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Quote Service

An itemised quote you can hold a bid against

$300

A line-by-line quote for the project you have decided to build: what the work breaks into, what each part should cost, and where the money actually goes. It is written to be read against a contractor bid, so that when the two disagree you can see precisely where.

A flat fee for a defined project. If the scope changes after we have quoted it, that is a new quote, and we will tell you so before doing any work rather than after.

The consultation fee you already paid comes off this price.

Who this is for

  • You know what you are building, and you want to know what it should cost, part by part.
  • You have a bid in hand and no way to judge whether the line items are reasonable.
  • You are close to signing something and want an independent number in front of you first.

Who this is not for

If one of these describes you, do not buy this. It is cheaper for you and it is the reason this section is on the page.

  • You have not decided what the project is yet. Deciding is what the consultation and the design are for.
  • You want a price you can hold someone to. Ours is an independent estimate, not an offer to perform work, and no contractor is bound by it.
  • You also need the project designed. Buy the design instead — this quote is part of it, and buying both means paying twice for the same document.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    It starts from the consultation

    Either from your description of a project we have already seen, or from a design we produced. If the description leaves too much undecided, we will tell you a second visit is needed rather than quote a guess with decimal places on it.

  2. Step 2

    We break the work into parts

    Excavation, base, materials, labour, access, disposal, and the items homeowners are most often surprised by. Quantities wherever quantities are knowable.

  3. Step 3

    You get the quote in writing

    With the assumptions it rests on written down beside it, so you can see which numbers move if an assumption turns out to be wrong.

What is not included

  • A binding price. We are not the ones doing the work.
  • Drawings or a design.
  • Contacting contractors or collecting their bids.
  • Materials ordering, scheduling or site supervision.

Where this sits

The quote prices a decision that has already been made. Making the decision is the consultation, and designing what gets built is the design.

  • Consultation

    $150

    Comes first. The verdict says whether a quote is the right next step at all, and sometimes it says it is not.

  • Design Service

    from $500

    Includes this quote. If you need both, buy the design and not both.

  • Contractor Comparison

    $400

    The natural step after. The line items here are what make several bids answer the same question.

How you get it

Normally arranged after a consultation, because a quote for a project nobody has seen is a guess with decimal places on it.

Start with a consultation

A consultation is $150, and that fee comes off this service if the verdict says you need it. Often it says you do not.

If you already know exactly what you want priced, you can book this directly. Most people should not: the consultation costs less and often ends the question. Ask for it directly.