Graham, I see your situation in the same way a lot of us approach quoting. How to minimize time up front during estimating and quoting, trying to get enough information to be accurate, but without giving a potential customer the feeling that we won't give them the time they deserve as a paying customer. I actually don't give estimates in window treatments, but I do occasionaly give estimates with closet systems. After going back and forth on the amount time I spend on drawings and pricing, showing accessories and answering questions, making those extra free trips, I finally just decided to do all these things, whatever time it takes. (All for no charge, long distances with travel are another matter.) And then by doing this, I am content with giving my higher prices to the client. I think many of my customers recognize my extra effort during this quoting phase, and weighs this into their consideration that my attention to detail will carry over into the actual making and delivery of product. Now many of my customers are prequalified and most are referrals, which means I am in a better position to do this than with a cold client. I still lose few, but when I give my quotes my best effort, somehow I can easily accept that this particular person was never going to be my customer anyway. Plus I think in the long run, I did myself a favor by helping that customer come to the conclusion they wouldn't be using our services any further. Off subject to get to this point, but when my prices seem high, even to me, the reality is after the job, those prices and earned profits were well deserved. I think the idea of a quick estimate as a time saver is great, as long as the quickness doesn't undermine your final quote. I have avoided estimating for the most part, as I tend to low ball an estimate to keep a customer interested, more a personality issue than a business decision. Then I eventually have to over come and justify any pricing that is higher as the project enters a final quote. Too many customers have an excellent ability to retain low numbers once they are presented, even after being given a more accurate and higher price later on.