Overview
Carpenters quote across a huge range of work, and the timber line carries the whole thing
A carpenter could be fitting a kitchen one week, hanging a few internal doors the next, and framing a loft conversion the week after. Each of those is a different quoting shape. Kitchen fits are big-ticket fixed-price jobs where the cabinet quote needs a separate labour day and a contingency for site discoveries. Door hangs are quick-turn day jobs where the timber and ironmongery have to be on the quote at retail. Framing is structural and gets quoted by square metre or linear metre of timber, plus fixings, plus a tight scope to stop the build calling for changes mid-week.
QuoteGenio gives carpenters templates for each shape without locking you into one. Quote a kitchen fit with cabinets, worktop, splashback, plumbing connection, electrical first-fix, and labour days as named lines. Quote a door hang with the door, the ironmongery, and a fixed labour rate. Quote framing per metre of timber with fixings and labour. Each quote sends via WhatsApp, takes a deposit on accepted jobs, and converts to an invoice when the work is signed off. Timber prices change quarterly, which is why every quote should show the supplier rate, not a guess.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of carpentry and joinery business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every carpenter knows
Carpentry quotes mix materials, labour, and finishes in a way that's hard to cost on the back of a notebook. Get one number wrong and the margin disappears.
Working out cutting lists takes hours
Timber take-offs, sheet goods, hinges, runners, handles. Doing it by hand in the evening after site is a recipe for mistakes.
Material prices move weekly
Plywood, meranti, and hardwood prices shift. A quote written two weeks ago can swing your margin by 15 percent without warning.
Scope creep on built-ins eats margin
Clients ask for 'just one more shelf' or 'can we add a drawer'. Without a written quote, you end up doing the extras for free.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A faster, cleaner workflow built around how carpenters work, on-site for measure-ups and back in the workshop to price.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for carpentry
Line items for timber, sheet goods, ironmongery, finishes, and labour by the hour or by the item. Structure your quote the way you actually work.
Accurate measure-ups
Key in the linear metres, sheet counts, and door counts from your site visit. QuoteGenio does the maths while you focus on the spec.
Quote from your phone
Build or refine the quote from the workshop, the site, or the bakkie. Works anywhere you have signal.
Track payments easily
See what's outstanding and follow up with one tap. Useful when you've laid out cash for timber and hardware upfront.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how carpenters actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Carpenters choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Carpenters build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Carpenters job pricing
A rough guide to what carpenters charge for common jobs. Pricing varies with timber type, finish, access, and the level of detail in the joinery. Use these as a sanity check when building your rate card, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Measure-up and detailed quote | R0 - R4,628 |
| Roof truss install labour (per sq m) | R364 - R793 / sq m |
| Timber deck build (per sq m) | R1,570 - R3,966 / sq m |
| Built-in cupboard (per linear m) | R6,280 - R23,138 / m |
| Kitchen carcasses and doors (per linear m) | R10,743 - R39,665 / m |
| Skirting, architraves, door frames (per m) | R297 - R909 / m |
| Internal door hang (per door) | R1,570 - R4,628 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A measure-up for a kitchen or full built-in wardrobe is two to three hours of real work. Many carpenters charge R2,479 to R5,784 for a detailed quote on bigger joinery, refundable against the contract if the job proceeds. It filters the genuine clients from the ones collecting six quotes.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing for defined joinery (cupboards, decks, doors) where the cutting list is clear. Use hourly or daywork rates (typically R628 to R1,074 per hour for a qualified carpenter) for site carpentry, repairs, and snagging. Mix both on the same quote when the job has defined and open sections.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean itemised quote for a built-in cupboard looks like. Carcass, doors, hardware, and install are all priced separately. If the client wants to downgrade the doors or upgrade the hinges, you can reissue the quote in minutes without redoing the whole thing.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Built-in bedroom cupboards, 4.2m linear, melamine interior with veneer doors
