The rates are starting points. Height, access, whether the existing structure is square, and whether you are working around a family living in the house change them more than the timber does. If your hourly number is a guess, fix that first with the charge-out rate calculator.
A worked example: 24 m² merbau deck
Ground-level deck off a rear door, 6m × 4m, existing concrete removed by others. Carpenter registered for GST, supplying materials.
| Line | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck construction — bearers, joists, merbau decking (per m²) | 24 | $285.00 | $6,840.00 |
| Footings — 9 concrete piers, dug and poured | 9 | $145.00 | $1,305.00 |
| Steps — 3 treads, full width, matching timber | 1 | $680.00 | $680.00 |
| Balustrade — 6 lm, to code height, matching timber | 6 | $220.00 | $1,320.00 |
| Oil finish — two coats, decking oil, incl. materials | 24 | $18.00 | $432.00 |
| Rubbish removal and site clean | 1 | $240.00 | $240.00 |
| Subtotal | $10,817.00 | ||
| GST (10%) | $1,081.70 | ||
| Total inc GST | $11,898.70 | ||
| Deposit to book in (20%) | $2,379.74 | ||
| Balance on completion | $9,518.96 |
Footings, steps and balustrade are separate from the deck rate. That is not padding — they are the three things a customer forgets are part of a deck, and separating them is what stops your quote looking expensive next to one that quietly omitted the handrail.
What to put on a carpentry quote
- Business name, ABN, and your builder or trade licence number where your state requires one for the work and value involved.
- Line-by-line scope with quantities — square metres for decking and flooring, lineal metres for balustrade and trim, each for doors and units.
- Timber species, grade and treatment. Merbau, spotted gum, treated pine H3 or H4 — these are different jobs at different prices, and a quote that just says "timber" cannot be compared with anything.
- Who orders and pays for materials, and a line about price movement: timber prices move, so state how long the material component holds.
- A wastage allowance, if you are supplying. It is real and it is normal to price it.
- What finishing is included — oiled, painted, or bare and someone else's job.
- Exclusions. Demolition, concrete removal, excavation, electrical or plumbing relocation, painting, engineering or council approval, scaffolding, and rectifying out-of-square existing structure.
- Approvals. Say plainly whether building approval is required and who is obtaining it — decks above a certain height commonly need one.
- Access and site conditions the price assumes.
- Whether GST is included, how long the price holds, and deposit and progress payment terms.
- The variations sentence.
Common mistakes, and what each one costs
- No allowance for out-of-square. Renovation carpentry in an old house is a series of small custom problems. A price built on new-build assumptions loses days.
- Materials at cost. You carried the money, made the run, sorted the bad lengths and warrant the result. See the markup and margin calculator — 30% added on is a 23% margin.
- Forgetting the rubbish. Offcuts, packaging and demolition waste all need a trailer and a tip fee.
- No approval line. A deck that needs a building approval nobody obtained is a problem that surfaces at the worst possible moment.
- Fixed price on second-fix in an old house. Nothing is plumb, nothing is standard, and every door needs planing. Day rate that work, and say why.
- No deposit on a materials-heavy job. Ordering $5,000 of hardwood on your account for a customer who then goes quiet is a bad month.
Three things that win the job
Break the quote into stages the customer can see. Frame, deck, balustrade, finish. It reads as a plan rather than a price, and it makes the number feel earned.
Name the timber and why. Two lines on why you have specced H4 for ground contact tells the customer you are the one who has thought about it. That is worth more than a discount.
Follow it up. Big-ticket carpentry sits while people talk it over at home. Two short messages over a fortnight recover a meaningful share — wording in the quote follow-up templates.
Yamate keeps your rates, your material specs and your standard exclusions, so a quote is a few taps rather than a blank page — then turns the accepted quote into the invoice without retyping it. Sign up before 30 September 2026 and lock in the Founder plan at $19/mo — forever. It's $29/mo after that. No lock-in, cancel anytime. Prices in AUD.
FAQ
What should a carpentry quote include?
A line-by-line scope with quantities; timber species, grade and treatment; who orders and pays for materials; what finishing is included; exclusions; whether GST applies; how long the price holds; and deposit and progress payment terms.
Day rate or fixed price?
Fixed price where the scope is measurable — decks, doors, floors. Day rate for second-fix and renovation work in old buildings, where nothing is square and the honest answer is that nobody knows the time until it starts.
Who supplies the timber?
Either, as long as the quote says which. If you supply, name the species and grade and price a wastage allowance. If they supply, say you cannot warrant material you did not select, and that waiting on a late delivery is chargeable.
Do I need a licence?
It depends on your state and on the value and type of work. Structural work, decks and jobs above a contract threshold commonly require a licence, a prescribed written contract and home-warranty insurance. Check with your state building regulator.
Do I charge GST on a quote?
Only if you are registered, which is generally required once turnover reaches $75,000. See when a sole trader has to register.
Next steps
General information for Australian tradies, not tax, legal or financial advice. Every figure this page produces is an estimate based on what you type in. Licensing, written-contract, home-warranty and deposit rules are set by each state and territory — check yours before relying on this page.