How to Quote Shed and Garage Building Jobs

Shed and garage building is one of the most consistent segments in Australian construction. Every suburban block needs a garage, every rural property needs a machinery shed, and the workshop-behind-the-house is practically a national institution. The work is well-defined, the materials are standardised, and the margins are solid when you quote accurately.

Where shed builders lose money is in the details they leave out of the quote: site preparation on sloping ground, the slab specification, crane hire for tall portal frames, the electrical run from the house, and council approval costs. This guide covers the full scope of a shed or garage build so you can price every component, present a professional quote, and protect your margin from start to handover.

All prices in this guide are in Australian dollars and include GST unless stated otherwise. Rates reflect 2026 market conditions across major Australian metro and regional areas.

Shed types and configurations

The type of shed determines the quoting approach. A garden shed kit from Bunnings is a different job to a 4-bay machinery shed with a lean-to. Clarify the type early so your quote matches the customer's expectations.

Steel frame and cladding costs

Most Australian sheds and garages use steel portal frames with Colorbond or Zincalume cladding. The frame is manufactured to order by a shed company (Fair Dinkum, Totalspan, Ranbuild, ShedBoss, ABC Sheds, and others), then delivered as a kit for on-site erection. Pricing depends on span width, ceiling height, wind rating, and cladding material.

Colorbond vs Zincalume

Zincalume is the base metallic-coated steel with a natural silver finish. Colorbond adds a baked-on paint layer for colour and additional corrosion protection. The premium for Colorbond over Zincalume is 15 to 20 percent on the kit price. Most residential customers choose Colorbond for the 22-colour range and street-facing appearance. Zincalume is standard on rural and industrial sheds where appearance is secondary to cost.

Kit delivery

Shed kits are delivered on a flatbed truck. Allow $500 to $1,500 for metro delivery and $1,500 to $3,500 for regional delivery depending on distance. Some manufacturers include delivery within a radius. Confirm the delivery method (crane truck vs forklift unload) and whether the customer's site can accommodate a semi-trailer.

Concrete slab and footings

The slab is typically the single largest line item after the steel kit. Quote it as a separate section so the customer can see the full cost breakdown. Slab specification depends on the shed's purpose and the site's soil classification.

What the slab cost includes

• Site scrape and level (strip topsoil, compact sub-grade)
• 50mm compacted sand or crushed rock blinding layer
• 200 micron vapour barrier (polyethylene sheet)
• Edge formwork (boxing) and set-out
• Reinforcing mesh on bar chairs at mid-depth
• Edge beam reinforcement (N12 ligatures and bars)
• Hold-down bolt cages cast in at portal frame positions
• Ready-mix concrete supply and pump (if needed)
• Pour, vibrate, screed, and power-float finish
• Control joints (saw-cut at 3m to 4m centres)
• Cure and strip formwork

Additional slab costs

Roller doors, sectional doors, and access doors

Doors are the most visible component of a shed or garage. They are also where customers spend the most time making decisions. Quote each door as a separate line item with the automation option priced alongside it.

Door automation add-ons

A standard garage door motor with two remotes and a wall button costs $400 to $800 to install on an existing manual door. Smart home integration (Wi-Fi control, app access) adds $100 to $250 to the motor cost. Battery backup units for power outage operation add $150 to $300. Always confirm the power supply is available before quoting automation.

Windows, ventilation, and insulation

Electrical fit-out

Most shed customers want power. Quote the electrical as a provisional sum or a fixed-price allowance based on the scope. Electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician and inspected before energising.

Typical electrical packages

A basic single garage package (underground run up to 15m, sub-board, 2 GPOs, 2 LED battens, 1 external light) costs $2,500 to $4,000. A workshop package (longer run, sub-board, 6 GPOs, 4 LED battens, 1 external light, 1 x 15A outlet) costs $4,500 to $7,000. A full workshop with 3-phase power adds $6,000 to $12,000 depending on the distance from the street transformer.

