By Elena Mercer
A car detailing quote is the price for one customer, one vehicle, and one stated scope. Fill it after you inspect the vehicle or review clear photos. Record what you will do, what you will not do, and when the price expires. The customer approves that record before work starts.
Download the editable plain-text quote template or the CSV worksheet. Both files leave the business, customer, vehicle, scope, price, date, and approval fields blank.
Quote fields that must be filled
Use the TXT template when you need one quote that you can copy into a message or print. Use the CSV template when you need to sort, filter, or keep quote fields in a spreadsheet. Download the completed hypothetical TXT example or hypothetical CSV example to see every field completed. Replace each example value with your own inspected job record.
A usable quote lets both sides check the same job. Put the quote number and issue date at the top. Add the customer name and contact method. Add the vehicle year, make, model, color, plate or stock reference, and current mileage when you use it to identify the vehicle.
| Field | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Quote number and issue date | A unique reference and the date you sent it | Find the record later |
| Customer and vehicle | Customer contact and vehicle identification | Match the quote to the job |
| Observed condition | Soil, pet hair, stains, damage, access, and photos when used | State the starting condition |
| Included scope | Each task, product limit, service location, and booked time | State the work in the price |
| Exclusions | Work outside the price, such as repair or specialty cleanup | Separate work that needs another price |
| Price and terms | Line prices, approved add-ons, total, payment terms, and tax handling | Show the amount and its parts |
| Validity and approval | Expiry date and customer approval method with date | Set the acceptance record |
| Change approval | New scope, price, time, customer approval, and date | Keep a changed job on the same record |
Do not fill a field from memory after the job. Write the condition when you inspect the vehicle. Keep the photos, messages, and accepted quote with the job record. The Internal Revenue Service says a business recordkeeping system must clearly show income and expenses. It lists invoices among documents that support business records.
Describe the scope and exclusions
A scope passes when another worker can tell what the price includes. List the task, area, and limit. Write “vacuum seats, carpets, and cargo area” instead of “interior detail.” Write whether the price includes loose-item removal, stain treatment, extraction, odor work, or protection steps.
- Included task: hand wash exterior panels, dry, clean outside glass, and clean wheel faces.
- Condition recorded: light road film; no visible tar removal included.
- Exclusion: paint correction, chip repair, and deep scratch repair require a separate scope.
- Access limit: customer provides safe access to water and power when the job needs them.
The Federal Trade Commission says advertising claims must be truthful, supported, and not deceptive. Price and service features can be material claims. Put each limit next to the task or price it changes. Do not use a small note to reverse the main scope.
Set a date and approval rule
Set the validity date as a calendar date. A quote that says “valid for 7 days” needs an issue date to be checked. Record the approval method you accept. Use a signed copy, a reply that names the quote number, or an approval in your software. Keep the approval date with that method.
Square describes estimates as itemized records with customer details, services, quantities, pricing, and notes. Its estimate workflow lets customers review and accept the estimate. Your template uses the same practical record: clear scope, stated price, and an acceptance field.
Check local requirements before you add tax, cancellation, deposit, or contract language. A state or local authority, tax professional, or qualified lawyer sets those requirements. The template records your terms. It does not decide them.
Approve any change before the work
A changed job needs a new line on the quote. Stop when the condition requires work outside the agreed scope. State the added task, added price, added time, and revised total. Record the customer approval and date. Keep the original scope readable.
- Inspect the newly found condition and take a photo when the record needs one.
- Write the added task and the condition that caused it.
- Write the added price, added booked time, and new total.
- Get the customer approval by the method stated on the quote.
- Add the approval date, then start the changed work.
The change rule passes when the customer can see the original price and the revised price. If a field is blank, pause the added work. Send the revised quote or change line. Record the approval first.
Worked example: interior quote (hypothetical)
The inputs below are hypothetical. Customer: Jordan Lee. Vehicle: 2019 midsize sedan. Observed condition: moderate soil and pet hair on rear carpet. The base interior scope is vacuuming, wipe-down, inside glass, and cargo-area cleaning. The quote excludes odor remediation and repair work.
| Line | Hypothetical record |
|---|---|
| Base interior service | $180.00 |
| Approved pet-hair add-on | $40.00 |
| Quote total | $180.00 + $40.00 = $220.00 |
| Validity | Issue date: 2026-09-20; valid through: 2026-09-27 |
| Approval | Customer reply that names quote Q-104 and accepts $220.00 |
Result: the quote passes when the customer, vehicle, condition, base scope, exclusion, add-on, total, validity date, and approval method are filled. If the pet hair is heavier than recorded, add a change line. Record the revised total and customer approval.
Run the quote check
Fill the template for your next inspected vehicle. Compare the scope with the time log and minimum price in the pricing tool. Send one readable record. Keep the accepted copy with the job ticket.
- Pass: every required field is filled and the customer approval is recorded.
- Fail: the quote leaves condition, exclusions, validity, or approval unclear. Fill the missing field and send the corrected record.
Sources
- Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business — Federal Trade Commission. Checked 2026-09-20. Supports the statement that advertising claims must be truthful, non-deceptive, and supported, including material claims about price and service features.
- What kind of records should I keep — Internal Revenue Service. Checked 2026-09-20. Supports keeping orderly records that show business income and expenses, with invoices among the supporting business documents.
- Free Estimating Software: Turn Quotes into Paid Work — Square. Checked 2026-09-20. Supports the description of itemized estimates with customer details, services, quantities, pricing, notes, and customer approval.
About Elena Mercer
Elena brings nine years of detailing experience to guides on equipment, pricing, and starting a business.
Meet Elena and read her guides