A patio quote is rarely lost the night you send it. It is lost over the following weeks, while the client waits on two more prices, works out what council approval means, talks it over at a barbecue and decides it can wait until after summer. The builder who stays in touch through those weeks, with something useful to say each time, is usually the one who gets the job. This guide maps follow-up to the steps a patio, carport or pergola job actually goes through, from the measure to the quote, the deposit and the council approval, with five templates, the seasonal timing that matters in Perth, the WA deposit rule and what to send in winter. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
The short version
- Follow up at day 1, 3, 7 and 14, then once a month until they sign or say no. After they sign, send updates through the approval wait.
- Most patios need approval. Attached patios almost always do, and one Perth builder says about 99% of its applications need it.[2][3] Explain the wait before the client discovers it.
- Christmas comes early in this trade. With approval of about 2 weeks and installs 8 to 12 weeks after that, a quote signed in mid-September lands from late November to Christmas week.[4]
- The WA deposit cap is 6.5% on home building work contracts from $7,500 to $500,000. On a $15,000 patio that is $975.[7][8]
- Every commercial message names your business and carries an opt-out, actioned within five business days.[11]
Why patio quotes stall
The money. One Perth builder’s rough guide puts a smaller flat roof patio at $8,000 to $12,000, a medium gable at $12,000 to $18,000, and a large gable, dome or custom design at $18,000 to $25,000 or more, with premium or insulated roofing on top.[1] That is a decision most households talk over for a while, and few make in a day.
The comparing. Patio clients almost always collect more than one price, and the prices are hard to line up. The same builder says it is almost impossible to compare two patio quotes like for like unless you know exactly what each includes: site checks, engineering, approvals, the roofing.[1] A client who cannot tell why your number is higher usually goes quiet rather than asking. Since 1 July 2026, patios, carports and other Class 10a buildings under $50,000 no longer need a registered building contractor in WA, so expect smaller operators and handyman businesses in the mix too.[8]
The approval. This is the step that catches clients out.
- Most patios need a building permit. The exemption is narrow: a freestanding structure of 10 m² or less, no more than 2.4 m high, outside wind regions C and D. A pergola associated with the house can go up to 20 m² on the same height and wind conditions.[3] An attached patio fails the freestanding test whatever its size, and The Patio Factory, a Perth builder, says about 99% of its applications need approval.[2]
- It takes time. The same builder puts certified building approval at about 10 working days and uncertified at up to 25. Where planning approval is needed as well, add 60 to 90 days, or roughly four months end to end.[2]
- Setbacks hold applications up. The same builder names designs that breach the front setback as the most common reason applications are held up or rejected, followed by building over an easement.[2]
- The application needs a signed quote. The client supplies a signed quotation before the application goes in,[2] so the quote-to-signature gap is the one you control.
- Then the build. Another Perth builder puts installation at typically 8 to 12 weeks after approval, because each structure is made to measure, with a final check measure before anything is ordered.[4]
So a client who said yes in their head can still be three months from a finished patio. If nobody tells them that, they find out from the second builder, who may tell them first.
The follow-up cadence: measure to signed
Day counts run from the day the quote goes out. After day 14 the rhythm is monthly, and once the client signs, the triggers are the approval steps. Any "no thanks" closes the file.
