Confirm the scope
Record rooms, cabinets, finishes, hardware, inclusions, exclusions, site conditions, and allowances before relying on a total.
Cabinet job costing software
Cabinet job costing software that shows where the sell price comes from
JOINA keeps materials, hardware, labour, overhead recovery, waste, delivery, consumables, margin, and GST visible inside the cabinet quote. Review the whole number before the client sees it.
Materials
Labour
Overheads
Margin + GST
Short answer
What is cabinet job costing software?
Cabinet job costing software builds the expected cost of a kitchen, robe, vanity, laundry, fitout, or custom cabinet job before the sell price is approved. It brings the direct costs of the build together with the shop costs that are often missed in a material-only takeoff: labour, waste, delivery, consumables, overhead recovery, and the margin needed for the business to make the work worthwhile.
The complete cost stack
Price the boards, the work, and the business behind the job.
A quote can look profitable while it is still missing factory time, installation, delivery, small consumables, or the overhead required to keep the shop open. JOINA separates those inputs so the estimator can audit the sell price.
Cost layer
Cabinetmaking examples
Review
Direct materials
Carcass board, doors, drawer fronts, edging, benchtops, hardware, handles, and outsourced items.
Quantity × rate
Labour and delivery
Machining, assembly, finishing, project time, installation, travel, handling, and delivery distance.
Hours + route
Business recovery
Waste, consumables, screws, caulking, packers, adhesives, overhead recovery, margin, and GST.
Sell check
Commercial model
Expected job cost + overhead recovery + profit = a defendable sell price.
The exact method belongs to your business. The important part is that each input is deliberate, visible, and reviewed consistently.
01Direct job costMaterials, hardware, labour, delivery, subcontractors
+
02RecoveryWaste, consumables, overheads, allowances
+
03ProfitTarget margin using the shop's pricing method
=
04Sell priceThen GST and client-facing quote output
Margin is not markup
Use the same pricing language across the shop.
Markup
Profit divided by cost. A 25% markup on a $100 cost produces a $125 sell price.
Margin
Profit divided by sell price. A $25 profit on a $125 sell price is a 20% margin.
Quote review workflow
How JOINA moves from cabinet scope to reviewed price.
The cost model follows the cabinet build, then adds the job-level commercial inputs that protect the final quote.
Build the material takeoff
Use cabinet parts, supplier items, doors, fronts, hardware, edging, benchtops, and other job-specific materials.
Apply labour and waste
Include machining, assembly, finishing, installation, handling, material waste, and the shop's own hourly rates.
Recover job and shop costs
Add delivery distance, consumables, outsourced work, overhead recovery, and any transparent contingency or allowance.
Review margin and send
Check cost, sell price, margin, GST, scope notes, and exclusions, then produce the client quote from the approved job.
Pricing proof
Keep the rate inputs and job outputs in view.
JOINA starts with loaded Australian supplier pricing and lets the shop update its own data. Labour, overhead, and margin inputs remain part of the same pricing workflow.
Supplier data
Loaded supplier pricing
Quote from day one with Australian supplier pricing references, then add or update the materials and rates used by your shop.
Shop settings
Custom shop rates
Make labour, overhead recovery, waste, margin, GST, delivery, and workbook-style allowances visible before approval.
Pre-send checklist
Review these costs before every cabinet quote goes out.
Consistency matters more than trusting memory on the busy jobs.
- Scope and quantitiesRooms, cabinets, fronts, panels, finishes, hardware, benchtops, and outsourced work.
- Material ratesCurrent supplier price, freight, minimum orders, waste, edge banding, and sheet context.
- Factory labourMachining, assembly, finishing, handling, project management, and realistic productive hours.
- Site labourMeasure, travel, delivery, unloading, installation, scribing, return visits, and access constraints.
- Small job costsScrews, packers, adhesives, caulking, consumables, protection, disposal, and site requirements.
- Overhead and profitApply the shop's recovery method, target margin, exclusions, allowances, and GST consistently.
Free Excel template
Start with a cabinet job costing workbook.
The JOINA starter workbook includes editable rates, quote-builder rows, cut list checks, waste, overhead, margin, GST, and a graphical quote dashboard. Use it to audit the current process or compare a real job before moving the workflow into software.
Download the Excel templatePrice one real job
Put your own rates through JOINA before changing the process.
Start a free 30-day trial or bring a recent kitchen, robe, laundry, vanity, or fitout quote to a product walkthrough.
Cabinet job costing FAQ
Questions about costs, margin, rates, and GST.
What costs belong in a cabinet quote?
Include materials, hardware, outsourced items, labour, delivery, consumables, waste, overhead recovery, allowances where needed, profit, and GST.
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Markup measures profit against cost. Margin measures profit against sell price. They produce different percentages and should not be used interchangeably.
Can we use our own labour rates?
Yes. JOINA lets the shop set its own labour, overhead, waste, margin, material, and other commercial inputs.
Can we update supplier pricing?
Yes. JOINA comes with loaded Australian supplier pricing and lets your team add or update the pricing used by the shop.
How does JOINA handle GST?
JOINA keeps job cost, sell price, margin, and GST visible so the final quote can be reviewed before it is sent.
Is job costing only for large cabinet shops?
No. A smaller shop often has less room to absorb missed labour, delivery, waste, or overhead. A consistent cost stack is useful at any size.