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.

How to price a deck job

Decking is one of the jobs New Zealand homeowners search for by price, so it pays to have a clear answer ready before you reach site. The figures below are guide ranges for supply and build. Treat them as a starting point that your own site measurements then confirm or correct.

What a deck costs the client

• H3.2 treated pine decking: NZ$280–$420/m² (the rate in the job rates above)
• Kwila (vitex) hardwood: NZ$350–$550/m²
• Composite decking: NZ$450–$650/m²
• Typical 20 m² deck: NZ$6,000–$10,000
• Elevated deck, stairs or roof: add NZ$5,000–$20,000+

A large or elevated deck with a roof or stairs can reach NZ$20,000 or more. The typical 20 m² total is a guide price that includes 15% GST, so check whether your own per m² rates are GST inclusive before you compare them. Treated pine is the cheapest material. Kwila and composite cost more but last longer, which is the point to make when a client is comparing your number against a cheaper one.

What drives the price, and what to check on site

Every factor that moves a deck price is something you can look at or measure before you quote:

• Timber species and grade: settle this first, because "kwila decking" and "treated pine" are very different prices. Do not price until the client has chosen, or quote each option as its own line.
• Height and substructure: a low ground-level deck is far cheaper than an elevated one that needs tall posts, bearers and balustrade. Measure how high the finished surface will sit above the ground at its highest point, and look at what is already there.
• Site access and ground: sloping or hard-to-reach sections add labour. Walk the route the materials will take from the delivery point to the deck, and note the fall of the ground.
• Extras: stairs, balustrade, a roof or pergola, and finishing (oil or stain) all add up. Count and measure each one so it can be priced as its own line.
• Consent: decks more than 1.5 m above ground (or with certain handrail or area triggers) need building consent and may need engineering, built to NZS 3604. Work out on site whether the deck will go over that height, and say in the quote who pays for consent fees and engineering.

How to measure and quote a deck

1. Area. Measure length and width and work out the deck area in m². This is the figure the per m² rates apply to.
2. Height and substructure. Record the height above ground and the condition of any existing substructure or bearers. If you are relying on them, say so in the exclusions.
3. Stairs and balustrade. Note where stairs are needed and where balustrade runs, then price them separately rather than folding them into the m² rate.
4. Finishing. Decide whether oil or stain is included. If it is not, say so.
5. Consent. Note whether building consent or engineering certification is likely and whose cost it is.
6. Access. Record anything that will slow the job, such as a steep section or a long carry.

Then apply the per m² rate for the chosen species and add the extras as separate lines. If you would rather build the price up from first principles, use the labour rates above, charge timber at cost plus 15 to 25 percent, and add about 10 percent for wastage on boards.

Worked example: a 20 m² deck

This is an example calculation using the guide ranges above, not a quote for a real job:

• H3.2 treated pine: 20 m² × NZ$280–$420/m² = NZ$5,600–$8,400
• Kwila hardwood: 20 m² × NZ$350–$550/m² = NZ$7,000–$11,000
• Composite: 20 m² × NZ$450–$650/m² = NZ$9,000–$13,000

Now add the lowest figure in the elevated, stairs or roof range. Treated pine at NZ$5,600–$8,400 plus NZ$5,000 gives NZ$10,600–$13,400. If the add-ons run towards the top of their range, the total moves up with them, which is how larger decks reach NZ$20,000 or more.

What to put on the quote so it can be compared

A homeowner comparing three deck quotes is usually comparing three different decks. Make yours easy to compare by stating:

• The timber species, grade and treatment
• The substructure, including the height it is built to
• Whether stairs, balustrade and finishing are included
• What is excluded, such as building consent fees, engineering and any repair to existing bearers
• GST at 15 percent shown as a separate line, in NZD

How much does it cost to build a deck in NZ?

Building a deck in New Zealand typically costs NZ$350–$550 per m² for kwila hardwood, and treated pine sits below that at NZ$280–$420 per m² in the job rates above. A typical 20 m² deck runs about NZ$6,000–$10,000, including 15% GST. Timber species, height and substructure drive the price.

How much should I charge per m² to build a deck in NZ?

Guide ranges are NZ$280–$420/m² for H3.2 treated pine, NZ$350–$550/m² for kwila hardwood and NZ$450–$650/m² for composite. Check the result against your own hours and materials cost, because access, height and substructure condition all move the real number.

What does it cost to add stairs to a deck in NZ?

The guide figures do not split stairs out on their own. An elevated deck, stairs or roof together add NZ$5,000–$20,000+ to the price. Count the steps and measure the balustrade on site, and quote stairs as a separate line so the client can see what they are paying for.

Related guides

• How to Quote a Carpentry Job: Australian Carpenter's Pricing Guide

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