What to put on a pool fence quote

A pool fence quote should say, in writing, which parts of the barrier you will build or replace, how the gate, latch and any glass are fixed, what approval is needed and who arranges it, the total with GST shown, and what is left out. It covers the work only. It should not claim a result for the inspection: a licensed pool safety inspector decides whether the barrier meets the standard.Source: QBCC, Build a pool (page reviewed 30 Aug 2021) and the QBCC fact sheet on licensing for fence builders (no review date shown), read 5 Nov 2026. QBCC's quote guidance is written for building a pool, so the fence list below is our suggestion.

What QBCC asks of a quote

On its Build a pool page, QBCC tells owners to ask several builders to inspect the site and give a written quote with details of their warranties, to confirm exactly what work is in the price, and to check the licence and licence history before accepting a quote or signing a contract. It says a quote for a domestic building project valued at more than $3,300 should include the premium for insurance through the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, and that a contract over $3,300 needs a 5-business day cooling-off period, a written contract and a QBCC-approved Contract Information Statement.

What to put on a fence quote

This is our suggestion, built from what QBCC and the Queensland Government pages say. Check it against your own contract.

• Who you are. Your business name as it is on your QBCC licence, and your licence number. QBCC says licensed contractors must show both when they advertise.
• The scope. Which sections of the barrier you will build or replace, the height, the material, and what comes out, with how the old fence is taken away.
• The gate. The latch, the hinges and the self-closing device, so the owner can see what is included. See the installer checklist for the numbers.
• Glass. How panels are fixed. QBCC names pin-fixed or face-fixed panels as a way to avoid ledges on the outside.
• Ground work. Anything under or beside the fence, such as laying secure paving under the barrier or shielding a climbable object.
• A temporary fence. QBCC says one must be installed while sections are out. Say whether it is in the price.
• Approvals. Whether the job needs building approval and who arranges it. The Queensland Government says no approval is needed for a replacement that meets the standard and is no higher than 2 m.
• The owner's duties. The owner must keep the zone outside and inside clear of anything a child could climb after you leave.
• The price. The total with GST shown, how payment is staged, and what is not included.
• Surprises. What happens if you find something unexpected. QBCC lists provisions for unforeseen events among the things a pool contract should include.

A line that says what the quote is not

Something like: Work is to be built to the Queensland pool safety standard (Queensland Development Code MP 3.4). This quote covers the work only. A licensed pool safety inspector decides whether the barrier meets the standard. That wording is our suggestion. Do not promise an inspection result: QBCC says the inspector, not the contractor, decides, and your inspector cannot be a person who built the fence beyond minor repairs.

Contracts, deposits and warranty

QBCC's pool page says domestic building work over $3,300 needs a contract. QBCC's fence builders fact sheet says contracting to build a fence does not generally need a home warranty premium, but that one is needed in some circumstances, for example when the fence is part of a contract to build a home or extension, and to call 139 333 if you are unsure. The two pages are not about the same kind of job, so ask QBCC about yours. The deposit limits are in QBCC's deposits page, which our guide for homeowners sets out with its date.

Doing it in PoolPreCert

The price list holds the items you buy and sell, with your own cost and markup, and takes a CSV. The quote builder turns the fence type, metres, gates, corners, hardware and labour into a priced quote, can offer Good, Better and Best options, and creates the quote in your accounting software. PoolPreCert does not work out GST: the builder shows a subtotal excluding GST, and your accounting software applies it, so put the GST-inclusive total on the quote you give the customer. The quote builder prices what you enter and never says a fence meets the standard.

How this page was made: the PoolPreCert team read each page listed under Sources on 5 November 2026 and wrote this in plain words. The dates beside each source are the dates those pages show. PoolPreCert is not part of QBCC or the Queensland Government, and only a licensed pool safety inspector decides whether a pool meets the standard.