How to follow up on a quote without being annoying

You drove out, measured, priced the job and sent the quote. Then nothing. Here is when to follow up, how often, what to say, and when to stop.

By Rich Media Web
Published 12 November 2026, facts last checked 12 November 2026

A plumber kneeling at an open kitchen cabinet, working on the pipes under the sink
Photo: Flickr user rick, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tuesday you quoted a water heater swap. The homeowner was friendly, asked good questions, said “this all sounds great.” It’s Friday now. Silence.

Did the price scare them? Did they go with the guy who came out Monday? Or is your quote sitting unread under 40 school emails and a pizza coupon?

Most owners do one of two things here. They wait and hope. Or they feel awkward and never follow up at all. There’s a middle path that’s polite, quick and works on autopilot.

Short answer

Follow up twice: a short, friendly check-in two days after you send the quote, and a last one on day five that makes “not now” easy to say. Stop the moment they reply, and stop after the second message either way. Text only customers who agreed to texts, and email everyone else.

Why quotes go quiet

Silence doesn’t always mean no. Some common reasons a customer goes quiet after a quote:

  • They’re waiting to talk it over with a spouse or a landlord.
  • They’re getting one or two more quotes.
  • They have a question and feel silly asking it.
  • They meant to reply and life got in the way.
  • The quote landed in spam or got buried.
  • They already hired someone else and feel awkward telling you.

A good follow-up works for every one of those. It reminds the busy ones, opens the door for questions, and gives the “already hired someone” crowd a painless way to tell you. Even a no is useful. It lets you stop wondering.

When and how often to follow up

Here’s the schedule we use. It’s simple on purpose.

  1. Day 0: send the quote. Say when you’ll check in: “I’ll text you Thursday in case you have questions.” Now your follow-up is expected, not a surprise.
  2. Day 2: first follow-up. Short and friendly. Did you get it? Any questions?
  3. Day 5: last follow-up. Give them an easy out.
  4. Then stop. No day 9, day 14, day 30 chase.

Why only two? Because the goal is a reply, not a siege. Two messages catch the people who forgot. More mostly annoy the people who already decided, and you want them to remember you as easy to deal with.

Stop the moment they reply

This is the rule people forget when they automate. If the customer answers, even with “still thinking,” the automatic messages should stop. From then on, a human talks to them. Nothing feels more robotic than getting “just checking in!” an hour after you said you’d decide next week.

What to say: example texts and emails

Write the way you’d talk to a neighbor. Use their first name, your first name and your business name. Keep it to two or three sentences.

Day 2 text

Hi Sarah, it’s Mike from Smith Plumbing. Just checking you got our quote for the water heater. Happy to answer any questions. Reply STOP to opt out.

The “Reply STOP to opt out” line goes in the first text you send. More on that below.

Day 5 text

Hi Sarah, one last check on your quote from Smith Plumbing. If now isn’t the right time, no problem, just let us know.

That last line does a lot of work. It tells the customer you won’t keep chasing. It also makes “we went with someone else” easy to say, which gets you an answer instead of silence.

Day 2 email

Subject: Your water heater quote from Smith Plumbing

Hi Sarah,

Just checking you got the quote we sent Tuesday. If anything in it is unclear, or you’d like to look at a different option, reply here and I’ll sort it out.

Mike, Smith Plumbing

Day 5 email

Subject: Still want that quote?

Hi Sarah,

One last check on your water heater quote. If now isn’t the right time, no problem at all. Just let me know either way, and I’ll keep your details on file if you need us later.

Mike, Smith Plumbing

What not to write

No fake urgency (“price good until midnight!”), no guilt (“I haven’t heard back…”), and no wall of text. The follow-up is a nudge, not a second quote.

When they reply: what to say back

  • “It’s more than I expected.” Ask what they were hoping to spend. Sometimes there’s a simpler option. Sometimes there isn’t, and that’s fine to say.
  • “I need to talk to my husband.” Offer to answer his questions directly, by text or a quick call.
  • “We went with someone else.” Thank them, wish them well, and say you’re around if they need anything. That’s it. No guilt trip.
  • “Still thinking.” Ask if there’s anything you can clear up, then leave it with them. Don’t restart the automatic messages.