| When | Channel | What it says | Why then |
|---|---|---|---|
| After the measure | SMS the same day | Thanks for having us out; your design and quote will be with you by [day] | Sets a date, so the quote is expected rather than chased |
| Quote (day 0) | Email with the quote and drawing, plus a one-line text that it has gone | What is included (engineering, drawings, the permit application, shire fees or not) and the steps from signing to install | Makes your price easy to compare[1] |
| Day 1 | SMS | Did it come through, and is anything worth a quick walk-through? | Catches a quote lost in a spam folder while the measure is still fresh |
| Day 3 | Call, or SMS if no answer | Any questions on the roof style, colours or size? | Finds out whether they are comparing, unsure on design or just busy |
| Day 7 | Email, quote reattached | Whether it needs approval, how long that takes, when it could be installed, and the deposit | The questions people have by now[2][4][8] |
| Day 14 | SMS or call | If you are comparing quotes, here is what to check is the same in each | Most patio clients get more than one price |
| Monthly after that | SMS or short email | One useful thing: the season, the install queue, or a timing deadline that is real | Keeps you on the list without nagging |
| Signed and deposit paid | Email the same day | What happens next, who lodges the application, and the expected wait | Turns a yes into a plan |
| During the approval wait | SMS at lodged, monthly while waiting, approved | Where the application is and the install window once approved | A client who hears nothing for six weeks starts to wonder |
Get the quote out quickly first. Buildxact, the estimating software company, reported in March 2026 that estimates sent within 2 days of the request had a 32% win rate, falling steadily after that.[6] That figure comes from its users worldwide, not Australia alone, and covers builders in general rather than patios, so read it as a direction rather than a benchmark. If your drawings take a week, tell the client that at the measure and the clock starts from there.
Updates during the wait are follow-up too. The Patio Factory updates clients about once a month while an application sits with the shire.[2] A signed client who hears nothing is the one who rings to cancel, or tells the neighbours the builder went quiet.
The day 1 to day 14 part is the same rhythm we build for other trades; the quote follow-up page shows how it runs from your quoting tool. The approval updates are what make it fit a patio job.
Re-quote triggers: spring, Christmas and the quote’s expiry
A quote that went quiet is not dead. It needs a reason to come back to the top of the pile, and the seasons give you most of them.
- The spring rush. Over the past five years, search interest in "patio" in Western Australia has been highest in October, with August to November all close to it, and lowest in March and June, roughly a sixth below October.[5] That is approximate, relative search interest, not sales, but it matches what most builders feel: people think about patios when the weather turns. A quote from autumn is worth a message in late winter, before your diary fills.
- The pre-Christmas cut-off. The Patio Factory tells clients a patio before Christmas is possible only if the job does not need council approval, and even then is not guaranteed because of its installation backlog.[2] The arithmetic agrees: at about 2 weeks for approval and 8 to 12 weeks to install after that,[4] a quote signed on 15 September lands somewhere between 24 November and 22 December. Tell clients honestly where your cut-off is, before they ask.
- After Christmas. Once Christmas is gone, a client who wanted it by then often stops. The honest message is the useful one: "Christmas is not realistic now, but sign by [date] and you are in for [month]." Search interest in January is still close to the spring peak.[5]
- The quote’s expiry. If your quotes are valid for 30 or 60 days, the end of that period is a natural, honest reason to get in touch: the price holds until [date], after that it is requoted.
Only send a deadline that is real. If your install queue has room in January, do not tell anyone the slot is closing.
Deposits and the Home Building Contracts Act
Under the Home Building Contracts Act, a "builder" includes cabinet makers and other tradespersons.[7] Building and Energy’s homeowner page lists constructing a garage, shed or pergola among home-building work, and says the Act covers fixed-cost contracts from $7,500 to $500,000 whether or not the builder is registered.[8] Treat a patio, carport or pergola quote in that range as covered.
- The cap is 6.5%. That is the most a builder or tradesperson can ask before work starts on a covered contract.[7][8] On an $8,000 flat roof patio that is $520; on a $15,000 gable, $975; on a $25,000 custom job, $1,625.
- Outside the range there is no statutory limit. Below $7,500 or above $500,000 the Act does not set one.[8] A small pergola can fall under $7,500.
- The 20% exception is not yours. It applies only where off-site cabinetry work is more than half the contract price.[7] A patio made to measure in a factory is not cabinetry.
