Rapid QS New Zealand

Rapid QS New Zealand RapidQS - No more 4 week turn around times. Supporting small builders in Residential Construction.
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03/08/2026

Fixed price is great for the client.

If a builder isn't prepared, it’s a slippery slope. Every weather delay. Every material price movement. Every variation the client pushes back on.

Lewis is completely upfront about it: if you want fixed price, he'll go back and get hard prices from every subbie. And then he'll add contingency on top of that — because if the job runs over, he pays the difference.

Cost plus is different. Every hour tracked. Every invoice visible. Every decision made together. The client sees exactly where their money goes.

That's not a builder protecting their margin. That's a builder building trust.

For complex, remote, or long-duration projects — cost plus done properly is better for everyone. You just have to be willing to be completely transparent.

Lewis is. And his clients love him for it.

Full ep on the Bold Builds channel. Link in bio.

Fixed price or cost plus — which do you run and why? And have you ever switched mid-project? 👇

The reno labour trap. Here’s how to get around it.Lance's crew spent weeks hand-digging under a two-story house.In. Out....
02/08/2026

The reno labour trap. Here’s how to get around it.

Lance's crew spent weeks hand-digging under a two-story house.

In. Out. Dump soil. Back in. Repeat.

Nobody ever prices that correctly the first time.

After years of renovations, their system is this: estimate by crew size and weeks, then add 15% on top. Every single time. No exceptions.

Not 5%. Not 10%. 15.

Because reno labour doesn't run the way new build labour does. You hit rot. You hit asbestos. You hit headers that have been sagging for 30 years. You hit old concrete that wasn't supposed to be there.

The 15% isn't padding. It's experience.

If you're not doing it - start now.

Full conversation with Hutton Builders at Kawakawa Bay on the Bold Builds channel. Link in bio.

What buffer are you running on reno labor right now? Is 15% enough or do you go higher? Tell us below 👇

Here's what actually happens when you're doing detailed trim work on a mezzanine floor:→ You can't wheel scaffold direct...
01/08/2026

Here's what actually happens when you're doing detailed trim work on a mezzanine floor:
→ You can't wheel scaffold directly on polished concrete — mats or carpet protection under every foot
→ Moving the scaffold to each position takes two people and a string line
→ Two scaffolds or a ladder combo may be needed for full coverage
→ It's never a one-person job — detailed work at height always needs a pair
→ Setup and dismantle time gets repeated every single position along the run

The task itself might take 20 minutes. The setup and move between positions? Add another 30.

Multiply that across 15 metres of balustrade trim and you've just eaten half a day you didn't price for.

The fix: on anything second-story, scaffold-dependent, or at height — add a separate 15 to 20% buffer on those labor line items specifically. Not across the whole job. Just those items.

It's not padding. It's being honest about what the work actually takes.

Save this. It may help in the future!

31/07/2026

Winning projects isn't always about having the biggest network, it’s about your first impression and how you present.

Often it's about submitting a quote that inspires confidence.

Macro Construction secured this job without ever meeting the client or working with the architect before. Their estimate, professionalism, and reputation did the talking.

It’s a great reminder that every proposal you submit represents your business long before construction begins.

Learn more at rapidqs.com

29/07/2026

Good partnerships aren't about splitting responsibilities.

They're about trust.

Macro Construction has built a business where collaboration beats ego, decisions happen faster, and projects keep moving.

When everyone's on the same page, everything runs smoother.

We hear good and some very bad business partner stories every day… DM us any good ones you have.

Learn more at rapidqs.com

An estimate isn't than a price.It’s a sales tool. It reflects your planning. It’s a reflection of how detailed and thoro...
28/07/2026

An estimate isn't than a price.

It’s a sales tool. It reflects your planning. It’s a reflection of how detailed and thorough you are as an operator and as a person.

It shows the client you understand the project.

9 line items vs 300 in a quote. Which one gives the client more confidence and helps you win the job?

Who thought a QS could be your biggest sales tool?

Visit rapidqs.com to learn how professional quantity surveying can support your next project.

How you present your numbers is a reflection of your character, your business, and what a client can expect from you wit...
27/07/2026

How you present your numbers is a reflection of your character, your business, and what a client can expect from you with their project.

If that’s the main thing a client sees from you in making their decision, you want it to stand out.

Email or Xero quote vs detail and explanations? Who do you think a client will trust more based on this?

Detailed estimating is a small investment to 10 x your chance of winning the work.

Visit rapidqs.com to learn more.

25/07/2026

Pricing: A spreadsheet or a story?

Pricing needs to be simple and easy to understand.

If your estimate doesn’t help you tell a story, you’re missing out.

Tell a story, show detail, and it sounds cheesy.. take the client on a journey. It works.

The client wants a finished job…Nobody sees the headaches it took to get there.Protected trees, council hoops to jump th...
23/07/2026

The client wants a finished job…

Nobody sees the headaches it took to get there.

Protected trees, council hoops to jump through, environmental requirements, tight access, specialist reports, extra engineering... the list goes on.

Most of our clients say they learn these things and other niggly parts of the project by estimating it themselves.

What if there was some crowd that could let you know all these things early and help take the nights of estimating off your plate..?

🌐 rapidqs.com

21/07/2026

As much as we want to make sure there is a job on the table that keeps the team busy, if you’re taking on work that’s at rock bottom pricing, you’re going to lose long-term.

Don't forget that cheap quote you’re up against is almost definitely missing detail, will have hidden cost later, will produce questionable quality. Sometimes the client needs a reminder of that.

Price with safe margins, don't compromise that, otherwise you’re better doing nothing at all.

Don’t know how much margin is needed? We can help.

rapidqs.com

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740 Manukau Road
Auckland
1050

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+6498880313

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