How to write an AV quote clients approve

A good AV quote does two jobs. It tells the client exactly what they're getting, and it lets them say yes without a phone call. Most quotes that stall do so because the client can't tell what's included, what it costs, or what happens next.

Here's the structure that works, top to bottom, and the details that get it approved faster.

Start with the client's needs, not your gear list

Every quote starts with a request: an email, a phone call, sometimes a one-line text. Before you add a single item, write down what the client actually needs:

Event basics: date, load-in and show times, venue, room.
Audience: how many people, and whether anyone joins remotely.
Program: keynote, panel, breakout sessions, video playback, live music.
What the venue provides: house sound, projection, power, rigging points.

Only then build the gear list. A 150-person keynote with one presenter needs a very different system from a 150-person panel with four mics and remote speakers, even in the same room. Getting this right up front is what prevents Rev C.

The structure of a clear AV quote

Keep the same order on every quote. Clients who book you more than once learn where to look.

Your logo and company details. Name, phone, email, website.
Client and event details. Client name and contact, event name, venue, dates, and quote number.
Equipment, grouped by category. Audio, video, lighting, staging. Each line shows quantity, rental days, rate and total.
Labor. Each crew position on its own line, with the hours.
Delivery, setup and strike. Listed separately, not hidden inside the gear rates.
Discount, tax and total. Show the subtotal before tax so the client can see what's taxable.
Deposit and payment terms. How much, when, and how to pay.
Notes and cancellation policy. What's not included, what the venue must provide, and what happens if the event is canceled.

Group equipment so the client can read it

A flat list of 40 items is hard to approve. Grouping by category lets the client, or their boss, see the shape of the system at a glance: here is the audio, here is the video. If the event uses several rooms, group by room first and category second.

Write item names the way a client would understand them. "Wireless handheld microphone" reads better than a model number on its own. You can keep the model in the description for the technical reader.

Bundle gear that always goes together. A wireless mic kit includes receivers, antennas, batteries and the mics themselves. Quoting it as one kit keeps the quote short and makes sure nothing gets left behind at prep.

Put labor on its own lines, with hours

Labor is where most quote disputes start. Show each position separately (A1, V1, lighting tech, stagehand) with the number of hours per day. If a day runs long enough for overtime, show it.

Line	Hours per day	Days	Rate	What the client sees
A1 audio engineer	10	2	$75/hr	8 regular + 2 overtime per day
Video operator	10	2	$70/hr	8 regular + 2 overtime per day
Stagehand (load-in, strike)	5	1	$45/hr	Minimum call applies

Example rates only. Use your own, and note your minimum call and overtime rules in the terms, so a long day never becomes an argument after the show.

The 8 + 2 split in the table isn't arbitrary. For crew on your payroll, overtime follows labor law, not your rate sheet. California, for example, requires 1.5 times the regular rate after 8 hours in a workday and double time after 12, as the California Department of Industrial Relations overtime FAQ explains. Rules differ by state, so check yours.

Separate delivery, setup and strike

When delivery and labor are buried inside gear prices, two things happen: the gear looks overpriced next to a competitor, and the client can't tell why a move to a farther venue costs more. A separate line for delivery and pickup, and clear labor lines for setup and strike, make the quote easier to compare and easier to approve.

State terms before the client asks

The client approves faster when the next step is obvious. At the bottom of every quote, say:

The deposit needed to hold the date, and when the balance is due.
How long the quote is valid, especially for dates with high demand.
The cancellation policy.
What the venue or client must provide: power, internet, load-in access, a table at front of house.

Handle changes as revisions, not new quotes

Clients change their minds. Instead of overwriting the quote, save each change as a revision (Rev A, Rev B) so you can see what was sent when. When the client approves, you know exactly which version they said yes to, and that's the version that should become the invoice.

Common mistakes that slow approval

No event details. A quote without the date and venue gets forwarded around with questions attached.
Hidden labor. Clients assume it's missing, then feel surprised by the invoice.
Model numbers only. The person approving the budget usually isn't technical.
No next step. If the deposit and how to pay aren't on the quote, the client has to ask, and the date might be gone by then.
Slow turnaround. The first clear quote often wins the job.

How GaffDesk builds this structure for you

GaffDesk was built by a working AV company around this exact layout. You pick gear and labor from your own item library at your own rates, kits add their parts automatically, and crew lines split overtime and double time from the hours you enter. The quote goes out as a PDF with your logo and terms, changes are saved as revisions, and the approved version converts to an invoice in one step.

You can see how a job runs through GaffDesk or compare the plans.

Questions

What should an AV quote include?

Your company details, client and event details, equipment grouped by category with quantities and rental days, labor lines with hours, delivery and setup, discount, tax and total, deposit and payment terms, and notes such as the cancellation policy.

Should labor be separate from equipment on an AV quote?

Yes. Separate labor lines with hours make the quote easier to compare and prevent disputes about overtime after the event.

How do I handle changes to a quote?

Save each change as a new revision instead of overwriting the original. That way you always know which version the client approved.