Excavation quoting app.
Quotes in under 30 seconds
Describe the site, dig depth and access, and the AI prices machine hire, cartage and disposal in NZD at current New Zealand rates, with 15% GST already in the total.
Plans from A$29/mo · 7-day free trial, no credit card
What to put on the quote
- Locate underground services before digging with beforeUdig, which is freeSource: beforeUdig NZ
- A trench, pit or other excavation over 1.5 m deep and deeper than it is wide at the top is notifiable hazardous work: give WorkSafe 24 hours' noticeSource: WorkSafe, particular hazardous work; Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995
- An excavation face over 5 m high and steeper than 1 horizontal to 2 vertical is also notifiable workSource: WorkSafe, particular hazardous work
- Your GST number, with 15% GST shown; for jobs over NZ$200 the GST number is required on the taxable supply informationSource: IRD, taxable supply information and GST rate (ird.govt.nz)
- Label it a quote (a fixed price, binding once accepted) or an estimate, and state what is excludedSource: Consumer NZ, quotes and estimates
Typical rates
Estimates to sanity-check your own pricing, not quotes.
| Item | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Digger and operator, per hour (general) | NZ$90–$150 | Builder Connect NZ, earthworks pricing Auckland (general market estimate; GST not stated) |
| Digger and operator, per hour (conflicting source) | NZ$185–$230 for excavation and earthworks, ex GST; the machine and crew are not stated | TradieTools NZ 2026 rates (directory estimate) |
| Machine hire by size, per hour | Mini digger NZ$70–$100 · standard digger NZ$100–$150 · large excavator NZ$150–$200 | Builder Connect NZ, digger and operator hire rates (estimate; GST not stated) |
| Bulk excavation with cartage, per m³ | NZ$80–$130 (detailed excavation NZ$110–$180) | Builder Connect NZ, earthworks pricing Auckland (estimate; GST not stated) |
| Driveway excavation, whole job | NZ$3,000–$12,000 (pool excavation NZ$5,000–$15,000) | Reliable Earthworks, Auckland, Jun 2026 (one business's estimate; GST not stated) |
What's the best quoting app for excavation contractors in New Zealand?
Insta Quotes is an AI quoting app for New Zealand and Australian excavation contractors that turns a job description into an itemised, GST-ready quote in under 30 seconds; plans start at $29 AUD a month, billed in AUD even in New Zealand. A sample Insta Quotes excavation quote itemises the job into machine hire, cartage, disposal, services and hardfill lines.
How much does Insta Quotes cost for an excavation contractor in New Zealand?
Insta Quotes plans are billed in AUD: Tier 1 $29 AUD, Tier 2 $59 AUD and Tier 3 $99 AUD a month. New accounts start with a free 7-day trial, capped at 7 quotes in total rather than per month, with no credit card required, so excavation contractors in New Zealand can quote before paying.
How much should an excavation contractor charge per hour in New Zealand?
Digger and operator, per hour (general) in New Zealand: NZ$90–$150 (source: Builder Connect NZ, earthworks pricing Auckland (general market estimate; GST not stated)). Rates vary by city and experience, so in Insta Quotes you set your own hourly rate and every quote is priced from it.
How do I quote an excavation job in New Zealand?
Describe the job, such as "30 m drainage trench, 900 mm deep, spoil to cleanfill", and the AI prices machine hours, operator, cartage and disposal as separate lines in NZD, with 15% GST shown separately. Adjust the hours for ground and access, then email the quote to the client with an accept link.
What should a New Zealand excavation quote include?
Machine hire, operator time, cartage and disposal as separate lines, then 15% GST under your GST number. State the machine size, the spoil volume and where it's going, and what happens if rock or fill turns up. Insta Quotes prints exclusions in their own box, so the ground-condition assumptions are on the record.
How should machine hire be shown on an excavation quote?
As its own line with the machine, the hours and the rate, separate from cartage and disposal, so the client can see why a bigger machine or harder ground changes the price. Insta Quotes prices digger and bobcat time with operator per hour in NZD, and you set your own rates.
How do I handle ground conditions on an excavation quote?
Name your assumption and price the alternative. Say what ground you've priced for, then list rock, fill, water and unmarked services in the exclusions box with how they'll be charged if found. A rock-breaking rate can sit as an optional line outside the total, so the client knows the cost before it happens.
Can a client accept an excavation quote online?
Yes. Email the quote from the app and the client accepts through the link on it, with an optional deposit paid at acceptance. The accepted quote converts to an invoice in NZD with 15% GST, without retyping, so the paperwork is done before the machine leaves the yard.