How to Quote Carpentry Jobs

Why accurate carpentry quotes make or break your business

Carpentry is one of the broadest trades in Australia. One week you are framing a house extension, the next you are building a deck, hanging doors, or fitting out a walk-in wardrobe. That variety is exactly why quoting well matters so much: the cost structure of a 40 sqm merbau deck has almost nothing in common with a skirting board run through a three-bedroom house, and a one-size-fits-all approach to pricing leaves money on the table or prices you out of jobs you should win.

Timber is the other variable. A treated pine deck costs half the materials of a spotted gum deck for the same area. A customer who gets three quotes and sees wildly different numbers will go with the carpenter who explains the difference clearly, showing the species, the grade, the finish, and the installed rate side by side.

This guide covers how to build carpentry quotes that protect your margin and convert, with real 2026 Australian benchmarks across the most common job types.

Step 1: Calculate your true cost per hour

Before you set a charge-out rate or a per-square-metre price, work out what an hour of your time actually costs the business. This is your loaded hourly cost, and it includes everything required to put you on a job site for 60 minutes with tools in hand.

For a sole trader carpenter, total annual costs typically land between $96,000 and $155,000. At 1,750 billable hours per year (carpentry is mostly weather-protected compared to roofing and concreting, though outdoor work like decking and fencing still loses days), your loaded cost per hour sits between $55 and $89.

Your charge-out rate covers this cost plus your profit margin. A healthy margin for residential carpentry is 25-40% on top of costs, which is how most carpenters in capital cities land in the $65-$120/hr range for standard hours.

If you employ staff, the calculation scales: each employee adds wages, super, workers comp, and tools, but your overheads (vehicle, admin, insurance base) spread across more billable hours. Two carpenters working full weeks should produce more than double the revenue of one because the fixed costs are shared.

Step 2: Choose the right pricing model

Carpentry uses three pricing models, and the right one depends on the job type.

Fixed price

Best for: decks, pergolas, built-in wardrobes, staircases, door and window installs, bathroom or kitchen fit-outs, and any job where you can measure the scope from a site inspection.

Fixed pricing is where experienced carpenters make their best margins. You assess the site, measure everything, estimate your hours and materials, add your margin, and give the customer one number. Your efficiency gains go straight to profit because faster work on a fixed-price job means a higher effective hourly rate.

The risk: quoting from memory or rough measurements. Carpentry scope creep is real. "While you are here, can you also..." turns a two-day deck job into three days if you agree without requoting. Set the scope in writing and price variations as separate line items.

Hourly or day rate

Best for: general maintenance, repairs, hanging shelves, patching timber rot, adjusting doors and windows, and any job where the scope is uncertain until you start the work.

You charge an hourly rate ($55-$120 in metro areas) or a day rate ($440-$900) plus materials at cost-plus-markup. Most carpenters set a minimum call-out of 2-4 hours because travel, setup, and pack-up eat the same time whether the job takes 30 minutes or three hours.

Day rates work well for builders who book you for multi-day stints on new builds or renovations. A day rate is simpler to invoice and avoids the hourly clock-watching that makes some customers uncomfortable.

Per metre or per square metre

Best for: decking, fencing, timber flooring, skirting boards, architraves, cladding, and any work where the quantity scales linearly with the measurement.

You quote a rate per linear metre (skirting, fencing, architraves) or per square metre (decking, flooring, cladding) that covers labour, materials, and fixings. This pricing model makes your quote directly comparable to competitors and scales naturally with the job.

The key: make sure your per-metre rate accounts for cutting waste, fixings, and the time for corners, angles, and joins. A straight 15-metre skirting run is faster per metre than a room with 8 internal corners and 3 door openings. Adjust your rate for complexity or quote the simple runs and the detailed work separately.

Step 3: Benchmark your rates against the market

Hourly rates by city (2026)

Weekend rates are typically 1.5x the standard rate. Sundays and public holidays run at 2x. Specialist carpentry (heritage restoration, curved work, structural timber) commands rates at the top of the range or above it because fewer carpenters can do the work and it takes longer per metre.

Most carpentry work is quoted as a fixed price or per-metre rate rather than hourly, but your hourly rate is the foundation for building every other pricing model. If you know your hourly cost and how many metres of decking or skirting you install per hour, you can back-calculate any fixed or per-metre quote and confirm it covers your costs.

Per-square-metre and per-metre rates (2026, supply and install)

These rates cover materials, labour, and standard fixings. They do not include site preparation, footings, finishing (staining, oiling, painting), council permits, or engineering. Those sit as separate line items in a full quote because they vary by site and by council.

Common job pricing benchmarks (2026)

These ranges cover labour, standard materials, and basic fixings. Complex site access, sloping ground, heritage requirements, and premium timber species push prices toward the higher end. Two-storey work, scaffold requirements, and structural engineer involvement add further cost.

