When to revise, and when to start a new quote
| Situation | What to send |
|---|---|
| The client asks for changes before deciding: more or less work, other materials, different dates | A revised quotation |
| You agree a lower price after talking it through | A revised quotation that says what came out of the scope |
| You spot a mistake in a quote you have sent | A revised quotation, as soon as you notice |
| The quote has expired and the client is ready now | A revision with new dates and current prices, or a new quote |
| A different job for the same client | A new quote with its own number |
| The client has already accepted and now wants changes | Not a revision: a priced variation, agreed in writing (see below) |
While the client is still deciding about the same job, revise the quote. A different job gets a new quote, and an agreed job gets variations.
Numbering and dating a revision
- Keep the quote number and add the revision: Q-1042 rev. 2, Q-1042-R2 or Q-1042-B. The version you sent first is version 1, so the first revision is rev. 2 (some businesses call it rev. 1; either works if you stick to it). Use one style on the PDF, in the file name, in the email subject and in your records.
- Date it the day you send it, with its own valid-until date. A revision that keeps the old dates may expire before the client has read it.
- Say what it replaces, near the top or in the notes: “This quotation replaces quotation Q-1042 dated 2 October 2026.” Then there is no doubt which price is on offer.
- List the changes in two or three lines: “Changes from the previous version: bedroom 1 removed; 8 doors instead of 6.”
- Leave everything else alone. Same wording, same terms and the same unchanged lines, so the client can see that only the listed items moved.
Worked example: version 1 and rev. 2
A decorator quotes for two rooms, the hall and six doors. The client decides to leave bedroom 1 for now and adds two more doors, so the paint allowance comes down. Names, prices and dates are made up to show the method.
| Line | Version 1 | Rev. 2 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room: walls and ceiling | £420.00 | £420.00 | None |
| Hall, stairs and landing | £780.00 | £780.00 | None |
| Bedroom 1: walls and ceiling | £310.00 | Removed | −£310.00 |
| Doors and frames at £65 (6, then 8) | £390.00 | £520.00 | +£130.00 |
| Paint and sundries | £265.00 | £225.00 | −£40.00 |
| Protection and daily clean-up | £60.00 | £60.00 | None |
| Subtotal | £2,225.00 | £2,005.00 | −£220.00 |
| VAT 20% | £445.00 | £401.00 | −£44.00 |
| Total | £2,670.00 | £2,406.00 | −£264.00 |
The revised quote the client receives:
Interior decorating at 8 Linden Avenue. This quotation replaces quotation Q-2026-118 dated 6 October 2026.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room: walls and ceiling, 2 coats emulsion, fill minor cracks | 1 | £420.00 | £420.00 |
| Hall, stairs and landing: walls, ceiling and woodwork | 1 | £780.00 | £780.00 |
| Doors and frames: sand, undercoat and satinwood topcoat | 8 | £65.00 | £520.00 |
| Paint and sundries | 1 | £225.00 | £225.00 |
| Protection, dust sheets and daily clean-up | 1 | £60.00 | £60.00 |
| Subtotal | £2,005.00 | ||
| VAT 20% | £401.00 | ||
| Total including VAT | £2,406.00 | ||
Changes from the previous version: bedroom 1 removed at your request; doors and frames increased from 6 to 8; paint and sundries reduced to £225 for the smaller area.
Unchanged: the start date, the payment terms and everything not listed above.
The email that goes with it puts £2,406 next to the earlier £2,670 and names the three changes, as in the first template below.
Revised quotation emails to fill in and copy
Type the details once and every email below fills in. Anything you leave empty stays as a highlighted placeholder to edit after copying. What you type stays in your browser: it isn’t sent or saved.
Revised quotation after the client asked for changes
Subject: Revised quotation [quote number] [revision]: [job]
Hi [their name],
As discussed, I have revised the quotation for [job]. Quotation [quote number] [revision] is attached and replaces the version dated [earlier version date].
What changed:
[First change, for example bedroom 1 removed]
[Second change, for example 8 doors instead of 6]
The new total is [new total], previously [previous total]. Everything else is as before, including the start date and payment terms.
The revised quotation is valid until [valid until]. Reply to accept and I will confirm your start date.
Thanks,
[your name]
[business]
After a price discussion: lower price, smaller scope
Tie a lower price to a change in scope, materials or timing. A lower price for the same work invites the client to ask again.
Subject: Revised quotation [quote number] [revision]: [job]
Hi [their name],
Thanks for talking the price through. To bring it down, I have taken [item or option] out of the quote. Quotation [quote number] [revision] is attached at [new total], down from [previous total].
Still included: [main items]
No longer included: [what came out]
This version replaces the one dated [earlier version date] and is valid until [valid until]. Reply "accepted" and I will book you in.
Best regards,
[your name]
[business]
Higher price: more work, or costs changed before acceptance
Before you raise a price the client hasn’t accepted yet, read changing the price: in some countries a quote with a validity date binds you until that date.
