So the home or building owner wants a quote in writing – and when you ask questions, they acknowledge that it is for their realtor, insurance agent, etc. How do you handle it?
Insurance quotes. If you are pricing your work correctly (i.e., charging enough to feed your family and stay in business), you will sell about 1 in 33 quotes. Insurance companies are notorious for low-balling the amounts they are willing to pay. Tell the home or building owner or the insurance adjuster that any written quotes have a fee. If the owner is willing to sign an agreement to pay that fee, you will sell about 1 in 3 of those quotes.
Roofing. When a home or building owner wants a written quote for roofing work, they are asking for a professional inspection of their roof. Charge them for it. Tell them, “We are glad to provide written quotes for the repair or replacement of your roof, but we get paid a fee for that service”.
Realtors. If a realtor calls and wants a written quote for repairs or replacement work on a home their client is either buying or selling, you can bet the written quote is to be used as a bargaining chip with the buyer / seller of that property. Your odds of getting the job are slim to none. Again, regardless of what it is used for, they are asking for a professional inspection. Tell them, “We are glad to provide written quotes for the repair or replacement of ___, but we get paid a fee for that service.”
The fee for all of these scenarios should be enough to cover your time and trouble, and reimburse you for your knowledge and expertise. $350 – 500 might be reasonable, it depends on how extensive the project is. Remember, time spent on written quotes that stand little chance of turning into jobs is time that could be spent making money elsewhere. Respect your time, and get paid for what you do.