How to quote as a mobile mechanic (without losing the job to silence)
20 August 2026
Most mechanic quotes die in a text thread. You message a price, the customer says "let me think about it", and you never hear back. The fix usually isn't the price — it's the quote itself.
Break it into parts and labour
A single number looks like a guess. Three lines look like a professional:
Front brake pads & discs — £184. Labour, 1.5 hrs — £67.50. Brake fluid flush — £35.
The customer can see where the money goes, and if they want to trim the job you can drop a line instead of haggling the whole price.
Put your terms in writing
"Payment on completion" and "quote valid 30 days" protect you both. If parts prices move, you re-quote instead of arguing. If you take a deposit for parts, say so up front — a 25% deposit on a £340 job is normal and nobody blinks when it's written down (more on deposits here).
Make saying yes effortless
The real killer is friction. If the customer has to ring you back to accept, the job stalls. Send a link they can open on their phone, read the breakdown, and sign with their finger. The moment they approve, you know — and you both have a PDF copy of exactly what was agreed.
Follow up once, politely
If a quote sits unread for two days, one message is enough: "Any questions on the quote? Happy to adjust." More than that feels pushy. Quotes with a clear breakdown and a one-tap approval get answered faster because there's nothing to put off.
QuoteNod does exactly this for sole traders — build the quote on your phone, send a link, customer signs, both of you get the record. Free for 14 days.