The situation
Sarah runs a plumbing business doing maintenance and bathroom upgrades. The work was there — but profit wasn't growing the way it should.
Her quoting process looked like this:
- estimate quickly to "keep things moving"
- patch pricing together from old jobs
- absorb little extras because it wasn't worth rewriting the quote
It felt normal — until she reviewed a few completed jobs and realised how much was missing.
The pain (margin leaks)
Underquoting usually isn't one big mistake.
It's a hundred small ones:
- time not included
- fittings not itemised
- "just a small change" that turns into half a day
- return trips that aren't priced in
Sarah described it perfectly:
"I wasn't losing jobs — I was losing profit."
The breaking point
A bathroom upgrade that should've been a great job turned into a margin killer.
Extra fittings.
Two extra trips.
More labour than expected.
She didn't want to become "the expensive plumber".
She just wanted to stop donating labour.
The switch to QuoteOS
Sarah imported her common items and rates into QuoteOS.
Now she quotes by describing the work:
- fixtures
- locations
- access conditions
- timeline
QuoteOS:
- creates a full itemised quote
- pulls correct pricing from her library
- includes labour and realistic allowances
- outputs a professional PDF
The transformation
The biggest change wasn't speed — it was clarity.
Sarah could finally:
- see where money was made or lost
- price allowances properly
- include labour and fittings consistently
- stop "forgetting" items under pressure
Results (conservative)
- Quotes built **in minutes**, not hours
- **Fewer margin leaks** from missing line items
- Less rework because scope was clearer
- Better customer confidence because the quote looked professional
The human outcome
"I'm not stressed about quoting anymore. It used to sit in my head all night."
More calm.
More confidence.
Better profitability without needing to raise prices randomly.
If you want your margins back
QuoteOS helps you stop underquoting without becoming overpriced — because the quote is complete, consistent, and fast.
If you're in the same position
QuoteOS makes quoting feel easy again. Turn job descriptions into professional quotes in minutes.
Generate my first quote freeRelated reading
How Underquoting Destroys Profits Without You Noticing
Underquoting isn't one mistake — it's dozens of missing items. Here's how margin leaks happen and how to stop them.
AI vs Spreadsheets: Which Actually Protects Your Margins?
Spreadsheets feel safe — until they're not. Here's why quoting systems break and how AI + a pricing library prevents margin loss.