How to finally stop under-quoting jobs and still win the work

If you’re a tradie who’s ever walked away from a job thinking “did I even make anything on that?”, you’re not alone.

Under-quoting is one of the biggest silent profit-killers in trade businesses. It’s not because you’re bad at what you do; it’s because quoting isn’t just about materials and hours. It’s about understanding your true costs and having the confidence to charge for them.

1. The hidden costs you're probably missing

Most tradies build their quotes off “time and materials”. But what about:

• GST: Are you factoring that into your total price?

• Super, insurance, fuel, tools, and admin time: They’re part of the job cost too.

• Downtime: Travel, quoting hours, and weather delays.

If you don’t price these in, they come straight out of your pocket.

2. Don't guess, use real data

If your accounting software or spreadsheet isn’t tracking what each job actually costs, you’re quoting blind. Use past jobs to find your average hourly rate, including overheads. Then add your profit margin on top, not as an afterthought.

3. Communicate your value, not just your price

Clients don’t always choose the cheapest quote; they choose the one that feels the most trustworthy. Be clear in your quote about:

• What’s included,

• The quality of materials,

• Your workmanship guarantees.

It builds trust and sets you apart from “cheap and cheerful” competitors.

4. Review every quote that goes sideways

If you end up working for free (again), review what happened. Did labour take longer? Were materials under-estimated? Did you forget to add GST? Each miss is data you can use next time.

Bottom line

Stop competing on price. Compete on value and professionalism. The clients who respect that are the ones worth keeping.

At AccNav, we help tradies master the money side of business, from accurate job costing and quoting to cash flow and tax.

If you’re tired of guessing your prices, check out our Small Business Foundations Course and learn how to price with confidence, protect your profit, and stop under-quoting for good.