Free tool • Printable quote • Nothing uploaded

Quote Builder for Tradespeople

Price a job with materials and a mark-up, labour by the hour or day, and the right VAT. See your profit, CIS deduction and tax set-aside, then print or save a clean quote as a PDF.

By The HandySums teamLast checked:
Correct VATNot registered, 20%, or the domestic reverse charge, with a helper that explains which.
CIS and taxSee the CIS deduction and a tax set-aside for the job.
PrivateTyped and printed in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Example figures — replace with your own. Example figures are filled in so you can see how it works — replace them with your own before relying on the result shown.

1. Your business

Printed at the top of the quote.

Pick an image from your device. It is shrunk in your browser and never uploaded.

Saved in this browser only, on this device. Customer details are never saved.

2. The quote

Who it is for and what the job is.

3. Materials

What you pay for materials. The mark-up is added to what the customer sees.

Many trades add 10% to 20%.

4. Labour and other charges

Price by the hour or by the day.

Added to the price. Leave blank if none.

5. VAT

Not registered, 20% standard rate, or the domestic reverse charge.

Which VAT treatment applies? (answer three questions)

Answer the three questions and press the button. It sets the VAT choice below.

Reduced and zero rates are not covered here. If your work is zero or 5% rated, use your own VAT figures.

6. CIS and your tax set-aside

Optional. For your own planning only. It is not printed on the quote.

Fuel, parking, subcontractors. Not materials.
So the tax set-aside uses the right band.

7. Terms

Your quote (this is what prints)

Check it, then press “Print / Save as PDF” above.

Why use this one

What is different about this quote builder

  • The VAT helper tells you whether the reverse charge applies, and explains why, in plain English.
  • It shows the CIS deduction with the materials rule applied, and a tax set-aside for the job.
  • It prints only the quote: none of your costs, profit or tax figures.
  • It uses 2026/27 rates, with Scotland.
  • Free, no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded or stored on our side.
Guide

VAT, CIS and your quote

The domestic VAT reverse charge, explained

If you are VAT registered and you supply building or construction services that are reported through the Construction Industry Scheme to a VAT-registered customer, the domestic reverse charge applies. You do not charge VAT. The customer accounts for it to HMRC.

  • It applies to standard-rated and reduced-rated CIS services, and to the full value of a supply-and-fix invoice, materials included.
  • It does not apply to private households, or to an end user or intermediary supplier who has told you so in writing.
  • Your invoice must say the reverse charge applies, for example “VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies” or “Customer to pay the VAT to HMRC”, and must not include the VAT in the amount charged.
  • On your VAT Return you enter only the net value. You cannot use cash accounting or the Flat Rate Scheme for these supplies.
  • Cash flow is lower, because you do not receive VAT from these customers.

How CIS is worked out on a quote

The contractor deducts CIS (20% or 30%) from your payment excluding VAT and the direct cost of materials you paid for. Your mark-up on materials is not a direct cost, so it stays liable to the deduction. The builder shows the deduction and what you would receive.

Tax set-aside

We work out the Income Tax and Class 4 NI on the profit from the job (price before VAT, minus materials at cost and your own costs), using 2026/27 rates and your other income. This is a planning figure. See the tax set-aside calculator for a full-year view.

Printing or saving as PDF

Press “Print / Save as PDF” and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the quote prints: none of your costs, profit or tax figures appear on it.

Frequently asked questions

Is my quote or logo uploaded?

No. Everything, including the logo, stays in your browser. If you tick “Remember”, your business details and logo are saved in this browser on this device only. You can delete them with “Forget what is saved”.

When do I not charge VAT on a CIS job?

If you are not VAT registered, or the customer is a private household, an end user or an intermediary supplier who has confirmed that in writing, the reverse charge does not apply. In the first case you charge no VAT, in the others you charge the normal rate.

Does the quote show my CIS deduction?

No. The CIS deduction, profit and tax set-aside are for you and are not printed on the quote the customer gets.

Can I use a mark-up on materials?

Yes. Mark-up is part of what the customer pays and part of your income. Under CIS, only your direct cost of materials is outside the deduction.

Does it handle 5% or 0% VAT?

Not yet. It handles not registered, 20% standard, and the reverse charge. If your work is reduced or zero rated, work out the VAT yourself.

CalculatorTax Set-Aside CalculatorHow much to put aside from each invoice, week or month for Income Tax and Class 4 NI, after any CIS.CalculatorDay Rate CalculatorThe day rate you need for the take-home you want, or what your current rate really leaves you.CalculatorVAT Threshold TrackerTrack your rolling 12-month turnover against £90,000 and see when you would have to register.CalculatorCIS Tax & Refund CalculatorCheck the CIS that should have been taken, spot deductions on materials, and estimate your refund or bill.GuideVAT for tradespeopleThe £90,000 rolling threshold, what counts as turnover, the construction reverse charge and the Flat Rate Scheme.GuideCIS deductions explained20%, 30% or nothing — what CIS is taken on, what it isn't, and how to check your statements.GuideHow much tax to put asideReal percentages at different profits, with and without CIS, and how to build a tax pot.

Sources and review

Last checked: 1 November 2026. The VAT reverse charge rules, the CIS materials rule and the 2026/27 rates used here. Written and checked by the HandySums team against the GOV.UK pages below. HandySums is independent and not an accountancy firm — see how we check our sums.

Estimate only — not tax advice. Results are a guide and HMRC has the final say. The VAT treatment is a guide to help you choose: you are responsible for what goes on your invoice and VAT Return. Ask HMRC if unsure. Verify with HMRC or a qualified accountant.