Subject: Updated quotation [quote number] [revision]: [job]
Hi [their name],
I have updated the quotation for [job] because [reason, for example you asked for the ceilings to be included].
Quotation [quote number] [revision] is attached. The new total is [new total], up from [previous total]. The difference covers [what the extra pays for].
This version replaces the one dated [earlier version date] and is valid until [valid until]. If the new total doesn't work for you, I can suggest what to leave out.
Kind regards,
[your name]
[business]
Correcting a mistake in a quote you sent
Send it as soon as you notice, ideally before the client accepts. What happens if a consumer has already accepted is below.
Subject: Corrected quotation [quote number] [revision]: [job]
Hi [their name],
I have found a mistake in the quotation I sent on [earlier version date]: [what was wrong, for example the doors were priced at £56 each instead of £65].
The corrected quotation [quote number] [revision] is attached and replaces the earlier one. The correct total is [new total], not [previous total]. Nothing else has changed.
Sorry for the confusion. The corrected quotation is valid until [valid until].
Kind regards,
[your name]
[business]
Re-issuing an expired quote with current prices
Subject: Updated quotation [quote number] [revision]: [job]
Hi [their name],
Thanks for coming back to us about [job]. The quotation dated [earlier version date] has expired, so I have re-issued it with current prices as quotation [quote number] [revision].
The total is now [new total], compared with [previous total] on the earlier quote. [The scope is unchanged, or list what changed].
The new quotation is valid until [valid until]. Reply to accept and I will confirm dates.
Kind regards,
[your name]
[business]
Short version for a small job (text or email)
Hi [their name], I've attached revised quote [quote number] [revision] for [job]: [new total] instead of [previous total], because [reason]. It replaces the earlier version and is valid until [valid until]. Reply YES to go ahead. [your name]
Changing the price: lower, higher or a mistake
- Lower. Tie it to something that changed, such as the scope, the materials or the timing, and say what it was, as in the example above.
- Higher, before the client accepts. You can ask the client to accept a higher revised price, but whether the original quote binds you until its valid-until date depends on the country. In Germany, whoever makes an offer is bound by it unless they excluded that (BGB § 145), and an offer that sets a period for acceptance can be accepted within that period (§ 148). In the Netherlands, an offer that states a period for acceptance can’t be withdrawn (Dutch Civil Code, art. 6:219). In the US, a merchant’s signed written offer for goods that says it will be held open can’t be withdrawn for that time, up to three months (UCC § 2-205). So set a validity period you can honour, and if you need a higher price before it ends, explain why and get the client’s agreement to the revised quote.
- Higher, after the client accepts. The accepted price stands for the work described. Citizens Advice tells consumers that a trader can’t charge more than the quote because the trader’s own costs have gone up, and that extra work has to be explained and agreed to first (Citizens Advice).
- A mistake. Correct it as soon as you see it, with a revised quotation that says what was wrong. If a consumer has already accepted, Citizens Advice says the trader can charge more than the quote only if the mistake was obvious; if it wasn’t, the consumer can insist on the quoted price.
Sources checked 17 October 2026: gesetze-im-internet.de (BGB), wetten.overheid.nl (Burgerlijk Wetboek Book 6, version in force from 16 July 2026), the Cornell Legal Information Institute (UCC Article 2) and Citizens Advice (England). General information, not legal advice.
If the client has already accepted
An accepted quote isn’t revised: it is the agreement. Changes after that are variations, each priced on its own and agreed in writing before the work, then shown as separate lines on the invoice (invoicing agreed extras). If the change replaces most of the job, agree in writing with the client that a new quotation replaces the accepted one, and have them accept it.
Not sure whether the client’s yes was a clear acceptance? See how to confirm a quotation.
Keeping the versions straight
- Keep every version as a PDF, named so they sort in order:
Quote-Q-2026-118-v1.pdf,Quote-Q-2026-118-rev2.pdf. - Reply in the same email thread, so the history is in one place for both of you.
- Check which version the client accepts. If they reply to an older email, confirm which revision they mean before you book the work.
- Put the accepted version’s number on the invoice, for example “Ref. quotation Q-2026-118 rev. 2”.
Making the revised quote here
The quote maker below has both versions of the example: load version 1, then rev. 2, and watch the preview change. For your own revision:
- Fill in the quote as it was, or load the example and replace its details.
- Add the revision to the quote number, for example Q-2026-118 rev. 2. The quote date fills in as today; set the valid-until date.
- Edit the lines that changed and leave the rest as they were.
- Start the Notes & terms box with “This quotation replaces quotation [number] dated [date]” and a short list of the changes.
- Download the PDF and send it with one of the emails above.
GetQuotationMaker doesn’t keep your quotes: the PDF is built on our server when you press download, sent to you and not stored. Keep each version’s PDF yourself.