The short answer
A polite follow up is normal, not pushy. When a customer goes quiet, it is usually about their week, not your quote. A short message ends the not knowing, for you and for them.
Check the quote arrived. Follow up once after a few days, then once more about a week later, by phone or text if you emailed first. If you still hear nothing, send one friendly closing message and let it go.
The easiest follow up is one you mentioned when you sent the quote, because the customer is expecting it.
Why customers go quiet
- They are busy and your quote is on their list.
- They are still comparing quotes.
- They need to check with someone else, such as a partner or a landlord.
- The price was more than they expected.
- Your email went to their spam folder.
- They chose someone else and did not like to say.
Most of these mean the job is still open. A short message is how you find out.
First, check your quote arrived
- Was the email address right?
- Could it be in their spam or junk folder?
- Is it easy to read on a phone?
- Does it show a clear total and a valid until date?
When to follow up
Jobber, a job software firm, suggests the first follow up 2 to 3 days after the quote, then trying again in a few days. Smart Glazier, a software firm for glaziers, suggests an email 5 to 7 days after the quote and a call a week after that.
| When | What to send | How |
|---|---|---|
| The day you send it | The quote, with a valid until date and a line saying when you will check in | However the customer asked for it |
| A few days later | A friendly check that it arrived | The same way you sent the quote |
| About a week after that | A second message offering to answer questions | By phone or text, if the first was an email |
| By the valid until date | A short closing message | Email or text |
Timings are a rough guide based on the Jobber and Smart Glazier advice listed at the end of this guide.
What to say
Three short messages to copy and change. Each one makes it easy to say no, because a quick no beats not knowing, for both of you.
Hi [name], I sent your quote for [the job] on [day] and wanted to check it reached you, as emails sometimes end up in spam. If you have any questions, I am happy to help. And if you have gone with someone else, that is fine, a quick no lets me plan my week. Thanks, [your name]
Hi [name], it is [your name] about the quote for [the job]. Is there anything I can explain, or would it help to change what is included? I can put together a smaller version if that suits you better. If now is not the right time, just say and I will leave it there.
Hi [name], just a note that the price in your quote for [the job] holds until [date], as my costs and diary change. After that I will take it off my list, and you are welcome to ask again whenever suits you. Thanks for thinking of me, [your name]
Change the words so they sound like you, and send them from your own email or phone. Replying to new enquiries is one of the five jobs a small business can stop doing by hand, and on Help with admin we draft those replies in your voice, ready for you to send.
How many times should you follow up?
Two or three times, then stop. Jobber suggests that if there is still no reply after the second follow up, it may be time to move on. Smart Glazier leaves it to your judgement after that.
Owners do not all agree. In a UK Business Forums thread from July 2016, some said keep going, some send one check and stop, and some never chase at all. Whatever you choose, a clear end helps you both.
Should you lower your price?
Do not cut the price just because they went quiet. Ask what is holding them back. If the price is the problem, offer a smaller or staged version of the job, and say plainly what changes, such as fewer rooms or the second half done later.
Never invent a deadline or a discount for replying by a certain day. The only end date is the real valid until date on your quote.
Put an end date on every quote
Citizens Advice describes a quote as “a promise to do work at an agreed price”, and says a trader “can’t charge you more if their costs have gone up since they did the quote”. Homebuilding and Renovating notes that quotes are mostly stated to be valid for a set time, and that a quote not accepted in that time will need to be renewed.
So a valid until date is fair to both sides. Material prices and your diary change, and the date tells the customer the price will not hold for ever. It is a plain fact, not a countdown.
Add one line to the quote or covering message saying when you will check in, for example.
Your follow up is then expected, not a nag. Both lines can go on any quote you already send. If you would also like a quote template laid out once with your logo and details, see the document templates on Help with admin.
Keep track of every quote
For each quote, note who it is for, the job, the price, the day you sent it, the day to follow up and what happened. A notebook works fine. A quotes tracker shows which quotes need a follow up, and Business automation covers reminders to get back to customers.
Common questions
Is it pushy to chase a quote?
No. A short, friendly message that makes it easy to say no is polite. Endless messages are what feel pushy.
How long should I wait before following up?
A few days. Jobber suggests 2 to 3 days after the quote, and Smart Glazier suggests 5 to 7 days for the first email.
Should I call, text or email?
Start the way the customer first got in touch. If your first follow up was an email, make the second a call or a text.
What if they say the price is too high?
Thank them, ask what they had in mind, and offer a smaller or staged version of the job if one makes sense.
How long is a quote valid for?
For as long as you say on the quote. Choose a period that suits how quickly your costs change, and write the date in full.
Can I add them to my newsletter if they did not reply?
Only in some cases. Under what the ICO calls the soft opt in, “requesting a quote” can count as interest in buying. But you must have “provided the recipient with an opportunity to refuse or opt out when you collected their contact details”, send only news of similar products and services, and offer a way to opt out in every message. If you did not offer that when they asked for the quote, leave them off the list.
Can I set up a reminder so I do not forget to follow up?
Yes. The free way is a reminder in your phone or calendar, set on the day you send the quote. If you send a lot of quotes, the tracker and reminders above can help.
How we can help
Spend less of your evening on paperwork. We can lay out your quote template once with your logo and details, and draft replies to new enquiries in your voice for you to send. Prices start at £120 for one job, and we tell you the exact price before we start.
Help with adminWant a reminder to get back to customers set up once? See Business automation.
Sources
- How to follow up on a quote, Brittany Foster, Jobber, updated 26th August 2025
- What to do when a customer doesn’t respond to your quote, Smart Glazier, 4th May 2017
- Problem with building work, decorating or home improvements, Citizens Advice, no date shown
- Quote vs estimate, Tim Phillips, Homebuilding and Renovating, 9th August 2023
- How do we comply with the PECR electronic mail marketing rules, ICO guidance updated 28th April 2026
- What to do when a client doesn’t respond, UK Business Forums, July 2016
Sources were checked on 29th October 2026 and may change.
Read next
- How much time could your admin give back each month? Example figures for six everyday admin jobs, and a simple way to work out your own.
- Five jobs a small business can stop doing by hand. From appointment reminders to overdue invoices, often with tools you already have.
- How much does a virtual assistant cost in the UK? What UK virtual assistants charge, and other ways to get admin jobs done.