How this calculator works
A quote is the last point at which a mispriced job can still be fixed. This builds the customer-facing document — line items, setup and rush fees, discount, shipping, tax, deposit and balance — and totals it with the same decimal-safe arithmetic as every other tool here.
It also shows your margin on the quote, which the customer never sees. Print or save to PDF and the internal figures stay off the page.
The formula
- Subtotal = Σ (quantity × unit price) + setup fee + design fee + rush fee
- After discount = subtotal − (subtotal × discount %)
- Total = after discount + shipping + tax on both
- Deposit = total × deposit %, balance = total − deposit
- Your margin = (after discount + shipping − your costs) ÷ (after discount + shipping)
What to watch for
- The discount applies to goods and services, not to shipping. Discounting carriage as well is unusual and quietly expensive on heavy items.
- Your unit costs stay internal. They drive the margin check and never appear on the printed quote, so you can see whether a job is worth taking while you are writing it.
- Quotes should expire. Material costs move, and an open-ended quote is a liability a customer can accept six months later at last year’s prices.
- A quote below a 15% margin is flagged. It may still be worth sending, but it leaves nothing for the change request that usually follows.
Common mistakes
- Sending a quote without checking the margin on it.
- Leaving out setup and design fees on custom work, then absorbing them.
- Quoting shipping below what it costs, especially on heavy or fragile items.
- Omitting an expiry date, which lets a customer accept at stale prices.
Frequently asked questions
What should a maker’s quote include?
Your business details, the customer, a quote number and date, an expiry, itemised lines with quantities and unit prices, any setup or design fees, shipping, tax, the total, and the deposit and balance. Terms matter as much as the numbers: when work starts, what the deposit covers, and when the balance is due.
How long should a quote be valid?
Two to four weeks for most work. Material costs move and your capacity changes, and an open-ended quote can be accepted months later at prices that no longer work. Putting an expiry on it is normal commercial practice, not pressure selling.
Should the customer see my costs?
No. The unit costs you enter are internal — they drive the margin check so you can see whether the job is worth taking, and the print stylesheet keeps them off the paper and PDF copy. What the customer sees is the line prices and the totals.
How much deposit should I ask for?
Enough to cover what you commit before the balance arrives: bespoke materials, design time, and any subcontracted work. Fifty percent is a common default but it is a habit rather than a calculation — the custom order deposit calculator sizes it against your actual exposure.