Scope is the real product
The customer is buying certainty about what will happen. A line reading "repair as discussed" transfers all interpretation risk to them, and people do not sign things they cannot picture.
Describing the work in plain terms, in the order it will happen, resolves most of that.
Say what is not included
Exclusions feel like they invite objections. In practice they signal that you have thought the job through and remove the most common source of later disputes.
The same is true of assumptions: state them.
Make accepting trivial
- One clear action to approve, ideally on a phone.
- Electronic signature rather than print, sign and scan.
- Deposit terms stated up front, not raised after acceptance.
- A validity date so the decision has a shape.