How to Quote a Carpentry Job: New Zealand Carpenter's Pricing Guide

Carpentry spans a wide range of work, from decking and framing to fitouts, doors and joinery, so no single rate covers every job. What does stay constant is how you structure the quote and price timber and labour. Some of this work is restricted building work that needs a Licensed Building Practitioner, so the quote should make your licensing clear. Here is how to price carpentry for the NZ market, with a structure you can reuse.

What a carpentry quote should include

• Business name, GST number (from IRD) and contact details, plus your LBP number where the work is restricted building work
• Quote number and date
• Expiry date, 14 to 30 days, because timber pricing moves
• Client name and site address
• Itemised scope, with each element (decking, framing, hardware) on its own line
• Timber species, grade and treatment specified, since H3.2 treated pine and a hardwood like vitex are very different costs
• Materials and labour shown separately
• GST at 15 percent as a separate line
• Payment terms and exclusions

Carpentry labour rates (2025 to 2026 NZ market)

Most carpenters price labour at an hourly or daily rate, then estimate the hours each task takes:

• Carpenter hourly rate: $65 to $95 per hour depending on region and complexity
• Day rate (chargeable): $520 to $760 per day
• Apprentice or second set of hands: $40 to $60 per hour

Auckland and Wellington rates run higher, Christchurch and regional NZ a little lower. The real skill is estimating hours honestly. Keep a record of how long past jobs actually took, not how long you hoped, because that history is the best pricing tool you have.

Common carpentry job rates

• Hardwood decking, supply and lay: $350 to $550 per m2 depending on species and substructure
• H3.2 treated pine decking: $280 to $420 per m2
• Wall framing to NZS 3604, supply and erect: $50 to $90 per m2 of floor area
• Hang a standard internal door (supply and fit): $140 to $250 per door
• Built in wardrobe carcass and fitout: $1,400 to $4,000 depending on size and finish
• Pergola, treated pine, mid size: $4,000 to $9,000 supplied and built

These are guide ranges. Access, height, substructure condition and finish level all change the number. A deck more than 1.5m above ground, or any structural work, needs building consent and must meet the NZ Building Code.

How to price timber and materials

Charge timber and hardware at cost plus 15 to 25 percent. You are sourcing, carting, storing and carrying the risk that prices move between quote and job, and the markup covers that along with wastage. Match the treatment to the use: H3.2 for timber above ground and H4 for posts in ground, with GIB linings priced separately where they apply. Add about 10 percent for wastage on boards and 5 percent on framing when you estimate quantities.

Exclusions that protect you

• "Assumes existing substructure and bearers are in sound condition. Repairs quoted separately."
• "Assumes clear, level site access for materials delivery."
• "Painting, staining and oiling not included unless specified."
• "Building consent fees and engineering certification at the client's cost."
• "Price held for 30 days subject to timber supplier pricing."

A reusable carpentry quote structure

Set the same headings up once and reuse them on every job: business details, job description, then line items split into Materials, Labour and any Hardware or Disposal, followed by subtotal, GST, total, payment terms and exclusions. After the first build, a new quote is mostly a matter of dropping numbers into a layout you already trust, which is what lets you get it back to the client the same day.

Related guides

• Cost to Build a Deck in New Zealand

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