Text or email? It depends on consent

Texting is quick and easy to answer, but you need the customer’s OK. Our rule is simple: text only customers who agreed to texts, and email everyone else. The easiest way to get that OK is a checkbox on your quote request form, unchecked by default, that says something like:

Yes, Smith Plumbing can text me about my request. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

Here’s what the rule books we read say. Plain facts, not legal advice:

  • CTIA’s texting guidelines (May 2023), voluntary industry guidance, describe “informational” texts as ones where a customer gives their number and asks to be contacted. The customer needs to agree to texts for that specific purpose when they give the number. Texts that sell or promote something should have the customer’s written agreement first.
  • Opt-outs: under federal rules (47 CFR 64.1200), a reply like “stop,” “cancel” or “unsubscribe” withdraws consent, and you must honor it within ten business days at most. The FCC changed parts of this rule in October 2026 and has proposed more changes, so check the current version. CTIA’s guidelines say to put standard “STOP” wording in your messages.
  • Time of day: federal rules bar telephone sales calls and messages to homes before 8am or after 9pm, the customer’s local time, with some exceptions. We send follow-ups between 8am and 7pm anyway. Nobody wants a quote nudge during dinner.

States can have their own rules too. Check with your lawyer for your case.

One more thing: business texts sent through software need carrier registration before they’ll go through. Here’s A2P 10DLC in plain English.

Put it on autopilot

The hard part isn’t writing two texts. It’s remembering to send them on a busy week. Most texting and job-management tools can do it for you:

  1. When you send a quote, move the customer to a “Quote sent” stage (or tag them).
  2. That starts the follow-up: wait 2 days, send message one; wait 3 more days, send message two.
  3. If they reply, or you mark the job won or lost, the follow-up stops.
  4. It sends texts to customers who agreed to texts, and emails to everyone else.

This is the same idea as missed-call text-back: a short, honest message at the moment you’d otherwise drop the ball. Both plug the leaks we tally up in what a missed call really costs a home-service business.

If you want an outside look at where else you might be losing work, our free audit checks your Google profile, reviews and website, and it’s free.

Do this this week

  1. List every quote you sent in the last 30 days that never got a yes or a no.
  2. Send each one the day-5 message: “If now isn’t the right time, no problem, just let us know.”
  3. Save the day-2 and day-5 texts and emails in your phone or your software.
  4. Add a texting checkbox (unchecked by default) to your quote request form.
  5. On every new quote, tell the customer when you’ll check in.
  6. Set the follow-up to stop the moment a customer replies.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait to follow up on a quote?

Two days is a good first check-in. It’s soon enough that they still remember you, and long enough that you’re not pushy. Send a last one on day five, then stop.

How many times should I follow up on a quote?

Twice, then stop. That catches the people who forgot without annoying the ones who already decided. If they reply, a person takes over and the automatic messages end.

Should I call, text or email?

Text if the customer agreed to texts, since a text is quick to answer. Otherwise email. A phone call is fine for big jobs, but leave a short voicemail and follow up with a written message they can answer later.

What if they say they went with someone else?

Thank them and wish them well. Keep it short and friendly. People remember who was gracious, and they may call you for the next job.

The bottom line

A quote with no follow-up is a coin you dropped and didn’t bother to pick up. Two short, friendly messages, then stop. Your customers get a nudge, you get an answer, and nobody feels chased.

Want this set up for you? Start with our free audit, or see what’s included on our packages page. After the job is done, here’s how to ask for a Google review the same easy way.

Sources

  • CTIA, “Messaging Principles and Best Practices,” May 2023 (Exhibit II and sections 5.1 to 5.1.3). api.ctia.org (PDF)
  • Code of Federal Regulations, 47 CFR 64.1200(a)(10) and (c)(1), read 12 November 2026 via Cornell Legal Information Institute. law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/64.1200
  • Ashurst Perkins Coie, “FCC scales back the TCPA revoke-all rule for informational messages,” on the FCC order published 26 October 2026 (91 FR 67214, effective 25 November 2026). ashurstperkinscoie.com/en/insights