Estimating, pricing and quoting guides for the trades
Written by a working sparky and security tech for electricians, security technicians and air conditioning contractors.
The TradieTally blog covers how to price and quote trade work properly: working out your charge-out rate, markup vs margin, quoting CCTV and split system installs, and choosing estimating and job management software in Australia.
The Best Ascora Alternative for Electricians, Security Installers and A/C Contractors
Looking for an Ascora alternative? Compare Ascora with TradieTally, estimating-first job management for Australian electricians, security and A/C.
Best Quoting and Job Management Software for Air Conditioning Businesses in Australia (2026)
The best quoting and job management software for Australian air conditioning and HVAC contractors in 2026, from split system quotes to recurring servicing.
Best Job Management Software for Electricians in Australia (2026)
The best job management software for Australian electricians in 2026: TradieTally, Simpro, AroFlo, Fergus, Tradify and ServiceM8 compared on features.
Best Quoting and Job Management Software for Security Installers in Australia (2026)
The best quoting and job management software for CCTV, alarm, intercom and access control installers in Australia, with TradieTally, Simpro and AroFlo compared.
7 Electrical Estimating Mistakes That Cost Sparkies Money (and How to Fix Them)
Seven common electrical estimating mistakes, from guessed charge-out rates to forgotten labour, and how to fix each one so every quote makes a profit.
How to Estimate Electrical Jobs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Australian Electricians
How to estimate an electrical job in Australia: scope, materials take-off, labour hours, charge-out rate, markup and margin, with a worked example.
How to Quote a Switchboard Upgrade: A Guide for Australian Electricians
How to quote a switchboard upgrade in Australia: site checks, compliance items, materials, labour, a worked example quote and how to price it for profit.
Job Costing for Electricians: How to Track Budget vs Actual on Every Job
Job costing for electricians: how to track labour and materials against your estimate, read budget vs actual, handle variations and feed it back into pricing.
The Best Jobber Alternative for Australian Electricians, Security Techs and A/C Contractors
Looking for a Jobber alternative in Australia? Compare Jobber with TradieTally, built for Australian electricians, security techs and A/C contractors.
Tradify vs ServiceM8 for Electricians: Which Is Better in 2026?
Tradify vs ServiceM8 for Australian electricians: quoting, estimating, field app and job management compared, plus why many sparkies choose TradieTally instead.
What Is Job Management Software? A Plain-English Guide for Tradies
What job management software is, what it does for electricians, security techs and A/C businesses, what it costs, and why it should start from your estimate.
Estimating Software vs Job Management Software: Which Does Your Trade Business Need?
Estimating software vs job management software: what each does, how they differ, when a trade business needs both, and why estimating comes first.
Best Estimating Software for Electricians in Australia: An Honest Buyer's Guide
Buyer's guide to estimating software for electricians in Australia: what to look for, plus TradieTally, Simpro, AroFlo, Fergus, Tradify and ServiceM8 compared.
How to Quote a Split System Installation Without Losing Money
How to quote a split system installation in Australia: back-to-back vs standard installs, pipe runs, electrical, access, materials, labour and an example quote.
How to Quote a CCTV Installation (With an Itemised Example Quote)
How to quote a CCTV install in Australia: site survey checklist, camera placement, NVR storage maths, cabling, labour, margin and an itemised example quote.
Markup vs Margin for Tradies: What's the Difference and Why It Costs You
Markup vs margin explained for Australian tradies, with formulas, a markup-to-margin conversion table and worked examples on real job prices.
Stop quoting at the kitchen table.
Price every job from your real costs, see the profit before you hit send, and run the whole job from one app. Built by a sparky for electricians, security techs and A/C contractors.