Building quotes carry more risk than most because the jobs are bigger and run longer. A deck or pergola can look simple in a photo and still hide a slope, soft ground or a fascia that will not take a load. The quote is where you set out the scope, the stages and what the price assumes, so the customer cannot read more into it than you meant.
This template suits the jobs builders quote day to day: decks, pergolas and patios, fences, renovations, structural repairs, extensions and granny flats. Use it as a starting point and add stages for anything larger. The site photos and answers your customer sends through QuoteSnap arrive before you price, and the quote you send back follows this layout.
What every building quote should include
Building customers often get several quotes and lay them side by side. The one that is easiest to read tends to look the most trustworthy. Make sure yours covers these points.
- Builder details. Business name, Australian Business Number (ABN), contact details, and your builder licence number if your state requires it on quotes or contracts. Check what applies to you.
- Site and drawings. The site address, and any plans, sketches or photos the price is based on, with their date.
- Scope by stage. Site prep, structure, roofing or decking, and finishing, each with its own lines.
- Materials. Timber species or product, sizes where known, and finish.
- Price, GST and payment stages. The total, how goods and services tax (GST) is shown, and how payments are split across the job. Your accountant and the rules in your state set the limits here.
- Quote validity. An expiry date, because material prices move on longer jobs.
Scope and line items for decks, pergolas and renovations
Break the job into stages a homeowner can picture: ground prep, frame, deck boards or roof, then the finishing touches. Under each stage, list the lines with quantities. Square metres suit decking, linear metres suit fencing and handrails, and a lot suits site prep and clean up.
On renovations, describe each room separately. One line saying "renovate bathroom" invites the customer to assume everything is included.
- Decks. Size, height, material, footings, stairs, balustrade and finish.
- Pergolas and patios. Attached or freestanding, frame material, roofing type, and extras such as lighting or fans by others.
- Fences. Length, height, material, gates and removal of the old fence.
- Renovations and extensions. Demolition, structure, linings, fit-off, and which trades are included.
Inclusions and exclusions on a building quote
Your inclusions should read like a checklist the customer can tick off at handover. Your exclusions should cover every item a reasonable customer might assume you are doing but are not: approvals, other trades, landscaping, and making good around the new work.
Council and engineering are the big ones. If you are not handling them, say who is. If you are, give them their own lines.
Assumptions and variations wording
Ground conditions, existing structures and access drive most building variations. Put your assumptions about each in writing and tie them to what you saw in the photos or on site.
Spell out your variation process: a written variation describing the change, its cost and any effect on timing, signed before the work goes ahead.
Terms worth stating
- Payment stages. How the price is split, for example deposit, frame and completion. Check what your state allows for deposits on building work.
- Timing. An expected start window and what can push it back, such as weather or approvals.
- Site access and storage. Where materials will be stored and how the crew reaches the work area.
- Warranty. What your workmanship covers and for how long, in line with what applies in your state.
Typical line items
| Item | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Site set out and preparation for [deck/pergola] at [location] | lot | $ |
| Supply and install [type] footings, [number] in total | each | $ |
| Supply and install [material] subframe at [height] above ground | m2 | $ |
| Supply and lay [species/product] decking boards, [width] wide | m2 | $ |
| Supply and install [material] balustrade and handrail | lm | $ |
| Supply and build stairs with [number] treads | item | $ |
| Supply and install [attached/freestanding] pergola frame in [material] | item | $ |
| Supply and fix [Colorbond/polycarbonate] roof sheeting to pergola | m2 | $ |
| Demolish and remove existing [deck/fence/structure] | lot | $ |
Questions about builder quotes
Should a building quote be a fixed price or an estimate?
That is your call, though in some states the rules for written building contracts affect it, so check what applies to you. Whichever you choose, say so clearly at the top. A fixed price with tight assumptions protects you better than a vague estimate the customer reads as fixed anyway.
How much detail should go into decking and pergola line items?
Enough that another builder could price the same job from your lines. Name the material, the size or area, the height and features like stairs or balustrade. That detail also stops a customer comparing your hardwood deck against someone else's pine one as if they were the same job.
Where do council and engineering costs go on a building quote?
Either as their own lines, if you are arranging them, or as clear exclusions if you are not. Never leave them unsaid. A customer who assumes approvals are included will not be happy to hear otherwise halfway through the build, and the quote is your record of what was agreed.
How do I handle allowances on a building quote?
Label them clearly as allowances, name what each one is for, and say how the final cost is worked out if the real figure is higher or lower. They suit items the customer has not chosen yet, such as fittings or finishes on a renovation, and keep the rest of the price firm.
Can I quote a deck from photos?
Photos of the build area, ground and house wall let you put together a solid first price and give the customer a number before a visit. Mark it as subject to a site measure, list what you assumed about the ground and the attachment, and confirm the final price once you have seen it.
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