On this page
- 01Key takeaways
- 02Should your website state a minimum job size?
- 03How should a minimum be worded?
- 04Does a minimum need to include VAT?
- 05Where should the minimum appear?
- 06Will a minimum lose you good customers?
- 07When should you not publish a minimum?
- 08What does this look like in practice?
- 09Minimum job size checklist
- 10Next step
- 11Sources and further reading
- 12Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
State a minimum order value or job size on your website if you have one. It filters out enquiries you would decline, saves quoting time and signals the scale of work you do. Word it plainly, such as 'Projects start from £2,000' or 'Minimum order 50 units', and put it where buyers decide whether to enquire.
- A stated minimum filters out jobs you would decline anyway.
- Word it plainly: 'Projects start from £2,000'.
- Put it on service pages and near the enquiry form.
- Consumer prices quoted must include VAT.
Unsure whether to publish a minimum? Message us on WhatsApp.
Chat on WhatsApp →Should your website state a minimum job size?
Yes, if you have a real minimum. Stating it filters out enquiries you would decline, saves quoting time for both sides and signals the scale of work you specialise in. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) sees a stated minimum help most where small jobs cost almost as much to quote as large ones.
How should a minimum be worded?
Word it as a fact, not a warning: 'Projects start from £2,000', 'Minimum order 50 units' or 'Call-out charge £85, including the first 30 minutes'. Avoid 'we do not do small jobs', which sounds dismissive and gives buyers no figure to judge against.
Does a minimum need to include VAT?
For consumers, yes. The Price Marking Order 2004 requires prices shown to consumers to include VAT, and the DMCC Act 2024 treats unavoidable charges left out of a headline price as a misleading practice. For trade-only businesses, an ex-VAT minimum is fine if it is clearly labelled.
Where should the minimum appear?
Show it on each service page beside price guidance, in the FAQs and near the enquiry form. For online ordering, show it in the basket before checkout, not as a surprise at the last step. Buyers should never find out about a minimum only after filling in a long form.
Will a minimum lose you good customers?
It can lose a few, such as a small first job that would have led to bigger work. You can protect against that by noting exceptions: 'Smaller jobs considered for existing customers' or 'Small repairs on our regular rounds'. The aim is to filter, not to close every door.
When should you not publish a minimum?
Do not publish a minimum if you rarely enforce it, if it changes with the season, or if small jobs are how you win long-term clients. A minimum you ignore makes the site inaccurate. In those cases, describe the typical job size instead.
What does this look like in practice?
A pattern we see: a firm spends hours each week quoting jobs it later declines as too small. Publishing a 'projects start from' figure on the service pages and contact form usually cuts those requests sharply, without reducing enquiries for the work the firm wants.
Minimum job size checklist
- Decide your real minimum.
- Word it as a figure.
- Include VAT for consumers.
- Show it on service pages and the form.
- Note any exceptions.
- Update it when costs change.
Next step
Look at the jobs you declined as too small last quarter. If there is a clear threshold, publish it as a 'from' figure this week.
Message us on WhatsApp for help with price signals, with no pitch.
Chat on WhatsApp →Sources and further reading
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 · legislation.gov.uk
- Unfair commercial practices guidance (CMA207) · Competition and Markets Authority
Frequently asked questions
Should I put a minimum charge on my website?
If you have a real minimum, yes. It saves quoting time and filters out poor-fit enquiries. State it as a figure, include VAT for consumers, and put it where buyers decide whether to enquire, such as service pages and near the form.
How do I word a minimum order on a website?
Use a plain figure: 'Minimum order £150' or 'Projects start from £2,000'. Add what it includes if relevant, such as the first hour. Avoid negative wording like 'no small jobs', which gives buyers nothing to judge against.
Does a minimum order put customers off?
It puts off customers below the threshold, which is its purpose. Above it, a stated minimum can increase confidence, because it signals the scale of work you are set up for. Note exceptions if small jobs sometimes make sense.
Written by
Global Bridge Labs (GBL) is a UK–Sri Lanka partner for social media, websites and BPO. Everything here comes from client delivery, not theory.
