerances within X mm, customer responsible for damaged or incorrect panels, adjustment time beyond half a day is charged as a variation. Get the kitchen schedule before quoting — you cannot price what you cannot measure.
How do I handle bespoke work that changes scope mid-way?: Document every change as a variation on the job record before you carry out the extra work. A brief text is not a variation — a written line on the quote revision is. Customers who approve changes in writing understand the additional cost; those who approve verbally often forget.