Site measure and detailed drawing
Melamine carcasses (4.2m linear, floor to ceiling)
Veneered MDF doors with soft close hinges
Internal shelving, hanging rails, drawer boxes
Edge banding, handles, blum runners
Delivery and install labour (2 days, 2 carpenters)
Scribe to walls, adjust, and snag
Site clean and offcut removal
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site measure and detailed drawing | 1 | R3,636 | R3,636 |
| Melamine carcasses (4.2m linear, floor to ceiling) | 4.2 | R6,941 / m | R29,154 |
| Veneered MDF doors with soft close hinges | 8 | R3,057 | R24,460 |
| Internal shelving, hanging rails, drawer boxes | 1 | R10,577 | R10,577 |
| Edge banding, handles, blum runners | 1 | R5,289 | R5,289 |
| Delivery and install labour (2 days, 2 carpenters) | 1 | R12,891 | R12,891 |
| Scribe to walls, adjust, and snag | 1 | R4,297 | R4,297 |
| Site clean and offcut removal | 1 | R1,570 | R1,570 |
| Subtotal | R91,874 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R9,189 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R101,063 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Site measure and drawing time, edge banding, handles and soft close hardware, delivery from workshop, scribe and adjustment labour (walls are never square), offcut and packaging removal, and a small contingency for timber movement on solid-wood jobs. Put these on your template once and stop giving them away.
Peer snapshot
How Carpenters actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Carpenters on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
17
Quotes sent per month
51%
Average quote acceptance
3 min
Median time to send quote
R101,063
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Carpenter jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of carpenters. The same quoting mistakes come up on kitchens, decks, and built-ins. Fix these and your margins improve on the next job, not in six months time.
Mistake: Quoting doors without hardware
Better: Hinges, handles, runners, and locks can add 10 to 20 percent to a cupboard job. List ironmongery as a line item with the brand and grade, so an upgrade from basic to soft close is a clean variation, not a free extra.
Mistake: Forgetting scribe and adjustment time
Better: Walls and floors are never level. A 4m run of cupboards needs an hour or two of scribing and packing to sit flush. Quote it as a labour line so it's paid, not absorbed.
Mistake: Fixed price on repair and snagging work
Better: Fixing a door that won't close or a deck board that's cupped is unknown work. Quote it as daywork at your hourly rate with an estimated duration, not as a fixed lump. You'll stop losing money on rescue jobs.
Mistake: No allowance for delivery and install
Better: Moving a full kitchen from workshop to site is half a day with two guys and a bakkie. List it as a separate line so the client sees the logistics cost and you don't eat it.
Mistake: Quoting in pine and building in meranti
Better: Specify the timber species and grade in the quote description. A meranti frame is two to three times the price of pine. Get the spec in writing so there's no dispute when the client sees the invoice.
Mistake: No progress payments on big joinery
Better: Ask for a 40 to 50 percent deposit to cover materials, a progress payment at delivery, and the balance on practical completion and snag sign-off. Carpenters who don't stage payments carry the client's cash flow on their own overdraft.
Mistake: Leaving finishing out of the quote
Better: Sealing, staining, or lacquering a deck or a wooden door is a real cost. Either include it as a line item or state clearly 'finish by others'. Ambiguity here loses you margin every time.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote carpentry jobs
Do a proper measure-up before you price a single line. For a built-in cupboard, take linear metres of the run, floor-to-ceiling height at three points (walls are never square), and note any skirting, cornice, or ceiling bulkheads that need scribing around. For a deck, measure the footprint, check the substructure height from finished ground, and look at how the joists will bear (wall plate, pier, or ledger). For roof carpentry, note the span, pitch, overhang, and whether the trusses need hip or valley work. Photograph power points, plumbing chases, and any existing joinery that has to stay, because these small details decide your cutting list and your crew day count.
