After you send a quote, the best time to follow up is usually within 24 to 48 hours.
That is long enough to give the customer time to read the quote, but not so long that they forget about you, get distracted, or choose another tradie who followed up faster.
For most trade businesses, the problem is not that they follow up too soon.
The bigger problem is that they send the quote, get busy, and forget to follow up at all.
A simple follow-up schedule helps you stay organised without sounding pushy.
The simple rule
For most tradies, this is a good starting point:
Follow up 24 to 48 hours after sending the quote.
If the job is urgent or small, follow up the next day.
If the job is larger or more expensive, give the customer a little more time, but still check in within two days.
For example:
- Small repair job: follow up after 24 hours
- Standard residential job: follow up after 24 to 48 hours
- Larger project: follow up after 48 hours
- Commercial or multi-decision-maker job: follow up after 2 to 3 business days
This is not about pressuring the customer.
It is about making sure they received the quote, answering any questions, and giving them an easy next step.
Why 24 to 48 hours works
When a customer asks for a quote, they are usually interested at that moment.
But after the quote is sent, a lot can happen.
They might:
- get busy with work or family
- forget to reply
- wait for their partner to look at it
- compare it with another quote
- have a question but not know how to ask it
- assume you will contact them again
- choose the business that follows up first
That is why the first follow-up matters.
A polite message after 24 to 48 hours keeps the conversation alive.
It also makes your business look organised.
First follow-up timing
Your first follow-up should be simple.
You are not trying to force a decision. You are just checking in.
Send this after 24 to 48 hours:
Hi [Name], just checking you received the quote I sent through for [job type]. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help. Cheers, [Your Name]
Example:
Hi Sarah, just checking you received the quote I sent through for the timber fence. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help. Cheers, Ricky
This works because it is short, polite and easy to reply to.
When to follow up the same day
Sometimes it makes sense to follow up on the same day.
You might do this if:
- the customer asked for the quote urgently
- you promised to send it by a certain time
- the job is small and ready to approve
- the customer seemed ready to go ahead
- you are sending the quote after a phone call or site visit
In that case, the same-day message is not really a chase-up. It is a confirmation.
Use this:
Hi [Name], I’ve just sent the quote through for [job type]. Let me know if it has not come through or if you have any questions. Cheers, [Your Name]
This helps avoid the classic problem where the quote lands in spam, the customer misses it, or they forget to open it.
When to wait longer
Some jobs need more thinking time.
For example:
- fencing
- landscaping
- roofing
- bathrooms
- kitchens
- concreting
- building work
- solar
- larger electrical work
- commercial jobs
For these, the customer may need to compare options, check budget, talk to a partner, or confirm timing.
Even then, you should usually follow up within 48 hours.
The message can be softer:
Hi [Name], just checking in on the quote for [job type]. With jobs like this, customers often have questions around timing, options or scope, so I’m happy to talk it through if that helps. Cheers, [Your Name]
That gives the customer a reason to reply without making them feel pushed.
A simple quote follow-up schedule
Here is a basic schedule most tradies can use.
Day 0: Quote sent
Send the quote and confirm it has been sent.
Hi [Name], I’ve just sent the quote through for [job type]. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers, [Your Name]
Day 1 or 2: First follow-up
Check they received it.
Hi [Name], just checking you received the quote I sent through for [job type]. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help. Cheers, [Your Name]
Day 5 to 7: Second follow-up
Ask whether they are still looking to go ahead.
Hi [Name], just following up on the quote for [job type]. Are you still looking to get this done, or would you like me to leave it with you for now? Cheers, [Your Name]
Day 10 to 14: Final follow-up
Close the loop politely.
Hi [Name], I haven’t been able to reach you, so I’ll leave the quote with you for now. If you decide you’d like to go ahead or have any questions later, feel free to get in touch. Cheers, [Your Name]
30+ days later: Old quote follow-up
Check whether the job is still active.
Hi [Name], just checking in on the quote I sent through for [job type]. Are you still looking to get this done, or has it been sorted already? Cheers, [Your Name]
This schedule is enough for most small trade businesses.
You do not need to follow up every day.
You just need to follow up consistently.
How long should you wait before the second follow-up?
If the customer does not reply to your first message, wait another 3 to 5 days.
That usually means your second follow-up happens around day 5 to day 7 after sending the quote.
This is where you can be a little more direct, but still polite.
Use this:
Hi [Name], just following up on the quote for [job type]. Are you still looking to go ahead, or should I leave it with you for now? Cheers, [Your Name]
This is a good message because it gives the customer an easy out.
They can say yes, no, later, or they are still deciding.