- In writing, then progress payments for work done. The contract must be in writing and signed by both parties, and progress payments must only cover work actually performed.[8]
Is this still current? Yes, as far as we can confirm. Building and Energy’s homeowner page, updated 21 September 2026, still states the 6.5% cap and the $7,500 to $500,000 range.[8] The home building contract laws are under review, with final recommendations due to government from September 2026 unless extended,[9] so check the Building and Energy page before you rely on these figures.
Put the deposit in the day 7 email, not at signing. A client who reads it in week one, and sees it is the legal maximum rather than your opening bid, trusts the rest of what you sent.
Winter reactivation: old quotes and past customers
March and June are the quiet months for patio searches.[5] They are also when your diary has room, and a job quoted in winter can be approved and installed before summer. Three offers fit the season.
- The carport. A patio client often has a car on the verge or in the sun. A carport is the same class of building as a patio,[8] approved the same way, and an easy second job.
- The enclosure. Blinds or screens turn a summer patio into a room people use in July. Ask past clients whether theirs gets used in winter.
- The insulated upgrade. One Perth builder says insulated roofing makes a real difference to the temperature underneath through a Perth summer.[4] Winter is the time to sell that. Check the site first: some shires will not allow insulated roof sheets in bushfire-prone areas.[2]
Be careful who you text. Consent can be inferred only from a clear, current or ongoing relationship, and the promotion has to be directly related to it.[10] A finished patio is a real relationship, and a carport or upgrade for that home is close to it. A quote from last spring that never went ahead is a thin one. So ask at the quote stage: one line on the quote ("Happy for [business name] to keep in touch about your outdoor area?") turns a grey area into express consent, which the ACMA prefers.[10]
For example: Hi [first name], [business name] here. Hope the patio got a good workout over summer. Winter is when our diary has room, so if the carport you mentioned is still on the list, we can measure up now and have it in before the heat. Reply STOP to opt out.
The customer reactivation guide covers pulling the list out of your job software and the consent rule in full.
Five patio quote follow-up templates
These are patio quote follow-up templates written for Australian rules. Words in brackets are yours to fill. They follow the SMS compliance guide: every message names the business, and anything that promotes, such as a timing deadline or a winter offer, carries "Reply STOP to opt out". Opt-outs have to be actioned within five business days, in every tool that holds the number.[11] A factual check on a quote the client asked for is closer to a service message, so templates 1 and 2 leave STOP off. Add a sales line to them and they need it. If in doubt, add it.
1. Day 1, SMS:
Hi [first name], [your name] from [business name]. Your patio design and quote went out yesterday.
Did it come through OK? Happy to walk you through it on a quick call.
2. Day 7, email. Subject: Your patio quote, and the questions people ask
next
Hi [first name], the quote and drawing are attached again in case they got buried. A few things
people ask at this point:
Approval: your design [needs / does not need] a building permit. We lodge it for you, and it usually
takes about [x] weeks.
Timing: once it is approved, we install in about [x] weeks.
Deposit: [x]% on signing, which is $[amount], then [progress payment / balance on completion].
Included: [engineering, drawings, the permit application, shire fees].
Reply with any question, or pick a time for a call: [link]. If you would rather not hear from us
about this, just reply and say so.
[Your name], [business name], [phone]
3. Day 14, SMS:
Hi [first name], [business name] here. If you are comparing patio quotes, it is worth checking each
one has the same size, roof sheeting, engineering and approval work included. Happy to go through ours
line by line. Reply STOP to opt out.
4. Spring timing, SMS:
Hi [first name], [your name] from [business name]. Quick heads-up on timing: with approval and our
install queue, quotes signed by [date] are going in by [month]. Want me to hold your spot? Reply STOP to
opt out.
5. Winter, email to an old quote that agreed to hear from you. Subject: Your
patio quote from [month]
Hi [first name], we quoted your patio in [month] and you were happy to hear from us. Winter is when
our diary has room, and a job signed now can be approved and installed before summer. If it is still on
the list, reply and I will requote it at today’s prices. If not, no problem.
[Your name], [business name], [phone]. Reply STOP or unsubscribe here: [link].
