What is the Best Free Quotation Maker for Builders and Tradespeople?
The best free quotation maker for builders and tradespeople in the UK is one that’s designed for how trades work – not how accountants work, or how freelancers work, or how any other type of small business works. Generic quotation makers are everywhere; trade-specific ones are rare.
What Makes a Quotation Maker Right for Builders and Trades?
A quotation maker works for builders and tradespeople when it handles:
Labour and materials separately: Trades quotes split labour and materials. A quotation maker designed for freelancers doesn’t have this structure built in.
Saved line items for recurring work: Builders and tradespeople repeat the same job types. A good quotation maker lets you save “first fix electrical – per plot”, “skimming a ceiling per m²”, or “standard boiler service” and pull them into any quote in seconds.
Site-based use: Builders and tradespeople quote at the property, not at a desk. The quotation maker must work on a phone.
Trade certification display: Your Gas Safe number, NICEIC registration, or NFRC membership should appear on your quotes – it’s a trust signal. Generic quotation makers have no concept of trade registrations.
Customer approval workflow: A builder or tradesperson needs to know when a quote has been accepted, with a record of that acceptance. Most generic quotation makers just produce a PDF.
CoreQuote: The Trades-Specific Free Quotation Maker
CoreQuote is currently free for 6 months during the beta – no credit card required.
It is the only quotation maker built specifically for UK trades businesses. What you get free during the beta:
- Unlimited professional quote creation
- Saved line items for your standard job types
- Customer approval workflow
- Quote-to-invoice conversion
- Customer database
- Professional branded PDF output with your logo
For builders, CoreQuote works for quoting individual trades elements, full job quotes, and variation orders. For all trades – electricians, plumbers, gas engineers, roofers, plasterers, decorators – it handles the same professional quote workflow.
Other Free Quotation Makers: What They Offer and Where They Fall Short
Invoice Ninja: Permanently free tier with basic quoting and invoicing. Not trades-specific. Works for basic needs but requires manual adaptation of every template. No customer approval workflow.
Billdu: Free tier with limited quotes and invoices. Generic design. Not built for trades. No trade certification fields or line item library for trades.
Wave: Free accounting, invoicing, and payment tool. US-focused. Not trades-specific. No mobile quoting workflow.
Zoho Invoice: Free for up to 1,000 invoices. Generic. No trades-specific features.
None of these are bad tools – they’re just not built for trades. Using one is like using a standard van for a removals job: it works, but a luton van would be much better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free quotation maker that works offline? CoreQuote requires a data connection to sync and send quotes, as do most app-based quotation makers. For offline use, a Word/Excel template saved to your phone works – but won’t give you the professional features of a dedicated tool. See kwowta.com for the latest on offline functionality.
Can I use a free quotation maker for VAT-registered businesses? Yes. CoreQuote handles VAT display on quotes and invoices. If you are VAT registered, your quotes show the net amount, VAT, and gross amount. See kwowta.com for details.
How many quotes can I create for free on CoreQuote? During the 6-month free beta, there are no limits on quote creation. See kwowta.com for full details on the free beta and post-beta pricing.
CoreQuote is the free quotation maker built specifically for UK builders and tradespeople. Join the beta at kwowta.com.
Related reading:
- What is the Best Quoting Software for Tradespeople in the UK?
- The Best Trades to Start a Business in the UK Right Now
- The Best Trades to Start a Business in the UK Right Now
Want to quote faster? CoreQuote is a free quoting app built specifically for UK trades businesses — create professional quotes in seconds, get digital sign-off from customers, and convert to invoices with one tap. Try it free today.
