How to read a builders quote

Reading a builders quotation can be frustrating and can leave many people wondering what it actually includes! There are a few essential things that you can do to greatly improve receiving a thorough and easy to understand quotation: such as clear plans and notations, a detailed building specification, ‘three quotes’ and lots of questions will greatly improve your chances of receiving a clear and easy to understand quotation.

Working drawings/plans are the most important document when providing information to a builder or any other trade for quotation.

These documents should be easy to read and informative - with lots of dimensioning and notes provided. See How to read plans, these drawings and the plan above will provide you with an idea of how your plans should look and what information they should include.

You can also provide extra information to the ‘trades’ with a comprehensive Building Specification. This document offers much more information to the person costing the job than the plans alone. Our example of a Building specification has been prepared by an Architect and offers a sample of what information is included in a full specification. This Specification can also be used as a guide/checklist when organising and finalising your quotation and is a handy document to refer to throughout the construction period. A standard Specification can be purchased through your local council and provides information on Australian Standards on various building applications. This is a working and legal document that forms part of the building contract.

If you have not experienced the construction process for sometime or have not been recommended a builder it is best to gain ‘three’ quotations or engage the services of a Quantity Surveyor. A Quantity Surveyor specialises in costing renovations and new buildings of all sizes at a set price. If you don’t know weather you can afford the home you are dreaming of engaging the services of a Quantity Surveyor at the Developed Design stage could save you a great deal of heartache and money

Note: Tell the person quoting you want it to be itemised:

Example

• Roofing $15,000
• Plumbing $10,000 (not including tap fittings)
• Electrical plus upgrading of power to 3 phase $15,000 (does not including light fittings)
• Stud frames and trusses $25,000 (included all bearers and joists)

Ask the person quoting to provide a list of all items ‘not’ included in the final costing's as some things may have been left-out or are unknown such as structural or Geotechnical engineering requirements etc

After providing lots of information for your Builder or Quantity Surveyor you should receive a 'well thought out' quotation – should! This does not always occur –remember ‘the more questions you ask the better informed you will be’, there are a few questions that are essential in finalising your quotation:

Does the quote include:

• Fencing
• Hard landscaping (paved areas, concrete driveway)
• Soft landscaping (grass)
• Water tanks and under slab for water tank, grey water recycling
• Council fees
• Engineers fees
• Home warranty insurance
• The builders percentage (for project management) is usually around 10% of the construction cost
• Any anything else that you assumed would be included (soft furnishings eg. Curtains and blinds)
• Site preparation (land fill, demolition of an existing house, excavation)
• Services connection to mains
• Extra construction costs in high bush zoned areas

A PC allowance is usually made by the Builder/Quantity Surveyor on such things as; tiles, tap fittings, kitchen cabinets and kitchen appliances – ask if there is an allowance or not.

Also read 'Become Empowered' under Becoming an owner builder

Conclusion

The only way to gain a comprehensive and easy to under stand quotation is by providing as much information as possible and by asking lots of questions. This process can be stressful but if you ask all the right questions before and during the tendering/quotation process there will be fewer unpleasant surprises during the construction process.