How to write a restoration quote for collectible cards

A restoration quote has to answer three questions from the client: what will you do to my card, how much will it cost, how long will it take. And it has to answer one question of yours: are you making money on this job, or giving it away?

This guide sets out a method that works with any tool, even pen and paper. At the end you will find how Registro applies it.

1. Build the price list on defects, not on cards

The first mistake is to quote "the card". Two Charizards from the same set may need completely different work. What always repeats, instead, are the defects: edge whitening, coating scratches, corner creases, dents, warping, glue residue, ink.

For each defect define levels (for example 1 to 3, from light to severe) and for each combination of defect and level set:

• the price;
• the time it really takes you, measured on recent jobs rather than guessed;
• the difficulty;
• the risk: how likely the treatment is to make the card worse or leave marks.

The price list is written once and refined over time. It is what makes quoting fast and consistent from one client to the next.

2. Ask for the right photos before estimating

Without suitable photographs you are not quoting, you are guessing. Always ask for:

• front and back of the whole card, with all edges visible;
• a macro of every defect the client can see;
• at least one photo in raking light, from the side, to bring out creases and dents;
• a neutral background, matte grey or black.

A holo card shot with the flash under frontal light hides exactly the micro-scratches you need to see. How to photograph properly is explained in the guide on photographing defects.

3. Keep the preliminary and the final quote separate

The preliminary quote is made on photos, before the cards are sent. It must say clearly that it is an estimate and may change once you have the card in hand.

The final quote comes from the in-person diagnosis: you confirm the defects seen in the photos, add the ones the photos did not show and remove the ones that were not there. If the price changes, the client must accept again, and the preliminary quote stays in the archive as it was.

Keeping the two steps separate avoids the most common argument in the trade: "that wasn't in the photo".

4. Write down what you will not do

A good final quote also says which defects you choose not to treat, and why. A treatment too risky for the value of the card, a crease that restoration would make more visible, a printing defect that is not damage. It is a professional decision: putting it in writing protects you and the client.

5. Things never to write

• A grade. No restoration guarantees an outcome, and grading companies may reject or flag a card that shows signs of work. If the client wants an opinion, give it in a separate section and call it an estimate.
• "Like new", "fully restored". They promise a result you do not control.
• The card's market value. The value is declared by the client, for shipping and insurance: estimating it is not part of the quote.
• Generic items. "Cleaning and tidying up" says nothing; "whitening on the right edge of the back, level 2" does.

6. Deposit, timing, terms

Always state the working days (from receipt of the cards, not from the request), any deposit and how to pay. Attach or reference your terms of service: the client who accepts the quote also accepts those, and must be able to read them first.

How Registro does it

In Registro the price list is a catalogue of defects with your prices, times, difficulty and risk. The client sends the request from your page with the photos you asked for; you mark the defects directly on the photographs, pick the level, and the total, timing and document assemble themselves, with your branding and in the client's language. Preliminary and final quotes are separate versions, and the client's acceptance is recorded. Details are on the page about restoration quotes.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I charge to restore a card?

It depends on the defects, the time they take and the risk you take on, not on the value of the card. Start from the real time of each treatment and your hourly cost, then add materials: it is the only way to know whether a job is worth it.

Should the quote be free?

The preliminary quote on photos usually is, because it is also how the client decides whether to send you the cards. An in-person diagnosis takes time: many studios include it in the price of the job, or charge for it if the client then withdraws. Put it in your terms.

What if the final quote costs more than the preliminary one?

The client must accept it again before you start. If they decline, you return the cards under the conditions you have set out.