Step 4: Mark up materials consistently

Your material markup covers sourcing, stock management, delivery coordination, cutting waste, and the risk on products you supply. Carpentry uses a wide range of materials from structural framing timber to fine hardwood mouldings, and the markup should reflect how easy each product is for the customer to price-check.

Doors and windows carry thinner markups because customers can check the retail price at Bunnings or a window supplier. Fixings and hardware carry higher markups because they are sold in bulk, harder to price-check individually, and your buying power from trade accounts often gives you better pricing than retail.

For jobs with large material orders (decking, framing, cladding), request a deposit before ordering. The standard is 30-50% of the total or the full material cost upfront. Timber cut to length is difficult to return, and a cancelled job after the timber is on the trailer costs you directly.

Step 5: Factor in timber species and waste

Timber species is the single biggest variable in carpentry quotes. The choice of species affects material cost, installation time, finishing requirements, and the quote total. Quoting "a deck" without specifying the species is like quoting "a car" without specifying the make.

Timber species pricing (2026, supply only, per square metre of decking board)

Always name the species and grade in your quote. "Supply and install 90x19mm kiln-dried merbau decking, select grade" is a quote the customer can compare. "Supply and install decking" is a guess the customer cannot evaluate.

Cutting waste

Every carpentry job produces offcuts. The amount of waste depends on the layout, the length of the boards, and how many cuts are needed.

• Straight decking run (boards parallel, minimal cuts): 5-8% waste.
• Deck with angles, picture framing, or diagonal layout: 10-15% waste.
• Skirting and architrave (many corners and mitre cuts): 8-12% waste.
• Structural framing (standard lengths, minimal trimming): 3-5% waste.
• Fencing (paling, post-and-rail): 5-10% waste.

Factor waste into your material order and your quote. A 30 sqm merbau deck at $90/sqm material cost with 10% waste needs 33 sqm of boards ordered, which is an extra $270 in materials. Miss that and you absorb it. For large jobs, negotiate a return-for-credit arrangement with your timber supplier for full uncut lengths.

Bushfire ratings

If the property is in a designated bushfire-prone area, decking, cladding, and structural timber may need to meet a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating. Blackbutt is the most commonly specified BAL 29-rated timber. Treated pine and merbau are not rated for bushfire construction without additional treatment. BAL compliance adds cost and limits species choice, so confirm the BAL rating with the customer or their builder before quoting.

Step 6: Include licensing and compliance costs

Carpentry work in Australia requires a trade licence in every state and territory once the value of the work exceeds the state threshold. The base qualification is a Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30220), and most states require additional business or contractor licensing on top of the trade certificate.

Licensing thresholds by state

Compliance costs to include in quotes

• Building permit or CDC: decks, pergolas, carports, extensions, and structural modifications typically require a building permit or Complying Development Certificate. Council fees run $300-$800. A private certifier may be faster and costs $400-$1,200 depending on the scope. Build this into the quote as a line item.
• Engineering certification: decks over a certain height, retaining walls, and pergolas attached to the house often need structural engineer sign-off. An engineer's design and certification costs $500-$1,500 for a standard residential job. The customer needs to know this cost upfront.
• Termite protection: new timber structures (decks, pergolas, additions) in termite-prone areas may require termite barriers or treated timber that meets AS 3660.1. The cost depends on the method (physical barrier, chemical treatment, or naturally durable species) and is a legitimate line item.
• Home building compensation insurance: in NSW, residential work over $20,000 requires HBCF insurance. Other states have equivalent requirements at varying thresholds. The premium is a percentage of the contract value.

Display your licence number on every quote. It is a trust signal and, depending on your state, a legal requirement for work above the threshold. Customers comparing quotes will notice when one carpenter shows their licence and insurance and another does not.

Step 7: Build a clear line-item quote

An itemised quote converts better than a single lump sum. It shows the customer what they are paying for, makes variations straightforward, and positions you as the professional in a field where some competitors still quote on a text message.

Worked example: 30 sqm merbau deck with stairs, Melbourne

At 30 sqm, this works out to $402/sqm ex GST or $443/sqm inc GST for a complete merbau deck with footings, stairs, fascia, oiling, and cleanup. That sits within the $350-$550/sqm range for installed hardwood decking.

Each line carries its own cost, so the customer sees the value and you can track margin per activity. If the customer asks "what if we go with treated pine instead of merbau?" you adjust the decking line and the fascia line, and the rest stays the same. If they want to add a balustrade, that is a new line item with a clear cost.

This quote excludes balustrades (quoted separately if required), council building permit (varies by council, $300-$800), engineering certification (if required, $500-$1,500), and any retaining or site excavation works. State your exclusions clearly so there are no surprises after the job starts.

