How we calculate our cost guides
Where the numbers come from
Every guide draws on at least three sources of at least two different types, such as marketplace price guides, an award pay rate, a compiled guide from another publisher, and the state regulators that set the licensing rules. We build each price range by comparing what different publishers say, and we keep it inside figures that at least two of their ranges share where we can. Where we cannot, the scenario note says the evidence is thin and why. Each guide lists its sources and the dates we read them, and every figure is recorded in an internal sourcing sheet.
What low, typical and high mean
Each guide shows named scenarios (for example "one room, easy access"). For each: low is a straightforward job with good access and standard materials; typical is a sourced central value, or the midpoint of the range the publishers share; high is a complex job, premium materials or hard access.
GST and what's included
Each guide lists what's usually included and what's often extra, so quotes can be compared like for like. None of the price sources we read states whether its figures include GST, so treat the ranges as a guide and confirm GST on every quote. If the figures were ex-GST the real price could be up to 10% higher.
How often we check
Every guide shows when it was last reviewed and by whom. We review each at least every 100 days and update sooner when prices or rules move.
A note on accuracy
Guides are a starting point, not a quote. The most reliable way to know what your job will cost is to compare a few quotes for the same scope.