How We Work

For the majority of work, such as repairs, maintenance, small builds and odd jobs, the most straightforward approach is time and materials. You pay for hours worked and materials used. That's it. No administration surcharge, no padded estimate built around an imaginary worst case.

We don't prepare formal written quotes for jobs unlikely to exceed $2,000. A formal quote at that level typically costs more to produce than the job itself, meaning two site visits, overhead folded into the price, and a longer wait before anything happens. Charging for time actually spent is faster, more transparent, and almost always cheaper.

We'll confirm the applicable rate before we start. If a job looks like running longer than expected, we stop and check in before continuing, so you're never left with an invoice that doesn't match your expectations.

Have a backlog of small jobs? Bring your list. Once we're on site the minimum is covered. Working through three or four jobs in a single visit is far more cost-effective than three or four separate call-outs, and far less disruptive to your week.

Some jobs don't suit a fixed quote, and forcing one rarely ends well. A staged conversion, a build where the brief is still evolving, a project with too many unknowns to price cleanly. A quoted price in these situations is either padded heavily to cover risk, or it's wrong. Neither serves you.

For this kind of work, we operate on a transparent time-and-materials basis with a few straightforward ground rules that keep both sides informed throughout.

How the materials side works

You open a trade account at your preferred supplier, typically Mitre 10 MEGA Masterton, and purchase materials directly. What you buy, you see. No markup, no mystery. Any materials we source outside your account, such as specialist items, fixings and hardware, are charged at retail price with no additional markup.

Invoicing and budget control

Labour is charged at our standard rate and invoiced weekly or at natural project milestones, whichever suits the job. We agree a working budget at the outset and flag well before that figure is approached. No surprises. If scope changes, we talk before we spend.

This model works because both sides stay informed throughout. There's no hidden contingency, no invoice at the end that doesn't match expectations.

For larger, well-defined scopes of work, we provide a formal written quote with a fixed or capped price. A proper quote requires time, experience, and responsibility. It's not a rough estimate dashed off in five minutes.

It involves a site visit, measurements, investigation of existing conditions, consideration of compliance and safety requirements, and sometimes liaison with third parties such as insurers, property managers, or suppliers. In many situations, producing a quote takes as much care and professional judgement as carrying out the work itself.

The assessment and quotation fee

We charge a $247.50 (plus mileage) assessment and quotation fee for any job requiring a detailed scope of works and firm pricing. This is charged upfront and fully credited back against the job if the work proceeds. Customers who go ahead aren't paying extra, they're contributing to the time required to do things properly.

The fee also means our hourly rate stays what it is, because the cost of proper quoting isn't quietly absorbed into every other customer's bill.

When a fee may not apply

For very small or straightforward jobs, we can often give an indication of cost without a formal assessment. If you're unsure whether an assessment fee applies, just ask before booking, and Bryan will give you a straight answer.