GST applies only if your business is GST-registered (required once turnover exceeds $75,000). If you are below the threshold, your quotes show totals without GST and you do not charge or remit it.

How to present carpentry quotes that convert

A professional-looking quote converts better than a text message with a number. For carpentry work, where the average job sits between $2,000 and $20,000, the presentation of your quote directly affects whether the customer trusts you with the job.

What to include

• Clear scope description in plain language. "Build a 30 sqm timber deck in kiln-dried merbau with treated pine subframe, 3-step hardwood stair, perimeter fascia, and 2-coat oil finish" tells the customer exactly what they are getting. Name the species and the grade.
• Itemised pricing with site preparation, footings, framing, decking, finishing, and disposal all visible. This builds trust and makes add-ons (balustrades, built-in seating, lighting) easy to approve as separate items.
• Inclusions and exclusions with zero ambiguity. State what is covered, what is excluded (council permits, engineering, painting, electrical), and what triggers a variation (hidden rot, unexpected ground conditions, asbestos in existing structures).
• Timber species and grade named explicitly. "Merbau, select grade, kiln-dried" is a spec the customer can hold you to and compare across quotes. "Hardwood decking" is vague and invites disputes.
• Warranty details: state your workmanship warranty (typically 5-7 years for structural carpentry, 2-3 years for fit-out and finishing). Manufacturer warranties on products like composite decking (often 25 years) are a selling point worth including.
• Validity period of 14-30 days. Timber prices move with supply, and import hardwoods like merbau are subject to exchange rate shifts. An expiry on the quote protects you from requoting at a loss.
• Payment terms including deposit (30-50% or full material cost), progress payments on larger builds, and final payment on completion and sign-off.
• Your licence number, insurance details, and ABN. For work over the state threshold, these may be required on the quote by law.

Timing

Send the quote within 24 hours of the site inspection. Every day you delay, the customer cools off and your conversion rate drops. If you can build the quote on site while the measurements are fresh, your close rate goes up before you change a single price.

Follow up within 48 hours if you have not heard back. A short call or text is enough. 48% of tradesmen never follow up on their quotes, and systematic follow-up lifts win rates by 10-15 percentage points. See How to Follow Up Quotes for a full cadence and templates.

Quoting mistakes that cost carpenters money

• Quoting over the phone without a site visit. A "simple deck" on the phone turns into a sloping site with rock, restricted access, and a 1.5m height difference. Always inspect the site and measure before you commit to a number. Photos from the customer are useful for a ballpark, never for a final quote.
• Forgetting the finishing. A merbau deck needs sanding and oiling. Skirting boards need painting. Stairs need sanding and coating. If your quote covers "supply and install" but the customer expects a finished product, you eat the finishing labour or have an awkward conversation mid-job. Quote the finish or exclude it explicitly.
• Underestimating setup and pack-up time. A half-day skirting job with 45 minutes of van-loading, driving, setup, and pack-up is really 5-6 hours of your day, not 3. Your minimum call-out (2-4 hours) should account for the fixed overhead on every visit.
• Quoting the same per-metre rate for every skirting job. A long straight hallway is fast. A room with 8 corners, 3 door openings, and a stair return is slow. If your rate assumes the easy run, you lose money on the complex one. Quote complex runs separately or use a higher per-metre rate.
• Using old timber prices. Timber prices shift with supply, import costs, and demand cycles. Merbau and other imported hardwoods are particularly volatile. Quote from current supplier pricing and set a 14-30 day validity on every quote.
• Absorbing scope creep. "While you are here, can you also trim that door, fix the drawer, and rehang that shelf?" is three extra jobs. Each one is worth quoting. A polite "I can do that for you, it will be an extra $X" maintains the relationship and your margin. Absorbing extras trains the customer to expect free work.
• Matching a competitor's unrealistically low price. If someone is quoting a merbau deck at $250/sqm installed, they are using a cheaper species, skipping the oiling, excluding the subframe, or working without insurance. Compete on scope clarity, species quality, warranty, and professionalism, not on price alone.

For more on common quoting errors across all trades, see 7 Quoting Mistakes That Cost Tradesmen Money.

How to quote faster without cutting corners

The biggest drag on quoting carpentry work is the gap between the site visit and the customer receiving a number. You measure the deck, note the species, check the access, drive to the next job, and by the time you sit down at the laptop that evening you have three quotes to write and two supplier price checks to make. By then the customer has already called someone else.

FlowSpec cuts that loop. You speak your line items into your phone on site or in the cab on the way to the next job, your Xero price list fills in the numbers, and the quote goes straight to Xero as a draft ready to send. A job that used to take 30 minutes of desk time takes 30 seconds on site.

See how it works at the demo, or check pricing ($50/month for your first quoting seat).