Resources
Guides for running a profitable trade business
Plain-English guides on quoting, job costing and profit - written for Aussie carpenters and trade businesses. No fluff.
Job profit margin calculator
Punch in a quote and your costs to see the real profit, margin and markup on any job. GST-aware, works in seconds.
Open the calculatorHow to quote a carpentry job (so you actually make money)
Cover your costs, pay yourself properly, and still win the work - a step-by-step way to price a job instead of guessing a number.
Read the guide· 9 min readWhy your jobs aren't as profitable as you think
Flat out all year but the bank balance never shows it? Here is where margin quietly leaks - and how to catch it before the job's done.
Read the guide· 8 min readWhat is a good profit margin for a tradie in Australia?
Gross vs net, markup vs margin, and what the ATO's benchmarks say a trade business actually keeps - plus where margin leaks on real jobs.
Read the guide· 8 min readJob costing for tradies: a plain-English guide
What it is, why it matters, and the simplest way to do it - with a worked deck-build example. No accounting degree required.
Read the guide· 8 min readQuote vs estimate: what Aussie tradies need to know
They are not the same thing, and mixing them up costs you money or lands you in a dispute. The difference, and when to use each.
Read the guide· 8 min readDo I need to put GST on a quote?
Registered for GST? Show it on every quote and give homeowners the inc-GST total. Not registered? Leave it off. The ATO threshold, the tax invoice rules and a layout that gets it right.
Read the guide· 7 min readProgress claims and payment stages: how to get paid faster
Stop bankrolling big jobs out of your own pocket. How to structure deposits and progress payments so cash comes in as the work goes out.
Read the guide· 8 min readVariations in construction: how to price them and get them approved
Scope change or your own mistake? How to price a variation properly, get a written yes before you start, and make sure it lands on the invoice.
Read the guide· 8 min readThe best apps for Australian trade businesses in 2026
TrackYaTradie, ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus, AroFlo, simPRO and NextMinute compared honestly: platforms, pricing model, live job profit and Xero, checked against each vendor.
Read the guide· 8 min readKnow your profit on every job
TrackYaTradie shows you costs vs profit on every job, live - so you can fix problems before they eat your margin.
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