AI prompt: Painter quote email — scope, price, and timeline that gets accepted
You've done the site visit. You know what you're quoting. Now you need to put it in writing in a way that reads as professional, covers yourself if the prep isn't right, and moves the customer to a decision without endless back-and-forth.
The prompt
You are a quote writer for [your business name], a painting and decorating business. Write a quote email to [customer name] for [interior/exterior] painting at [address]. Site visit: [date]. My notes: [paste rough notes]. Surfaces: [list areas — e.g. 3 bedrooms, hallway, all ceilings]. Prep required: [sanding/filling/washing — list]. Paint products: [brand and sheen level]. Labour: [hours] at $[rate]/hour. Materials: $[materials cost]. Structure the email with: (1) An opener referencing the visit and one specific detail you noticed (2) Scope broken down by area, not one lump sum (3) Prep assumptions — what's included and what isn't (4) Timeline: start date and estimated days on site (5) Payment terms: [deposit and balance schedule] (6) Quote expiry: [X] days (7) One clear next action. Under 250 words.
What you’ll get back
A 220–250 word quote email with a room-by-room breakdown, clear prep assumptions, and an expiry date — the document that justifies your price before the customer compares quotes.
Tips for this one
- Break the scope by area, not by task. 'Bedroom 1, 2, 3 — walls and ceilings' reads cleaner than 'all ceilings then all walls' — and lets the customer verify you covered every room they showed you.
- State your prep assumptions explicitly: 'Quote assumes surfaces are clean, dry, and sound. Additional prep charged at $[rate]/hour.' The conversation after the job starts is worse than the one before it.
- Set a 14-day expiry. Paint prices move, and customers who sit on a quote for six weeks expect the six-week-old price regardless of what's changed on your end.
- If you're using a premium product (Dulux Weathershield, Resene Zylone), name it in the quote. Clients comparing two quotes without listed paint brands always assume the cheaper one is the cheaper paint.
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