Builder quoting software: Building quotes clients can follow, with your costings kept private.
Quote in sections, show section totals and set a deposit within your state's limits, with written terms on every quote. Clients can follow a bathroom renovation stage by stage on one quote.
Free for 21 days from the day you set up, with no card needed. Then $29/mo inc GST.
Quote a job
Builder & renovations · type any line you like. Every price is yours to change.
Bathroom renovation
Customer price $4,800.00+20% profit on your cost(your cost $4,000.00)Common for Builder & renovations
Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off (certified)Starting cost $4,500 · Common for Builder & renovations- Plumbing: sink, dishwasher, gas (certified)Starting cost $1,800 · Common for Builder & renovations
- Plumbing + electrical connections, licensed (allowance)Starting cost $6,000 · Common for Builder & renovations
What your customer opens on their phone
This is the real Karven quote for a sample builder & renovations job, with 20% profit on top. Your customer gets the same quote as a link and a PDF.
Builder & renovations at 14 Banksia Avenue
Prices ex GST
Bathroom renovation
Bathroom renovation. Room size: 1.8m x 1.5m. New fixtures and finishes as selected, installed and sealed. Waterproofing to AS 3740 with compliance certificate. All plumbing and electrical by licensed trades, certificates supplied. Site protected during works and left clean on completion. Fixture and tile selections to be confirmed with you before order.
Waterproofing + tiling, refresh
Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off, refresh (certified)
Electrical: lighting, exhaust, heat/light, refresh (certified)
Fixtures + PC items: vanity, toilet, tapware, screen, refresh
Carpentry, plastering + painting, refresh
Includes all work and materials listed above.
A $1,716.00 deposit (10% of the total) is due when you accept.
The client sees the bathroom by stage: waterproofing and tiling, plumbing, electrical, fixtures, carpentry and paint. GST once, the deposit, then Accept.
Builder & renovations at 14 Banksia Avenue
Prices ex GST
Bathroom renovation
Bathroom renovation. Room size: 1.8m x 1.5m. New fixtures and finishes as selected, installed and sealed. Waterproofing to AS 3740 with compliance certificate. All plumbing and electrical by licensed trades, certificates supplied. Site protected during works and left clean on completion. Fixture and tile selections to be confirmed with you before order.
Waterproofing + tiling, refresh
Waterproofing + tiling, full renovation
Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off, refresh (certified)
Electrical: lighting, exhaust, heat/light, refresh (certified)
Fixtures + PC items: vanity, toilet, tapware, screen, refresh
Carpentry, plastering + painting, refresh
Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off (certified)
Includes all work and materials listed above.
A $2,772.00 deposit (10% of the total) is due when you accept.
Refresh or full renovation for the wet area? Put both on as a pick-one and let the client see the difference in dollars, not in a phone call.
Two sides of every quote
The builder & renovations quote they see, and the breakdown only you see
Your customer sees the Full breakdown, Section totals or Total only. You keep every cost and your profit in a private breakdown.
Builder & renovations at 14 Banksia Avenue
Prices ex GST
Bathroom renovation
Bathroom renovation. Room size: 1.8m x 1.5m. New fixtures and finishes as selected, installed and sealed. Waterproofing to AS 3740 with compliance certificate. All plumbing and electrical by licensed trades, certificates supplied. Site protected during works and left clean on completion. Fixture and tile selections to be confirmed with you before order.
- Waterproofing + tiling, refresh
- Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off, refresh (certified)
- Electrical: lighting, exhaust, heat/light, refresh (certified)
- Fixtures + PC items: vanity, toilet, tapware, screen, refresh
- Carpentry, plastering + painting, refresh
A $1,716.00 deposit (10% of the total) is due when you accept.
What Sam sees at Section totals: what each part covers and costs, with one total inc GST.
Private: your costs and profit
Ridgeline Building · Quote RB-2026-014 · for Sam Nguyen · 20 Oct 2026
Only you see this. Don't send it to your customer.
