Yes — you should have something in writing for every job, even small ones. It doesn't have to be a formal legal contract. An accepted written quote that sets out the work, the price and the terms is a contract in the eyes of the law, and it's usually all the protection you need.
Here's the thing most of us learn the hard way: a handshake and "yeah, sound, crack on" feels fine right up until there's a disagreement. Then it's your word against theirs, and you're the one out of pocket.
The good news is you don't need a solicitor or pages of small print. You almost certainly already send quotes — you just need them to do a bit more work for you.
Why "just a quote" is actually a contract
In the UK, a contract is formed when one person makes an offer and the other accepts it. Your quote is the offer. When the customer says yes — by email, text, or tapping "accept" — that's acceptance. You've got a contract, whether or not it says "Contract" at the top.
That's why getting the yes in writing matters so much. A verbal "go on then" is still binding in theory, but try proving it months later.
What to put in writing on every job
Keep it simple. A good quote covers:
- The work — what you're doing, and just as importantly, what you're not doing.
- The price — and whether it's fixed or an estimate. Be clear which.
- What's excluded — making good, decorating, removing waste, fixing stuff you find once you open it up.
- Payment terms — deposit, stage payments, and how long they've got to pay the final bill.
- Timescales — roughly when you'll start and how long it'll take, with the obvious caveats.
The "variations" trap
You're halfway through and the customer says "while you're at it, can you just…". That little extra is a variation, and it's where loads of jobs go wrong on price.
Rule of thumb: if it's not on the original quote, it's extra. Fire them a quick message — "happy to do that, it'll be an extra £X" — and get a thumbs up before you do it. A two-line text now beats a furious phone call when the invoice lands.
Do bigger jobs need more?
For larger or longer jobs — extensions, full rewires, anything running into the thousands or over several weeks — it's worth adding proper terms and conditions covering things like late payment, your right to down tools if you're not paid, and what happens if materials prices jump. You can use a standard set of trade T&Cs and attach them to your quote.
For a domestic customer there are also extra rules — like their 14-day right to cancel if you agreed the job in their home. Worth knowing about, but not something to lose sleep over for a standard job.