Only send template 4 when the date is real. Never send any of them with the brackets left in.
What to track
Six numbers, counted monthly, in a spreadsheet with one row per quote. Note where each lost quote went quiet: that tells you which message to fix.
| Number | How to count it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Days to quote | Days from measure to quote sent | Whether drawing time is costing you jobs |
| Open quotes by step | How many sit at quoted, comparing, signed awaiting approval and approved awaiting install | Where the pipeline is stuck, and what to send next |
| Days since last contact | For each open quote, days since you last sent anything | Anything over 30 is drifting |
| Win rate | Jobs signed, divided by quotes sent, with patios, carports and pergolas counted separately | The number that pays; note the step and reason for every loss |
| Cancellations after signing | Signed jobs that pulled out during the approval wait | Whether your updates during the wait are working |
| Winter replies | Replies and booked measures from the winter messages | Whether old quotes and past clients are worth the effort |
Compare your own numbers month to month and season to season rather than against someone else’s benchmark. If quotes die before day 14, it is the price or the first week of follow-up. If they die after day 14, it is usually the approval wait or the timing.
Frequently asked questions
How soon should I follow up a patio quote?
The next day, by text, to check it arrived and offer to walk through it. Then at day 3 with a short call or text about questions, at day 7 with an email that covers council approval, timing and the deposit, and at day 14 if they are comparing quotes. After that, one useful message a month until they sign or say no. Once they sign, keep going: an update when the application is lodged, when it is approved and when the install date is set. Stop the moment they say no.
Do patios need council approval in WA?
Most do. Under the WA Building Regulations, a freestanding patio needs no building permit only if it is 10 square metres or less, no more than 2.4 metres high and outside wind regions C and D. A pergola can go up to 20 square metres on the same height and wind conditions. Anything attached to the house, or bigger or taller than that, needs a building permit, and some sites also need planning approval first. One Perth builder says about 99% of its applications need approval. Check with the local government for the property, because shires interpret the rules differently.
How much deposit can a patio builder take in WA?
For a home building work contract between $7,500 and $500,000, the most a builder or tradesperson can ask before work starts is 6.5% of the contract price. On a $15,000 patio that is $975. Under $7,500 or over $500,000 there is no statutory limit. The 20% exception is for off-site cabinetry work only and does not cover patios. This is per Building and Energy’s homeowner page, updated September 2026. The law is under review, so check the current rules before you rely on them.
Is a carport quote followed up any differently?
The rhythm is the same: day 1, 3, 7 and 14, then monthly. What changes is the content. Carports are Class 10a buildings like patios, so the same approval and timing questions come up. Carports also tend to sit towards the front of the block, and one Perth builder names front setback breaches as the most common reason applications are held up. Put the setback and approval answer in the day 7 email so the client is not surprised by it later.
Can I text old patio quotes in winter?
Carefully. Consent to marketing can be inferred only from a clear, current relationship, and the message has to be directly related to it. A finished patio is a real relationship; a quote from last spring that never went ahead is a thin one. The safe path is to ask at the quote stage whether they are happy to hear from you, and to send any winter message with your business name and a working STOP.
Can you run this follow-up for me?
Yes. We set up the day 1, 3, 7 and 14 follow-up, the monthly check-ins and the approval updates from your quoting tool or job software, in your voice, with your business name on every message and a working STOP on anything that promotes, and we stop it the moment a client replies. We do not sell leads. Setup is $999 for the first three clients and $1,500 after that, then $197 a month, and the first 8 booked estimates are free.
If you would rather not run it yourself
Everything above works with a phone, an email account and a spreadsheet. If you would rather it happened without you, we build and run it: the day 1, 3, 7 and 14 follow-up triggered from your quoting tool, the monthly check-ins, the approval updates for signed clients and the winter message to past clients who said yes, all in your voice with your business name and a working STOP. We do not sell leads; we follow up the ones you already have. Setup is $999 for the first three clients and $1,500 after that, then $197 a month, and the first 8 booked estimates are free. We do not have an Australian client to show you yet, so there is no case study here. The details are on the patio builders page, or book a half-hour call.
