Job quote calculator for Australian sole traders and tradies

Build the price from the job, not from a feeling

Most quotes that lose money were not underpriced by much. They were built by picturing the job, naming a number that felt about right, and discovering afterwards what was missing: the second trip to the supplier, the two hours writing the quote, the skip bin, the day it rained.

A quote that holds up is assembled, not guessed. Every job is the same five things — labour, materials, the things you buy in, getting there, and the margin that makes it worth doing — and the only real skill is not leaving one out.

• Labour — the hours, at a rate that actually funds your year. Include the hours nobody sees: set-up, clean-up, the tip run.
• Materials — at cost, with the markup that covers sourcing, carrying and returning them.
• Subcontractors — what they charge you, plus something for carrying their risk and coordinating them.
• Travel and call-out — distance, tolls, parking, and the trip you will make again for the one thing you forgot.
• Contingency — the honest admission that some jobs go sideways.

Markup and margin are not the same number

This one costs Australian trades real money every week. Add 30% to a $100 part and you charge $130 — but you have not made a 30% margin, you have made 23%. Margin is measured against what you charge; markup is measured against what you paid.

So if you need a 30% margin on materials, a 30% markup will not get you there — you need roughly 43%. The converter above works it in either direction, on your own numbers, before the figure goes anywhere near a customer.

Materials markup is not greed, either. Somebody has to price the job, drive to the supplier, carry the account, handle the wrong part, and warrant the right one. That work is real, and the markup is where it is paid for.

Fixed price or hourly?

A fixed price is what most homeowners want, because it makes their decision simple and moves the risk of a slow day onto you. Time and materials suits work whose size genuinely cannot be known — investigating a fault, opening a wall, anything where the honest answer is "we will see".

The trap is quoting a fixed price on a job you have not scoped. If you cannot see the whole thing, price the part you can see and be explicit about what happens next: "$680 to locate and repair the leak in the accessible section; if it runs under the slab I will stop and requote before doing anything further." That sentence prevents most disputes.

Write down what is not included as carefully as what is. Rubbish removal, making good, painting, permits, scaffolding, after-hours access, parking — every one of those has funded an argument somewhere.

Make the quote easy to say yes to

Once the number is right, the document does the rest of the work. A quote that arrives the same day, sets out what is included, shows GST correctly and carries an expiry date reads as a business that will turn up on time. Three lines scrawled in a text message does not — even when the price is better.

Give it a validity period. Material prices move, and a quote with no expiry is a price you have promised forever. Thirty days is the common choice.

When the customer says yes, the estimate should become the document without being retyped. Send the numbers above into the quote generator, and an accepted quote converts into the invoice in one step.

Common questions

How much contingency should I add?

Between 5% and 15% for most work, at the higher end for renovation and anything behind a wall. New work on a clean site can sit lower; jobs where you cannot see what you are walking into should not.

Should I show my costs in the quote?

Rarely. Customers compare a total against other totals. An itemised breakdown invites line-by-line negotiation and exposes your margins. Show what is included, not what it cost you.

What markup do trades usually apply to materials?

Commonly 10% to 30%, depending on the trade, the value and how much sourcing is involved. Low-value consumables often carry more; a large single item like an appliance usually carries less.

Do I quote including GST?

If you are registered for GST and quoting a homeowner, quote the GST-inclusive total — that is the number they will pay. For business customers, ex-GST is normal because they claim the GST back. Whichever you choose, say which it is.

Should I charge for quoting?

Most trades absorb short quotes as a cost of winning work, which is exactly why the unbillable hours have to be inside your hourly rate. Detailed estimating on a large job is different, and charging a fee that is credited against the job if it proceeds is common.

What if the job turns out bigger than quoted?

Stop and issue a variation before doing the extra work. A revised quote accepted in writing protects both sides; extra work done first and billed later is where disputes start.