CentriWebFollowing up a building quote without being pushy comes down to three things: walk the client through the quote before you chase it, agree the next step and a date, then follow a set schedule that offers help rather than pressure. Most homeowners go quiet because they’re confused, comparing or waiting on finance, not because they’ve said no. A simple 30-day schedule, and a habit of recording why jobs are lost, will win you more of the quotes you’ve already done the work for.
Why homeowners go quiet after a quote
Silence feels like a no. Usually it isn’t. Common reasons a homeowner stops replying:
- They can’t compare quotes. Three builders, three formats, different inclusions. They don’t know which is cheaper, so they put it off.
- The number shocked them. It’s more than they hoped, and they’re embarrassed to say so.
- They’re waiting on finance. The lender, the valuation or the sale of their current home is holding things up.
- The land isn’t ready. Settlement, council approval or a site issue is still being sorted.
- One partner isn’t on board. The person you met with likes the quote. The other one hasn’t seen it.
- They feel awkward saying no. So they say nothing.
Most of these are fixed by a conversation, not a reminder. That’s why good follow-up starts before the quote goes out.
Walk the quote through in person or on a call
Don’t just email a PDF and hope. Book a time to go through the quote when you send it, ideally with both decision-makers present. Thirty to forty-five minutes is usually enough.
- Run through what’s included and what isn’t.
- Explain provisional sums and prime cost items in plain words, and what could change them.
- Point out the things other quotes often leave out, without naming anyone.
- Ask: “What questions have you got?” and “What else do you need to make a decision?”
- Agree the next step and a date before you hang up. “So you’ll speak to the bank this week, and I’ll call you Thursday week?”
An agreed date turns your follow-up from chasing into keeping a promise. The client is expecting the call.
Make the quote itself easy to follow up. A one-page summary at the front, with the total, the main inclusions, what’s excluded and how long the price is valid, gives the client something to show their partner or their lender. It also gives you something specific to talk about on the next call, rather than “just checking in”.
A follow-up schedule for the first 30 days
Use this as a starting point. If you’ve agreed a date with the client, that date wins. Smaller jobs need a shorter run; see how many times to follow up a trade quote.
| When | How | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Walkthrough, then email | Go through the quote, then send a short summary with the next step and date you agreed |
| Day 2 or 3 | Call | Check they’ve read it and ask if any questions have come up |
| Day 7 | Text | A short, helpful check-in |
| Day 14 | Send something useful, such as a similar project you’ve built or your build process | |
| Day 21 | Call | Ask where they’re at and what’s left to decide |
| Day 30 | Text or email | A final, no-pressure message that makes it easy to say yes, no or not yet |
Big custom builds often take months to decide. After day 30, move those clients to a monthly check-in rather than closing them, as long as they’re still engaged. The same patience applies earlier on, with display home visitors who may be a year away from building.
What to say at each touch (call, text, email)
Keep it short, useful and in your own words. Every message should make it easy for them to reply.
Day 2 or 3 call
“Hi Sarah, it’s Mark from [your business]. Just checking you got the quote okay and seeing if anything’s come up since we went through it. Happy to go over any of it again.”
Day 7 text
“Hi Sarah, Mark from [your business]. Any questions on the quote so far? If it’s easier, I can go through it with Tom one evening this week.”
Day 14 email
“Hi Sarah and Tom, a few people have asked us lately how site costs work on sloping blocks like yours, so I’ve put a short explanation below. Let me know if you’d like to talk it through.”
Day 21 call
“Hi Sarah, it’s Mark. Where are you both at with the build? Is there anything still holding you back that I can help with?”
Day 30 final message
“Hi Sarah and Tom, I don’t want to keep chasing you. If the timing’s not right or you’ve gone another way, no problem at all, just let me know. If you’re still keen, I’m happy to hold the current pricing while you finalise things.”
Only offer to hold pricing if you can. The final message often gets the most replies, because it takes the pressure off.
Swap in your own names and details. Whatever you send, make sure your business name is in every text and email. If the client goes onto a newsletter or promotions list, ACMA’s rules for marketing messages apply: you need consent, you must identify your business, and unsubscribe requests must be actioned within 5 working days, according to ACMA. This is general information, not legal advice.
Handling “we’re still deciding” and price objections
“We’re still deciding”
Ask what’s left to decide. The answer is usually one of three things: money, timing or trust. Then deal with that one thing.
- “Is it the overall price, or something in the quote you’re not sure about?”
- “Is anyone else involved in the decision that I should go through it with?”
- “Are you waiting on anything, like the bank or council?”
“Your price is higher than the others”
Don’t jump to a discount. Ask what they’re comparing against, then help them compare properly. Offer to go through the other quotes line by line if they’re comfortable sharing them. Often the gap closes once inclusions, site costs and provisional sums are lined up.
If the price really is too high for them, offer options rather than a cut:
- change some inclusions or finishes
- simplify the design, such as the roofline or the number of corners
- leave some items for later, such as landscaping or a deck
Options keep your margin and show you’re working with them. A quick discount tells them the first price wasn’t real.
Recording lost reasons so you learn from them
Every quote should end as either signed or lost, with a reason. Use a short fixed list so you can count them:
- Price: went with a cheaper builder
- Went with another builder for another reason
- Project on hold or cancelled
- Finance not approved
- Land or council issue
- No response after the full schedule
- Not a fit for us
Look at the numbers every quarter. If most losses are on price, look at your inclusions and how you present the quote. If most are “on hold”, you may be quoting too early and need to qualify better before you price. If “no response” is high, the follow-up isn’t happening.
When someone tells you they’ve gone with another builder, thank them and ask one question: “Do you mind me asking what tipped it?” Most people will tell you. It’s the most honest feedback you’ll get, and it costs nothing.
Lost doesn’t always mean gone for good. Projects on hold, finance delays and land issues often come back months later. Keep those clients on a long-term list and send something useful every few months, such as a new design or a recently finished home nearby. When their timing changes, you want to be the builder they remember.
Making follow-up happen when you’re on site all day
Most builders know they should follow up. The problem is time. A few habits fix most of it:
- Put every quote in one list with a next follow-up date, in a CRM or at least a shared spreadsheet.
- Block 30 minutes at the same time each week for follow-up calls, and treat it like a site meeting.
- Save your messages as templates so a follow-up takes a minute, not twenty.
- Automate the texts and emails on the schedule, and keep the calls personal.
- Hand it to someone in the office if you can, with the walkthrough notes so they know the client.
A CRM and pipelines setup with reminders does most of the remembering for you, and follow-up automation can send the routine messages on schedule.
Start with the quotes you’ve already got
Pull up every quote you’ve sent in the last 60 days. Mark each one signed, lost with a reason, or open. For every open quote, set a next step and a date, and make the first calls this week. That alone usually turns up a few jobs that were still in play.
If you’d rather not run it by hand, PreBuild keeps in touch with every homeowner after the visit until they decide, in your name, while you stay on the tools.