Sources
Every figure above traces to one of these. All checked 21 October 2026; prices as on the linked pages.
- Advanced Patios — How much does a patio cost in Perth? (20 August 2025). A Perth patio builder’s rough guide: smaller flat roof patios $8,000 to $12,000; medium gable patios $12,000 to $18,000; large gable, dome or custom patios $18,000 to $25,000+, more with premium or insulated roofing. Council approval mostly affects timelines; it is almost impossible to compare two quotes like for like without knowing what each includes. A builder’s own pricing.
- The Patio Factory — Patio council approval in WA. A Perth patio builder: about 99% of applications need approval; certified building approval about 10 working days, uncertified up to 25 working days; planning approval 60 to 90 days where required, roughly four months end to end; the homeowner supplies a signed quotation for the application; it updates clients about once a month during the wait; some shires will not allow insulated roof sheets in bushfire-prone areas; a pre-Christmas install is possible only without council approval and is still not guaranteed because of its installation backlog.
- Town of Mosman Park — Building a patio, pergola or shade sail. No building permit is needed for a freestanding Class 10a building of 10 m² or less, no more than 2.4 m high and outside wind regions C and D; nor for a pergola associated with a house that is no more than 2.4 m high, outside wind regions C and D and no more than 20 m² (Building Regulations 2012, Schedule 4). Otherwise a permit is required.
- One Stop Patio Shop — Outdoor patio designs Perth. A Perth patio builder: most projects need building approval before anything can be ordered; private certification brings approval to about 2 weeks; installation is typically 8 to 12 weeks after approval because each structure is made to measure; a final check measure before ordering; insulated roofing makes a real difference through a Perth summer.
- Google Trends — Search interest in “patio”, Western Australia, past 5 years. Weekly relative interest, October 2021 to October 2026, averaged by month by us: highest in October, with August to November all close to it; lowest in March and June, about a sixth below October. Relative search interest, not search volumes or sales.
- Buildxact — State of the Customer report release (25 March 2026). Estimates sent within 2 days have a 32% win rate, and the win rate falls steadily after that. From the user base of a global software company: vendor data, not an Australia-only or patio figure.
- Building and Energy, WA Government — Industry Bulletin 130 (May 2020). “Builders” under the Home Building Contracts Act include cabinet makers and other tradespersons; maximum deposit of 6.5% on any home building work contract of $7,500 to $500,000; the 20% exception is for off-site cabinetry work only.
- Building and Energy, WA Government — Building or renovating your home (updated 21 September 2026). Home-building work includes constructing a garage, shed or pergola; fixed-cost contracts of $7,500 to $500,000 are covered whether or not the builder is registered; maximum deposit 6.5% before work starts, no limit outside that range; contracts in writing and signed by both parties; progress payments only for work performed; since 1 July 2026, Class 10a buildings such as patios and carports under $50,000 no longer need a registered building contractor.
- Building and Energy, WA Government — Review of Western Australia’s home building contract laws (updated 25 June 2026). The home building contract laws are under review: consultation ran 13 May to 24 June 2026, with final recommendations due to government in September 2026 unless extended.
- Addisons — The ACMA’s expectations for using consent. Inferred consent needs a clear, current or ongoing relationship, and the promotion must be directly related to it; the ACMA considers express consent best.
- Prosper Law — Unsubscribe requests and the five-day rule. Opt-outs must be actioned within five business days; the unsubscribe must keep working for at least 30 days after sending.
Every quote followed up in your voice, stopped the moment they reply.
GuideCustomer reactivationThe timed text to past customers, with the consent rule and templates.
GuideSMS compliance for tradiesConsent, identification, unsubscribes and the penalties, in plain English.
More for Perth trade businesses: every article and free tool.