Itemise timber, sheet goods, ironmongery, delivery, and install on separate lines instead of quoting one lump. For built-ins, list melamine carcasses per linear metre, veneer or MDF doors per door, Blum soft close runners and hinges as their own supply line, edge banding and handles, then install labour as crew days. For roof carpentry, show trusses as a supply item from the manufacturer, then battens, fascia, bargeboards, and install labour per square metre of roof area. For decks, split the pine or hardwood deck board supply from the substructure and the sealer. Specify the timber species and grade in writing, because a meranti frame costs two to three times a pine frame and you will not absorb that difference quietly.
Put a 14 to 30 day validity on every quote because plywood, imported hardwood, and Blum hardware prices move weekly with the exchange rate. State that material cost increases beyond the validity trigger a re-quote, and nobody argues when it is in writing. For custom joinery over about $ 1,500 take a 40 to 50 percent deposit to cover timber, sheet goods, and ordered hardware before you cut anything, a progress payment on delivery to site, and the balance on practical completion and snag sign-off. Quote scribe and adjustment time as a labour line, and list finishing (stain, sealer, lacquer) or state finish by others so there is no ambiguity.
Send the quote the same day as the site visit. Clients who are about to spend real money on bespoke joinery collect three quotes and usually sign with the carpenter whose numbers arrive first with a clear spec, not the cheapest one that turns up a week later. Build the quote on your phone from the bakkie, share it as a WhatsApp link, and follow up after two days if the client has gone quiet. When they ask to add a drawer bank or upgrade to soft close, duplicate the quote inside QuoteGenio, change the relevant line, and reissue as a variation so scope creep is paid for in writing and not swallowed by your workshop float.
FAQ
Common questions from carpenters
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio supports unlimited line items. Add carcasses, doors, ironmongery, delivery, install, and finishing on separate lines. Each has its own description, quantity, and rate.
Yes. As you add quantities and rates, subtotals, VAT, and grand totals update in real time. No spreadsheet needed.
Yes. Once the quote is ready, share it as a link directly via WhatsApp. Your client gets a professional branded PDF on their phone.
Yes. Duplicate the quote, adjust the relevant line items, and send the revised version. The client accepts the update online and you keep a clean paper trail.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote into an invoice in one click. All the line items carry over, so there's no double entry.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Price per linear metre of carcass (floor to ceiling), plus separate lines for doors, ironmongery, delivery, install, and scribing. That way, if the client swaps melamine for veneer doors, you only re-price one line and the rest of the quote stays clean. Typical rates run R6,280 to R23,138 per linear metre depending on finish and internal layout.
Quote both options as a main price and an alternative if the client hasn't decided. Pine is R1,570 to R2,644 per sq m supplied and fitted, hardwood like balau or garapa is R2,975 to R5,289 per sq m. State the substructure separately because the sub-deck is the same cost whether you finish in pine or hardwood.
Quote the trusses as a supply line (usually from a truss manufacturer), then price install labour per square metre of roof area plus battens, fascia, and bargeboards. Add a daywork allowance for tricky hip and valley work. Never quote trusses plus install as a single lump, because the client can't compare it against another carpenter.
Between 14 and 30 days is standard. Timber, sheet goods, and ironmongery prices move, especially on imported hardwoods and Blum hardware. QuoteGenio shows the expiry date on the PDF so there's no awkward conversation if the client accepts three months later at yesterday's price.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Pricing benchmark
What do carpenters charge in 2026?
Hourly rates by region, common job prices, a worked sample quote, and the FAQs customers actually ask. The complete pricing reference for carpenters.
Typical hourly
$55-$120/hr
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Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"I used to quote at night after jobs. Now I send quotes while I am still on-site and get faster approvals. Makes a big difference."
Mark Jacobs
Electrician · Perth
"Linear metre pricing with different gate options was messy before. Now my template has everything pre-loaded and I send fence quotes in under three minutes."
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Fence Installer · Houston
"It makes my proposals look more structured and professional without spending hours formatting documents. Saves me a lot of time."
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Marketing Consultant · Perth
Guides
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