Wind ratings explained

Every shed and garage in Australia must be designed and built to withstand the wind loads for its specific location. The wind rating determines the steel gauge, bracing, footing design, and fixing requirements. Getting the wind rating wrong is a compliance failure and a liability risk.

The shed manufacturer determines the wind rating based on the site address, but you should understand it so you can explain the cost impact to the customer. An N3-rated shed in a coastal Victorian town will cost noticeably more than an N2-rated shed in suburban Melbourne for the same footprint.

Labour rates and erection productivity

Shed erection is specialist work. The crew needs to handle heavy steel portal frames, work at height, and coordinate crane lifts. Quote labour based on the shed size and complexity, not just an hourly rate.

Erection time benchmarks

Crane hire

Most shed builds over 2.7m wall height need a crane for portal frame erection. A franna crane (pick-and-carry) costs $1,200 to $2,000 per day including operator. A mobile crane for larger frames costs $1,800 to $3,000 per day. Book the crane early because cancellation fees apply ($300 to $800) if you postpone within 48 hours. Factor wet weather delays into your program.

Council approvals and permits by state

Most residential garages and larger sheds require some form of building approval. The rules vary by state, local government area, and zoning. As the builder, you should know the thresholds so you can advise the customer and include approval costs in the quote.

What approval costs include

• Council application fee ($200 to $800 depending on the LGA and project value)
• Building surveyor / certifier fee ($500 to $1,500 for inspection and certificate)
• Engineering certification for the steel frame ($300 to $800, usually supplied by the shed manufacturer)
• Soil test / geotechnical report ($300 to $600)
• Site survey or boundary peg-out ($400 to $800 if boundaries are unclear)

For residential garages, a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) in NSW or an equivalent fast-track approval in other states is quicker and cheaper than a full Development Application (DA). A CDC can be issued by a private certifier in 10 to 15 business days. A DA through council can take 40 to 90 days.

Bushfire zones (BAL rating)

If the property is in a designated bushfire-prone area, the shed may need to meet Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) requirements under AS 3959. This can affect cladding material, ember protection at gaps, and window specifications. BAL ratings from BAL-LOW to BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) progressively increase the construction requirements and cost. A shed in a BAL-29 zone may cost 10 to 15 percent more than the same shed in a BAL-LOW zone due to ember guards, non-combustible materials, and specific gap-sealing requirements.

Whole-job benchmarks

Use these benchmarks as a sanity check on your quotes. They represent typical fully installed prices including slab, steel kit, erection, doors, guttering, and basic council approval. They do not include electrical, plumbing, internal fit-out, or complex site works.

Worked example: 6m x 9m double garage with workshop bay, Melbourne suburb

A homeowner in an N2 wind zone wants a double garage (6m wide x 9m deep, 54 m2) with one bay for two cars and one bay as a workshop. Colorbond cladding in Basalt, 3.0m wall height, two single automated roller doors on the front wall, one PA door on the side, two windows, insulated roof, and a basic electrical package. Flat site, no rock, no bushfire zone.

Margin check

Direct costs (materials, sub-trades, crane, skip) total approximately $32,500. Labour and overheads total approximately $8,500. Gross margin on this job is approximately $8,130, or 16.5 percent of the quoted price. For a residential shed builder targeting 20 to 25 percent gross margin, the quote would need to be $51,000 to $54,000. Adjust your labour and overhead recovery rates to hit your target margin.

The key variables that shift this quote are the slab (sloping sites add $2,000 to $8,000 for cut and fill), the wind rating (N3 adds roughly $2,500 to $4,000 to the kit), and the electrical scope (3-phase power adds $3,000 to $7,000). Always price these as separate line items so the customer can see where the money goes.

Regional price variation

Shed and garage costs vary across Australia due to steel freight, concrete supply, labour rates, wind rating requirements, and council fees. Use Melbourne metro as the baseline and adjust for your region.

