Clearly separating the cost of materials from the cost of labour in a quote is not only a matter of transparency: it makes negotiations much easier when the client wants to adjust the total price.
Why separate rather than give a single price
When a client asks you to "lower the price", having a clear breakdown lets you offer specific alternatives: switching to a lower-grade material without touching the labour, or reducing the scope of the work without giving up material quality. A single price offers no such negotiating flexibility.
How to calculate the cost of materials
The cost of materials should include not only the purchase price but also expected waste (offcuts, breakage), transport if the supplier doesn't include it, and any auxiliary material that is often forgotten (screws and fixings, adhesives, protection).
How to calculate the cost of labour
It is calculated by multiplying the estimated hours of work by the hourly rate of the professional (or the team, if there are several operatives), including preparation and final clean-up time, not just the pure execution time of the work.
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