What should a patio quote include?

The structure, the paperwork and the lot. A patio quote that holds up names the size, the roof and how the patio fixes to the house; says who draws the site plan, who lodges for approval and who pays the fees; prices the frame for the wind class of the lot; and shows where the footings and the roof water go. What the quote leaves out comes back later as a variation.

What goes in the scope?

the size, the height and the roof, whether flat, gable or louvred
attached to the house or freestanding, and where the posts go
the footings, and what is under them where the ground is soft or filled
gutters, downpipes and the roof water connection
lights and power, and whether the electrician is in the price

Should the quote include the site plan and approval?

It should say who does each. A builder who draws the site plan on the visit can price the approval path at the same time, because the distance to each boundary, the site cover and the overlays decide whether the patio goes to a certifier alone or to the council as well. A quote that leaves approval to others leaves the owner holding that cost and that wait.

What does the lot add to the price?

The wind class sets the frame and the fixings, so a lot in a higher class costs more to build on. A bushfire attack level can change the materials, a sewer main near the house can move the posts or bring a consent from the asset owner, and a sloping yard changes the footings. Reading the lot before pricing it keeps those out of the variation list. The post on wind ratings explains the classes.

What makes a carport quote change later?

The same things, found late: a boundary relaxation the council asks for, a main under the slab, a class read wrong, or an owner who wants the structure moved after the drawing is done. Every redraw after the quote is time the builder does not get back, so the plan that matches the ground on the first visit is the one that holds the price.

Reading it for your own lot

RapidSiteplan reads the council and building rules for your lot from its address, checks the design against them as you place it, lets you edit it as often as you like, and prints the site plan. Site plans and assessments in minutes. On a professional plan the quote comes from your own cost book, on the same drawing.

Search your address, or see what the plan shows for a patio and for a carport. The wind rating by address reads the class for any lot, and site plans by council lists every council in Australia.

Common questions

What should a patio quote include? The size, the roof and how the patio fixes to the house, who draws the site plan and lodges for approval, the frame priced for the wind class of the lot, and the footings and roof water. Anything left out tends to come back as a variation.

Should the quote include the site plan and approval? It should say who does each and who pays the fees. The distances on the site plan decide the approval path, so a builder who draws it on the visit can price that path in the same quote.

What makes a carport quote change later? Things found after the price: a relaxation the council asks for, a sewer main under the slab, a wind class read wrong or a change to where the structure goes. Reading the lot before quoting keeps most of them out.