Prepare your brief in five steps
In short
A useful tradie job brief states the problem or desired result, suburb, approximate size, preferred timing and access conditions. Add an overview photo and close-ups, name any materials you have chosen, and say what you want included in the quote. Mark unknown details clearly so the tradie can confirm them, often during a site visit.
Step 1
Collect the details a tradie needs
Use this checklist as a starting point. Write approximate measurements in millimetres or metres and label them as approximate. If you cannot measure safely, say the size needs checking.
Photos help explain the job, but they do not reveal every hidden condition. Leave diagnosis, installation methods and final quantities for the tradie to confirm. The examples below are invented to illustrate useful briefs; they are not completed customer jobs or technical specifications.
Copyable job brief checklist
| Detail | What to write or attach |
|---|---|
| Work needed | I want… Describe the result and what is currently happening. |
| Location | The job is in… Include suburb, property type and floor level. |
| Photos | Attach a wide view, close-ups of the affected area and a view of the access route. Keep private documents and people out of frame. |
| Size | The approximate measurements are… Include length, width, height or number of items, as relevant. |
| Materials and finish | My preferred material, colour or model is… Say if you need advice or have already bought it. |
| Timing | I would like the work done by… Say whether this is a firm deadline or a preference, and when a site visit suits. |
| Access | Access is via… Mention stairs, gate width, parking, occupied rooms, pets and any restricted working hours. |
| Permissions and unknowns | Approval is… State owner, landlord, neighbour or body corporate approval status where relevant. List details still to be confirmed. |
| Quote inclusions | Please include… Name preparation, materials, removal, disposal and clean-up where needed. State any work you will arrange separately. |
Step 2
Plumbing: describe the symptom
Before: “Need someone to fix a leaking tap.”
After: “The kitchen mixer tap drips from the spout when turned off. It started about a week ago. This is a ground-floor house in Toowong. Photos show the tap, sink and cupboard below. Please assess whether repair or replacement is appropriate and include any call-out or assessment fee, labour and parts. If replacement is needed, please quote supply separately; I have not bought a tap. Weekday morning visits suit.”
Describe what you can observe, including when the problem occurs and whether other fixtures are affected. A suggested cause can be wrong and may lead to a quote for the wrong repair.
Step 3
Painting: name the surfaces and finish
Before: “Please quote to paint a bedroom.”
After: “Please quote to repaint the walls of one bedroom in a ground-floor house in Geelong. The room is approximately 3.5 m by 3 m with a 2.4 m ceiling. The ceiling, door and skirting boards are excluded. Photos show each wall and small picture-hook holes. I want a washable white finish and need advice on the paint. Please include surface preparation, filling the holes, paint supply, protection and clean-up, and state the proposed coats. Furniture will stay in the room, so please say what I need to move. I would prefer completion next month, with no fixed deadline.”
For several rooms, list each room and its surfaces. Flag peeling paint, stains or damage rather than assuming they need only a new coat.
Step 4
Fencing: separate the fence, gates and removal
Before: “Need a new fence down the side.”
After: “I am seeking a quote to replace approximately 18 m of timber dividing fence at a house in Newcastle. I would prefer a 1.8 m timber fence, subject to any applicable requirements, with no gate. Photos show the existing fence, sloping ground and side access, approximately 900 mm wide. Please include removal and disposal of the old fence, new posts and fence materials, installation and clean-up. The neighbour has not yet agreed to the work or costs; I am gathering quotes for discussion. There is no firm start date.”
For a shared boundary, state what has been agreed with the neighbour. Check the rules in your state or territory and any council requirements before authorising work. Pool barriers and retaining walls need separate consideration; mention them in the brief if involved.
Step 5
Send the same scope and clarify the quote
Give each company the same brief and attachments. If a site visit changes the scope, share the revised details with the other companies you are asking to quote. The QBCC recommends comparing the same tasks, materials and timelines; Consumer Affairs Victoria also advises checking exactly what each quote covers.
Ask what needs inspection before a price can be confirmed and whether the visit or assessment has a fee. Check any assumptions and exclusions in the written quote before accepting it. A clear brief supports that conversation; it does not replace required approvals, licence checks or a contract.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 6 October 2026
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission: seeking and comparing quotes
Written project details, site visits and comparison of the same scope. Queensland guidance.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: getting quotes for building and renovating
Quote inclusions, fees and changes. Victorian guidance; its legal thresholds do not apply nationally.
- Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal: dividing fence disputes
Neighbour consultation and dividing fence matters in Queensland. Check local rules elsewhere.