Bathroom renovation
- Waterproofing + tiling, refresh × 11Your cost$4,000.00Customer pays$4,800.00Your profit$800.00
- Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off, refresh (certified) × 11Your cost$2,800.00Customer pays$3,360.00Your profit$560.00
- Electrical: lighting, exhaust, heat/light, refresh (certified) × 11Your cost$1,200.00Customer pays$1,440.00Your profit$240.00
- Fixtures + PC items: vanity, toilet, tapware, screen, refresh × 11Your cost$3,000.00Customer pays$3,600.00Your profit$600.00
- Carpentry, plastering + painting, refresh × 11Your cost$2,000.00Customer pays$2,400.00Your profit$400.00
- Your cost
- $13,000.00
- Your profit (20% on top of cost)
- $2,600.00
- Customer price ex GST
- $15,600.00
- GST (10%)
- $1,560.00
- Total inc GST
- $17,160.00
- Deposit (10%)
- $1,716.00
Your customer sees section totals only.
Private note
Measured up on site with Sam. Supplier prices as at the day I quoted.
Reference copy · not for customer · RB-2026-014 · Ridgeline Building
If a client asks partway through a renovation what was allowed for the kitchen wall, the breakdown shows each section's cost, your profit and the note you wrote at the measure-up.
It is on the quote page as Your private breakdown (PDF), and it never appears in the customer's link, PDF or email.
What a good builder & renovations quote needs
- Scope by stage: strip-out, structure, waterproofing, fit-off, finishes.
- Prime cost and provisional sum items named as allowances, so the client knows which numbers can move.
- Which trades are in (plumbing, electrical, tiling) and who certifies their work.
- Site costs: skip bins, protection, temporary fencing, access.
- Permits, engineering, certifier fees and home warranty insurance where the job needs them.
- How variations work, written down before anyone picks up a hammer.
- Deposit and progress payments that follow your state's rules, and your contractor licence number.
For a step-by-step guide, read how to quote a builder & renovations job.
On every builder & renovations quote
- Licence
- Include on the quote: Contractor licence number (and home warranty insurance where it applies).
- Whether you need a licence depends on your state and what the job is worth. In NSW you need a contractor licence and a written contract for residential building work over $5,000 inc GST. In Queensland a QBCC licence is needed for building work valued over $3,300. Other states set their own rules, so check your regulator before you quote.
- Compliance
- In NSW a written contract is needed for residential building work over $5,000 inc GST, and contracts between $5,000 and $20,000 must include the contractor licence number. A Karven quote isn't a building contract: use it to win the job, then sign the contract your state requires.
- Variations in NSW must be in writing and attached to the contract.
- Deposits on home building work are capped by state law: 10% in NSW; in Victoria 10% under $20,000 and 5% at $20,000 or more; and in WA builders can't ask for more than 6.5% on contracts from $7,500 to $500,000.
- GST
- If you are registered for GST, Karven adds 10% once and shows one total inc GST. If you are not registered, there is no GST line. More in GST on quotes.
- Deposit
- Set your deposit % to what your state allows for the contract value, and it's on every quote. The client pays it by card when they accept, or sees your bank and PayID details.
- Example: the sample job above is $17,160.00 inc GST, so the 10% deposit is $1,716.00.
- Variations
- Rotten bearers under the old bathroom floor? Add a variation on the accepted quote with the work and the price. The client approves and signs it on the same link, and the new total shows on both sides.
Sources, checked 23 Oct 2026
- NSW Government: contracts for residential building work
- QBCC: when you need a licence
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: deposits and payments for domestic building
- WA Consumer Protection: estimates, quotes and deposits
- ACCC: price displays and the total price
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check your own regulator.
Common builder & renovations items and their starting costs
These appear as you type. Starting costs are ex GST, with your profit added on top, and you can change any of them in My items. These are starting costs, not customer prices. Your profit goes on top: at 20% profit, a cost of $7,500 for “Waterproofing + tiling” is $9,000 to your customer.
