Business · 8 min read

How to follow up a scaffolding quote and win more of them

Sending a quote is only half the job. Most scaffolding firms lose winnable work not because their price was wrong, but because nobody chased it. A client who does not respond within a week has usually not rejected you, they have got busy, forgotten, or collected two other quotes and not yet compared them.

This guide covers how often to follow up, what to actually say, and how to handle the two answers that come up most: silence, and "that's too dear".

Why speed to quote matters before you even follow up

On domestic and small commercial work, the first credible quote to land often wins, regardless of whether it is the cheapest. A same-day quote signals you are organised and keen; a quote that arrives three days later looks like an afterthought even if the price is better. If your quotes are taking longer than a day to turn around, fix that before you worry about follow-up cadence, our how to price a scaffolding job guide and scaffolding quote template both help speed that process up.

A follow-up cadence that works

For commercial and framework enquiries, stretch this cadence out, decisions often genuinely take a few weeks, but never let a quote go completely unfollowed. Keep a simple list of quotes sent, dates, and last contact so nothing falls through the gaps.

Message templates

Keep every follow-up short, friendly and specific to the job, nobody wants a generic sales message.

Handling "that's too dear"

This is not automatically a lost job, it is information. Before dropping your price, find out what the comparison actually is:

• Ask what they compared it to. "Can I ask what the other quote included?" often reveals a cheaper quote missing scaffold sheeting, a shorter hire period, or no handover certificate.
• Explain what's in the price, not just the number. Insurance, CISRS cards, TG20:21 compliance and proper inspection all cost money and protect the client, say so plainly.
• Offer to adjust scope, not just price. A shorter hire period, fewer boarded lifts, or phased access can bring genuine cost down without cutting your margin on the work you do keep.
• Know your floor and stick to it. If the only way to win is a price that loses money, let the job go, see our guide to scaffolding company profitability for what a sustainable margin actually looks like.

Worked example: the value of following up

A firm sends 40 quotes in a month. Without any follow-up, 11 convert, a 27.5% win rate. After introducing a simple day-4 and day-8 follow-up routine, the same volume of quotes converts at 40%, purely because more clients who intended to say yes were actually reached before they defaulted to whoever called them back first.

Five extra jobs a month from the same enquiry volume, at no extra marketing cost, just a phone call at the right time.

Common questions

How many times should I follow up before giving up?

Three attempts over roughly two weeks is a sensible default for domestic and small commercial work. After that, move the lead to a quarterly re-contact list rather than chasing indefinitely.

Is it pushy to follow up more than once?

Not if it is spaced out and framed as helpful rather than chasing money, most clients expect a reasonable check-in and are more put off by a firm that never follows up at all.

Should I drop my price if a client goes quiet?

Not automatically. Find out why they have gone quiet first, timing, budget, or a cheaper competing quote all need a different response, and only one of those is really about price.