Carpentry quotes in 2 minutes. Just describe the job.
Built-in cupboards, kitchens, doors, decks and repairs. Type the job and your prices the way you would say them, and Zuvo turns it into a clean quotation in Rand. Then ask for a deposit for the materials, invoice when it is fitted, and let Zuvo remind the ones who forget.
or try it first on your own job, no signup
- No credit card
- Free plan after the trial
- Priced in Rand
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boards and edging | 1 | R8,200.00 | R8,200.00 |
| Hinges, runners and handles | 1 | R1,450.00 | R1,450.00 |
| Labour (hours) | 24 | R280.00 | R6,720.00 |
| Delivery and fitting | 1 | R600.00 | R600.00 |
Accept online The client taps accept and you are told. No app, no login.
Try it: describe a carpentry job, get a quote
Type the job and your prices the way you would say them. Zuvo turns it into a clean quote in seconds.
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|
Items marked "confirm price" had no price in your description. Add them in your account.
Takes 20 seconds. No credit card. 7-day trial, then a limited free plan.
Sound familiar?
- Materials that cost more by the time the order is placed
- Clients who change the design after you have priced it
- Paying for boards and hardware before the client has paid a cent
- Hours that run over because the walls are not square
- Chasing the final payment after the job is fitted
Zuvo drafts the quotation from your plain-English description, lets you review and correct it, then sends a branded PDF to your client, shows them how to pay and keeps track of what is outstanding and who has paid. Want to see the structure first? Use the free quote generator.
The examples above use made-up prices. Always check the registration, certificate and licensing rules for your trade.
From quote to paid, built for carpenters
The job is not done when the quote is accepted. Zuvo helps with the part that follows: the deposit, the invoice and the late payer.
- A deposit for the materials. Ask for a percentage when the client accepts. The final invoice bills the whole job and takes the deposit off, so nothing is billed twice.
- Materials and labour on separate lines. Show boards, hardware and your hours separately, so a change to the design is easy to price and easy for the client to see.
- Your rates saved once. Put your hourly rate and your common materials in your price list. When a job mentions them, Zuvo uses your numbers, and a price you state always wins.
- Clients see exactly how to pay. Every invoice has a private page that shows your EFT details, the reference to use and your own card link if you have one. The client taps "I have paid" and you check your bank. Zuvo never holds your money.
- Reminders that stop at "paid". Switch on reminders and Zuvo politely emails clients who run late, in office hours, until the invoice is paid. It stays off until you turn it on.
See every feature or pricing in Rand. There is a free plan, and the 7-day trial needs no card.
What a good carpentry quotation includes
A quote that is easy to read gets accepted faster. These are the things South African clients most often ask about, so put them on the page before they have to ask:
- A description of what you will build or fit, with dimensions and the finish
- Materials and hardware on their own lines, with the board type and edging
- Labour as hours at your rate, or a fixed price built from the hours
- Delivery and fitting, and whether old units are removed
- What happens if the client changes the design after the quote is accepted
- Who supplies appliances, worktops or paint, and who fits them
- A valid-until date and the payment terms, including the deposit
Example: built-in bedroom cupboards
Made-up prices, for illustration only. Your own prices go in.
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boards and edging | 1 | R8,200.00 | R8,200.00 |
| Hinges, runners and handles | 1 | R1,450.00 | R1,450.00 |
| Labour (hours) | 24 | R280.00 | R6,720.00 |
| Delivery and fitting | 1 | R600.00 | R600.00 |
| Subtotal | R16,970.00 | ||
| VAT (15%, if you are VAT-registered) | R2,545.50 | ||
| Total | R19,515.50 | ||
Zuvo builds this layout from your description, so you only check the prices and send. Prefer to start from a blank page? Use the free quote generator, work out your markup with the markup and margin calculator, and use the VAT calculator if you are unsure how to add VAT.
How Zuvo works for carpenters
- Describe the job. Type it, or say it into your phone, the way you would explain it to a colleague. Include your prices.
- Review the quote. Zuvo drafts the line items, adds your business details and VAT status, and you correct anything before it goes out.
- Send it your way. Email the PDF, or share a link on WhatsApp. The client reads the quote and accepts it online by typing their name, with no app or login.
- Get paid. Ask for a deposit, turn the accepted quote into an invoice and give the client a page that shows exactly how to pay. Record part-payments as they come in, and let Zuvo remind the clients who run late.
There is a free plan, so you can start without paying. See every feature. See pricing in Rand, or read how to write a quote that gets accepted and how to follow up on a late invoice.
Quoting and getting-paid questions from South African carpenters
What should a carpentry quote include?
Describe what you will build or fit with dimensions and finish, list materials and hardware separately from labour, say what is not included, explain how design changes are priced, and add a valid-until date and payment terms.
How do I price changes after the client has accepted?
Say on the quotation that changes are priced at your hourly rate plus materials and agreed before you start. For anything beyond a small tweak, update the quote so the record matches the work.
Should a carpentry quote include VAT?
Only if you are VAT-registered. If you are, the total you quote the customer should include 15% VAT, and showing the VAT amount on its own line keeps it clear. If you are not registered, leave VAT off. Registration is compulsory once taxable turnover passes R2.3 million in a 12-month period, and voluntary from R120,000.
Can I ask for a deposit for the materials?
Yes. Once the client accepts a quote, Zuvo can raise a deposit invoice for the percentage you choose. When the job is done, the final invoice bills the whole quote and takes the deposit off, so nothing is billed twice. Whether to ask, and how much, is your call; most carpenters take a deposit that covers the boards and hardware, so the client carries the cost of materials, not you.
How long should I follow up after sending a quote?
Follow up within a few days, while the job is still on the client's mind. Zuvo drafts the follow-up message in your tone when you ask for it, and the client can accept online from the link on the quote, so there is no printing or replying to an email.
Will Zuvo chase a client who has not paid?
If you switch it on, yes. Zuvo emails the client a polite reminder on weekdays in office hours: gentle reminders start on the due date, standard ones start three days before it and continue until 30 days overdue. They stop when you mark the invoice paid, and replies come to you. It is off until you turn it on. Zuvo does not hold or collect your money: the client pays you directly by EFT or your own card link.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice. Check the registration, certificate, licensing and VAT rules that apply to your trade and your business.
More than quotes
The same assistant writes the follow-ups that win the work and the reminders that get you paid. Ask it to chase a quiet quote, ask a client politely for an overdue payment, answer a price question on WhatsApp, or summarise a supplier contract. It can also run a scored Growth Diagnostic of your business. See everything Zuvo does.
Send your next carpentry quote in 2 minutes.
Get paid without the chasing.
Free plan, no credit card. Try it on a real job today.