The short answer
A decorating quote should say exactly which rooms and surfaces are included, how much prep is in the price, how many coats, and who supplies the paint. Get it signed before you start, and the "I thought the ceiling was included" conversation never happens.
What to agree before the job
- Rooms and surfaces included: walls, ceilings, woodwork, doors, radiators, exterior
- Preparation in the price: filling, sanding, stripping wallpaper, mist coats, and what counts as extra repair work
- Number of coats, and who supplies the paint and materials (and the colours chosen)
- Moving and protecting furniture and floors
- What happens if you uncover damp, cracked plaster or rot
- Start date, how long it should take, and access to the property
- Deposit, and when the balance is due
Which AgreeVia documents fit
- Quote: price the job up item by item, with VAT worked out. Your customer signs to accept it, and one tap turns it into an invoice later
- Domestic Job Quote: full job terms for work at someone's home: deposit, materials, changes and an optional workmanship guarantee, with the customer's 14-day right to cancel and the cancellation form. Free
- Commercial Job Quote: the same for a business customer such as a shop, office or letting agent, including the payment and adjudication terms the Construction Act 1996 requires for building work. Free
- Invoice: bill the finished job, with the VAT worked out to the penny and your bank details on it
How it works
- Fill it in on your phoneAnswer a few plain questions, or type the items into a quote. You see a preview before anything is created.
- Add who signsPick them from your contacts, or type their email address and AgreeVia sends them a link.
- They sign without an accountThey open it in their browser, read it and sign with a finger. No app to install.
- Everyone keeps a copyThe signed PDF goes to everyone. Every view and signature is in a tamper-evident audit trail you can check at agreevia.co.uk/verify.
Proof, if there's a dispute
Every view and signature is recorded with a time stamp in a tamper-evident audit trail. If someone remembers the deal differently, you have the signed document, a record of when they opened and signed it, and an evidence package you can generate. AgreeVia doesn't give legal advice, and it doesn't take payments: your bank details go on the invoice and your customer pays you directly.
FAQs for painters and decorators
The customer changed the colour after the first coat. Who pays?
That's why it helps to name the colours in the quote. A change after you've started is an extra: send a short Quote for it and get it signed before you carry on.
Do I need a contract for a small job?
Not legally, but a signed quote takes a minute and gives you a record of the price and the scope. It's most useful on exactly the small jobs where nobody writes anything down.
Does my customer need to download anything?
No. They get a link, open it in their phone or computer's browser, and sign. They don't need an account or the app, and they get the signed PDF by email.
Is an electronic signature legally valid in the UK?
For everyday business documents like quotes, job agreements and invoices, yes, as long as the person meant to sign. Some documents, such as wills and some deeds, have stricter rules. See Are electronic signatures legal in the UK?
Try it on your next job
Free for 3 documents a month, no card needed. Already have an account? Sign in. AgreeVia works in your browser and is live on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.