Which reservations should always be in a quote?

As a minimum: what the price covers, how unforeseen conditions are settled, payment terms, and how long the quote is valid. They remove most later disputes.

Do reservations have to be written in legal language?

No. Clear everyday language is both valid and easier for the customer to understand. What matters is that it is clear what the customer is agreeing to.

Can I reuse my standard terms?

Yes. Calco learns how your company writes quotes, so your standard reservations follow into the draft instead of having to be written each time.

← BLOG

Type: Guide
Read: 4 min
Date: 15 September 2026

Reservations and terms in a trade quote: how to protect yourself

Most disputes between tradesperson and customer are about something that was never written down. Here are the reservations and terms that belong in a quote - so you agree before the work begins.

A quote is an agreement. If it says nothing about what the price covers, what happens with unforeseen conditions, or when payment is due, then it is your interpretation against the customer's the day something slips. Clear terms are not pettiness - they are what keeps the relationship good.

What belongs in the quote

What the price covers - and what it does not
How unforeseen conditions are handled, for example hidden damage behind a wall
Payment terms, including any staged payments along the way
How long the quote is valid
How extra work is agreed and settled

Write it in plain language

Reservations do not have to be legalese. That the price assumes existing installations are compliant, or that rot and hidden damage are settled by agreement, is enough for the customer to know what they are saying yes to. The clearer it is, the fewer arguments afterwards.

Keep your standard reservations ready

The same reservations recur on most of your jobs. Keep them as a fixed part of your quotes and they are there every time, without you having to remember them. Calco learns how your company writes, so your standard terms follow into the draft.

Frequently asked questions

Which reservations should always be in a quote?: As a minimum: what the price covers, how unforeseen conditions are settled, payment terms, and how long the quote is valid. They remove most later disputes.
Do reservations have to be written in legal language?: No. Clear everyday language is both valid and easier for the customer to understand. What matters is that it is clear what the customer is agreeing to.
Can I reuse my standard terms?: Yes. Calco learns how your company writes quotes, so your standard reservations follow into the draft instead of having to be written each time.

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What belongs in the quote

Write it in plain language

Keep your standard reservations ready

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