Eagle InvoiceBuilder quote template
A builder's quote is really a payment plan with a scope attached. Structure it around progress stages — deposit, base, frame, lock-up, fixing, completion — with the percentage due at each stage written down. Clients approve staged quotes faster because they can see they're never ahead of the work.
What a builder quote should include
- Progress payment stages with the percentage due at each one
- Prime cost (PC) allowances for client selections — tiles, tapware, appliances
- Provisional sums (PS) for unpriceable work — with the adjustment rule stated
- A variation clause: no change without a signed variation showing cost and time impact
- The contract type and the state threshold that requires a written contract (e.g. $5,000 in Victoria for domestic building work)
- Insurances and warranty references (e.g. domestic building insurance where required)
- Your ABN, builder licence/registration number, GST treatment, and quote validity
Sample line items
| Line item | Unit | Typical range* |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit on signing | stage | 5–10% (check your state's cap) |
| Base stage (slab / subfloor down) | stage | 10–15% |
| Frame stage | stage | 15–20% |
| Lock-up stage | stage | 25–35% |
| Fixing + completion stages | stages | balance split |
*Illustrative ranges only — every market and job is different, so set rates that work for your business. Eagle Invoice lets you save your own line items and reuse them on every quote.
Quoting tips from the field
- Never let the client's payments run ahead of the work — stage percentages should track value delivered. It's the rule that keeps both sides safe.
- Keep PC allowances realistic. Lowballing the tile allowance to win the job guarantees a painful conversation at selection time.
- Send every variation in writing before doing the work, with the cost AND the time impact. Verbal variations are where building disputes start.
- State your quote validity — 60 to 90 days is common now because materials move. An old quote honoured at new prices is a donation.
Common questions
Do builders charge GST on progress payments?
Yes, if you're GST-registered — each progress claim is a taxable supply. Show the stage amount, the 10% GST, and the total on every progress invoice, with your ABN visible.
What's the difference between a prime cost item and a provisional sum?
A prime cost (PC) is an allowance for something the client will choose — like tiles at $40/m². A provisional sum (PS) is an allowance for work that can't be priced yet — like excavation through rock. Both get adjusted to the real figure; your quote should say how (usually cost plus your margin).
When does a building job legally need a written contract?
Thresholds vary by state — in Victoria, domestic building work over $5,000 requires a written major domestic building contract, and work over $16,000 requires domestic building insurance. Mentioning the contract and insurance in your quote is a trust signal, not a formality.