Any reply is useful.
How long should you wait before the final follow-up?
A final follow-up usually works well around 10 to 14 days after the quote was sent.
By this point, you have:
- sent the quote
- confirmed they received it
- followed up once
- followed up again
If they still have not replied, you do not need to keep chasing them forever.
Send a final message like this:
Hi [Name], I haven’t been able to reach you, so I’ll leave the quote with you for now. If you decide you’d like to go ahead or have any questions later, feel free to get in touch. Cheers, [Your Name]
This keeps the relationship professional.
It also gives the customer one last chance to respond.
Should you follow up by SMS, email or phone?
The best channel depends on the customer and the job.
For most residential trade businesses, SMS is usually the best first follow-up because it is quick and easy to read.
Email works well when the quote has more detail, attachments or options.
Phone calls work well for higher-value jobs where a conversation could help close the sale.
A simple approach is:
- Send the quote by email
- Confirm by SMS
- Follow up by SMS after 24 to 48 hours
- Call higher-value leads if they have not replied
- Send a final SMS or email after 10 to 14 days
You can read more practical message examples in our guide to quote follow-up scripts for tradies.
What if the customer replies and says they need more time?
If the customer says they need more time, do not keep randomly chasing them.
Ask when they would like you to check back in.
Use this:
No worries at all. When would be a good time for me to check back in?
If they say next week, follow up next week.
If they say next month, set a reminder for next month.
This is where many tradies lose track. They get a reply, but they do not set a next follow-up date.
Every quote should have a next step.
What if the customer says they are waiting on another quote?
This is common.
Do not attack the other business or immediately discount your price.
Use this:
No problem. Just make sure the quotes are covering the same scope. If you want me to clarify anything in mine, I’m happy to help.
Sometimes customers are comparing two quotes that are not actually the same.
One quote might include removal, disposal, better materials, stronger posts, better fittings or a more complete scope.
Following up gives you a chance to explain that.
What if the customer does not reply at all?
If the customer does not reply after several follow-ups, leave it alone for a while.
Some people will not answer.
Some have gone with someone else.
Some were never serious.
Some will come back weeks later.
That is why the final follow-up matters. It closes the loop without sounding annoyed.
Then, after 30 days or more, you can send a simple old quote follow-up:
Hi [Name], just checking in on the quote I sent through for [job type]. Are you still looking to get this done, or has it been sorted already? Cheers, [Your Name]
This can recover jobs that would otherwise sit forgotten in your inbox.
How long is too long to follow up?
It is only too long if the message is rude, irrelevant or constant.
A polite follow-up after a week is normal.
A polite follow-up after a month is also fine if the quote is still relevant.
But texting someone every day is too much.
A good rule is:
- follow up quickly
- follow up politely
- give them space between messages
- stop if they say no
- set a reminder if they say later
The goal is not to annoy people.
The goal is to make sure good leads do not get forgotten.
Why tradies forget to follow up
Most tradies do not forget because they are lazy.
They forget because they are busy.
You might be:
- quoting at night
- answering calls between jobs
- organising materials
- managing staff
- dealing with suppliers
- finishing current jobs
- sending invoices
- handling customer questions
When follow-up relies on memory, some quotes will slip through the cracks.
That is why even a basic quote tracker helps.
At minimum, every quote should have:
- customer name
- phone number
- job type
- quote value
- date sent
- next follow-up date
- quote status
That can be a spreadsheet, CRM, job management tool or automated system.
Should quote follow-up be automated?
If you only send a few quotes a month, manual follow-up can work fine.
But if you are sending quotes every week, automation can make the process much more consistent.
A quote follow-up system can:
- remind you when to call
- send SMS follow-ups
- send email follow-ups
- track open quotes
- flag old quotes
- show which leads need attention
- stop good opportunities from being forgotten
The important thing is that the messages still sound human.
Automation should not replace good service.
It should make sure good service happens every time.
Final answer
For most tradies, the best time to follow up after sending a quote is within 24 to 48 hours.
Then follow up again around day 5 to day 7.
If there is still no reply, send a final polite follow-up around day 10 to day 14.
After 30 days or more, you can recheck whether the customer is still looking to get the job done.
The exact timing matters less than having a system.
If every quote has a next follow-up date, fewer jobs get forgotten.
Want this handled automatically?
Tradie Systems Co builds quote follow-up systems for Australian tradies so leads do not get forgotten after the quote is sent.
If you are sending quotes but not consistently following them up, book a free Quote Follow-Up Audit.
We will look at your current quote follow-up process and show you where jobs may be slipping through the cracks.