Short answer. Pick two follow-up days for every quote, write the two messages once, and give one person the job of sending them. The first one checks they got the quote and asks if they have questions. The second asks if they'd like to go ahead or if the timing is off. After that, close it out politely and move on.
You spent an hour at the house, measured, wrote it up and sent the quote. Then you heard nothing back, not a yes and not a no. A week later you're not sure whether to call, and by the time you do, they've gone with someone else or forgotten who you are.
Why do quotes go cold?
Price matters, but it's rarely the whole story. Jobber's 2026 Home Service Trends Report (Jobber makes a popular scheduling and invoicing app for contractors) surveyed 1,050 home-service owners in December 2025. Price still mattered most to customers, at 62%, and 1 in 4 customers cited response speed as a key decision factor. A lot of the time the customer just got busy, compared two quotes and couldn't remember which was which, or had a question they never got around to asking. Silence is often a question nobody answered.
What's a simple follow-up routine?
Send the quote the same day if you can, with one line on what it covers and how to say yes. A couple of days later, check that it came through and offer to answer questions. About a week after that, ask if they'd like to get it on the schedule or if the timing isn't right. After two or three weeks, let them know you're closing it out for now and they can reply anytime. Here's the wording in one place so you can copy it.
| When | What to send |
|---|---|
| Same day | The quote, with one line on what it covers and how to say yes |
| 2 or 3 days later | "Did the quote come through OK? Happy to answer any questions." |
| About a week later | "Would you like to get this on the schedule, or is the timing not right?" |
| 2 to 3 weeks later | "I'll close this out for now. If anything changes, just reply." |
Pick your own days. A water-heater replacement moves faster than a full repipe. What matters is that the days are written down and somebody owns them.
What should the follow-up actually say?
Name the job so they don't have to dig for it. Something like this works.
Hi [Name], it's [your name] from [Business]. Following up on the quote for the [job] at [street]. Any questions I can answer? You can reply here or call or text me.
Keep a person's name on it. I'd also skip discounts in the first follow-up, because that teaches customers to wait.
Who should own follow-ups?
One person. If it's you, block 15 minutes at the same time each day. If you have an office person, it's their list, and you look at it once a week.
Can this run on its own?
Parts of it can. Many field-service tools can send a quote follow-up on a set day, and AI can draft a reply when the customer writes back. I'd save that for later, once the routine works by hand. That's how I approach any build. Start small, prove it works, then keep improving it as long as the improvement is worth the time and effort.
Common questions
How many times should I follow up on a quote?
Two or three times over two to three weeks works for most service jobs, with a polite close-out at the end.
Should I call or text?
Use whatever the customer used to reach you. If they texted, text back.
What if they say the price is too high?
Ask what they're comparing against. Sometimes it's a different scope. Explain what's included before you change a number.
Next step
Copy the table above, pick your days, and decide who sends the follow-ups. If you'd like help setting it up, call or text (314) 960-7198. We reply within one business day. You can also book a free 20-minute call.
General information. The follow-up days are a starting point to adjust, not a rule from any study.
