Free tool
Price the job so it's actually worth doing.
Labour, materials and overheads, plus what you add on top. The part most quoting advice skips: whether the percentage you're adding is a margin or a markup, and what that difference costs you.
What an hour costs you — wage, or what your own time is worth.
What you pay for them, before any markup.
Ute, insurance, fuel, phone, accountant — per day you're working. Not sure? The operating costs calculator works it out.
Quote this job at
$3,114
30% true margin — you keep $934 on a $2,180 job
Margin and markup are not the same number
You said 30%. Added as a markup on cost that’s $2,834. As a true margin it’s $3,114.
The difference is $280 on this job. A 30% markup only leaves you a 23.1% margin — which is why quoting “30%” the wrong way round quietly costs you money on every job you win.
What this assumes
- Your labour cost is what the hour costs you — a wage, or what your own time is worth. It's not what you charge.
- Overheads are the costs that run whether you're on a job or not: ute, insurance, fuel, phone, accountant, software.
- Markup on cost adds a percentage to what you paid. True margin is the percentage of the final price you keep. They are different numbers.
- GST is not included — add it if you're registered.
Estimates only. This is a planning tool, not financial or tax advice — your own accountant knows your numbers better than a calculator does.
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