Bathroom renovation
- Waterproofing + tiling$4,000 to $11,000
- Plumbing: rough-in + fit-off$2,800 to $6,500
- Electrical: lighting, exhaust, heat/light$1,200 to $3,000
- Fixtures + PC items: vanity, toilet, tapware, screen$3,000 to $13,000
- Carpentry, plastering + painting$2,000 to $6,000
Kitchen renovation
- Cabinetry: supply + install$8,000 to $28,000
- Benchtops: supply, fabricate + fit$2,500 to $9,500
- Splashback$800 to $2,800
- Appliance installation$650
- Plumbing: sink, dishwasher, gas$1,800
- Electrical: power, lighting, appliance circuits$1,600
- Patching + painting$1,200
Demolition & prep
- Strip-out$1,500 / room
- Skip bins$550 / each
- Asbestos sample + testing allowance$600
- Floor protection + dust barriers$350
Labour & site
- Builder / carpenter$750 / day
- Labourer$450 / day
- Site establishment + protection$800
Extension / addition
- Extension build, slab to handover$2,600 to $4,200 / m²
- Roof tie-in + weatherproofing to the existing house$4,500
- Structural engineering + soil test$3,500 / allowance
- Council / private certifier fees$3,000 / allowance
Granny flat / secondary dwelling
- Granny flat build, slab to handover$2,400 to $3,600 / m²
- Services: water, sewer + power connections$9,000 / allowance
- Council / certifier / BASIX$4,500 / allowance
- Site prep + earthworks$3,500 / allowance
Prefab / kit home install
- Kit assembly + install$650 / m²
- Slab / footings for the kit$180 / m²
- Crane hire$1,800 / day
- Plumbing + electrical connections, licensed$6,000 / allowance
Deck / pergola (optional)
- Deck: hardwood boards, supplied + built (optional extra)$450 / m²
- Pergola / patio roof, Colorbond (optional extra)$400 / m²
Project management & contingency
- Project management + site supervision$1,500 / week
Following up and getting the deposit
Renovation clients take weeks: they're talking to the bank, the partner and two other builders. Karven shows you which quote has been opened again (a good sign) and has the follow-up written at 3 days and 7 days. You decide what goes.
- Karven writes them and you tap Send
- Or turn on Send automatically
- Deposits by card, bank transfer or PayID
Read more on how to follow up a quote and how much deposit to take.
Follow up with Sam
To sam.nguyen@example.com. Change anything you like, then send.
Subject
Following up on your quote from Ridgeline BuildingMessage
Hi Sam, Just checking in on the $17,160.00 quote I sent through. Happy to talk it over or change anything that doesn't suit. Cheers, Jordan Ridgeline Building
This is the whole message. Under it they get a button to open their quote, then your phone number.
The follow-up Karven writes for you. Nothing goes until you tap Send.
How builders usually price a job
- Renovations are usually a fixed price by stage, with allowances for anything the client hasn't picked yet.
- Your project management can be its own line, or sit in your profit %. In Karven your profit goes on top of your costs and stays on your side of the quote.
- Extensions and granny flats often start as a rate per square metre, then get broken down once the plans are final.
- Keep a contingency line honest and visible. Clients trust a builder who shows them where the risk is.
Read more on how to price a job and what to charge per hour (a free calculator).
Builder & renovations questions
Common questions
Should the client see every line or just section totals?
Many builders show section totals: the client sees where the money goes without picking every line apart. In Karven you choose when you send: full breakdown, section totals or total only. Your copy keeps every line and your costs.
How do I quote items the client hasn't chosen yet?
Use an allowance line, like the fixtures and PC items line, and say on the quote that the final price follows their selection. It keeps the quote honest and the variation simple.
How much deposit can a builder take?
It's set by state law for home building work: 10% in NSW, 10% under $20,000 and 5% at $20,000 or more in Victoria, and 6.5% on contracts from $7,500 to $500,000 in WA. Check your regulator for anything else.
Is a Karven quote a building contract?
No. It's the quote the client says yes to. Where your state requires a written building contract, you still sign one.
Can I quote an extension by the square metre?
Yes. The extension and granny flat sections start with a rate per square metre, plus engineering, certifier and services as allowances.
Can I see how I priced a builder & renovations quote months later?
Yes. Open the quote and download Your private breakdown (PDF). It is never sent to the customer.
What does Karven cost for builders?
It is free for 21 days with no card needed. Then Starter is $29/mo inc GST with unlimited quotes. Card deposits cost Stripe's fee plus 0.5% to Karven.
Keep reading
- Free builder & renovations quote template (printable)
- How to quote a builder & renovations job
- How much should builders charge per hour? Free charge-out rate calculator
- How to write a quote customers say yes to
- Karven compared with Tradify, ServiceM8, Fergus and others
- Pricing: from $29/mo inc GST
Other trades
Your next builder & renovations quote: clear for them, all there for you.
21 days free with every feature on, and no card needed. Support from Sydney by email or phone during business hours.
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