Licensing and registration by state

Shed and garage building is regulated construction work in every Australian state and territory. The licence requirements depend on the project value, the type of structure, and whether the builder is the principal contractor or a subcontractor erecting the frame only.

Insurance requirements

Most states require builders to hold public liability insurance ($5 million to $20 million) and, for domestic work, home warranty insurance (also called domestic building insurance or builders warranty). In Victoria, home warranty insurance is required for domestic projects over $16,000. In NSW, it is required for projects over $20,000. Check your state's current thresholds. The cost of home warranty insurance is typically 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the contract value and is a legitimate line item in your quote or overhead recovery.

8 common quoting mistakes on shed and garage jobs

1. Underquoting the slab on sloping sites. A site that looks flat can have a 300mm fall across 9 metres. That means cut and fill, retaining, extra concrete, and possibly a structural engineer. Always check levels with a laser or dumpy level at the site visit.
2. Forgetting crane hire. Portal frames over 2.7m wall height cannot be safely erected by hand. A half-day crane hire is $1,100 to $1,500. Leaving it out of the quote is a direct hit to your margin.
3. Not confirming the wind rating before quoting. Quoting N2 when the site is actually N3 means you either wear the kit upgrade cost or go back to the customer with a variation. Confirm the rating with the shed manufacturer before you price.
4. Lumping electrical into the build price. Electrical is a separate trade with its own licensing and compliance. Quote it as a provisional sum or a fixed allowance, and make clear it is performed by a licensed electrician. If you bury it in the build price, the customer cannot compare like for like and you carry the risk of scope creep.
5. Ignoring stormwater and drainage. Council will require shed downpipes to connect to the stormwater system or discharge to an approved point. A soakaway pit or connection to the existing stormwater line is $800 to $2,500. Quote it or flag it as an exclusion.
6. Not including hold-down bolts in the slab quote. The concreter needs to cast hold-down bolt cages at every portal frame position. If the bolt positions are wrong or missing, the frame cannot be erected without drilling and chemical anchoring (additional cost and weaker connection). Provide the bolt layout drawing to the concreter before the pour.
7. Quoting off a verbal description instead of a site visit. Every shed job needs a site visit. Access for the delivery truck, overhead power lines, trees, retaining, existing slabs, easements, and boundary setbacks all affect the price. Quoting from a phone call leads to variations and disputes.
8. Forgetting the building surveyor's final inspection fee. The building surveyor issues the occupancy permit or compliance certificate after the final inspection. This fee ($400 to $800) is separate from the initial application and is due at the end of the job. Include it in your quote or note it as a disbursement.

What to include in your shed or garage quote

A professional quote builds trust and reduces queries. Include these items as separate line items or clearly described sections.

1. Shed type, dimensions, and configuration (span, depth, wall height, number of bays, door positions)
2. Wind rating (N1 to C4, confirmed by manufacturer for the site address)
3. Cladding material and colour (Colorbond colour name or Zincalume, roof and wall separately if different)
4. Slab specification (thickness, reinforcement, edge beam, hold-down bolts, finish type)
5. Doors (type, size, manual or automated, brand if specified)
6. Windows and ventilation (size, type, number, position)
7. Insulation (R-value, roof only or roof and walls, type)
8. Electrical allowance (scope, provisional sum or fixed, performed by licensed electrician)
9. Council approval and engineering (CDC or DA, certifier fee, engineering cert, soil test)
10. Exclusions (plumbing, internal fit-out, retaining walls, rock excavation, tree removal, landscaping reinstatement)
11. Program (estimated start date, slab pour, cure period, erection dates, handover)
12. Payment terms (deposit, progress payments tied to milestones, final payment on completion)

Relevant Australian Standards

Site costs and preparation

Site conditions can add significantly to the base cost of a shed build. Identify these at the site visit and quote them as separate line items or clearly noted exclusions.