Free guides made for real businesses like yours.
In construction, inaccurate quotes don’t just lose you the job—they can drain your profit margins and break trust. If you're tired of underestimating costs or struggling to justify your pricing, these practical tips will help you quote with confidence and control your bottom line.
Use past jobs as your benchmark. Analyse previous estimates vs. actuals and document where things went wrong or better than expected. This insight sharpens your future pricing and helps you stay realistic about project timelines and costs.
Don’t just submit one lump sum. Break estimates into categories: materials, labour, equipment, subcontractors, permits, and contingency. This helps your client understand the value behind your price—and gives you clarity on where your costs are concentrated.
Rain delays, material shortages, or access issues—these things happen. Add a reasonable contingency (5–10%) to protect your project from unknowns. It’s not overpricing—it’s smart preparation that can save your profit margin down the line.
Estimating software tools like Buildertrend, EstimatorXpress, or EasyBuild help standardise your quotes and improve accuracy. Plus, they create professional estimates that boost credibility with clients—especially commercial ones.
Always include VAT if you're VAT-registered, and mark up your labour and subcontractor costs to reflect overheads and project management. Clients expect markup—they just want transparency.
Quoting with confidence doesn’t mean overpricing—it means pricing smart. When you estimate with accuracy, transparency, and strategy, you not only win the job—you keep your profits, build trust, and protect your business reputation.
💡 Want more accurate cost estimates on your builds? Our Advisory Services support contractors with budgeting, forecasting, and realistic project planning — so you can quote with confidence and avoid nasty surprises.
Construction projects often involve upfront costs, long payment cycles, and retention percentages that delay access to funds. Add in supplier timelines, weather delays, and labour costs — and cash flow gaps become a real risk even for profitable contractors.
Build a detailed projection by listing out every expected cost (labour, materials, subcontractors) and match it to the timing of client payments. Don’t forget to include VAT, retention holds, and contingency for delays or change orders.
Invoice immediately after milestones, negotiate better supplier terms, stagger materials delivery, and automate payment reminders. Even negotiating 10–15 extra days to pay can improve your liquidity when cash is tight.
Absolutely. Setting aside 5–10% of each job as contingency can prevent you from halting work when things go wrong. Emergencies like broken equipment or late client payments can derail even well-planned projects without a buffer.
Book a free consultation with our team. We'll help you build clearer, smarter estimates so you stop underpricing and start growing your margins.