A useful budget is built from a feasible scope and complete quotes, with room for unexpected work.
Check constraints before finalising design
Review site conditions, structure, planning and strata requirements early. Identify licensed work and necessary professional advice as core costs rather than optional luxuries. Ask what the quote excludes.
Control changes
Allow a contingency and record variations with their price and timing before work proceeds. Staging a project may help cash flow, but consider the cost of repeated mobilisation and unfinished facilities. A fixed-price contract can still contain provisional sums or approved variations; read the actual terms.
