Costing systems for boat builders
Base hull, options, materials, labour hours and parts ordering in one system, so every specification is priced the same way.
What you price
Base hull and model
The base boat priced once, then options added on top.
Options and packages
Packages and options with rules for what can be combined.
Materials and resins
Laminate, timber, resins and consumables from a materials library.
Fit-out and hardware
Fit-out items and hardware priced from the chosen specification.
Labour hours by stage
Hours by build stage, not a single allowance for the whole boat.
Outsourced work
Work sent out to others captured with its own cost and margin.
Parts ordering
A parts list generated from the specification that was quoted.
What we build
Model and package builder
A base model plus compatible options, priced as a specification.
Materials library
Materials and resins maintained once and used on every boat.
Stage labour
Labour hours by build stage, visible in the cost.
Options rules
Incompatible options blocked before the price is issued.
Margin check
A margin check on the full specification, not just the base hull.
Quote and parts order
The customer quote and the parts order from the same specification.
Web application and AI
A web app or hybrid keeps models, options and prices in one place, with an Excel front end where the team still wants a workbook.
How this is built
Most boat building projects start in Excel and move to a web app only when one file is holding the business back.
Estimating systems we've built across the trades
ConstructionExcelTuatara Constructions
Construction costing application
More accurate project costing and easier decisions.
- Engineering & fabricationExcel
Kings Engineering
Project quoting and cutting stock tool
Faster quoting on complex fabrication jobs, minimised material waste and protection against underquoting.
- ConstructionExcel
Apartment Renovations
Renovation costing application
Streamlined costing and improved accuracy.
Joinery & kitchensExcelKitchen Inspirations
Kitchen package costing application
Faster processing of kitchen specifications and sales analytics.
Related reading
- Why Excel estimating formulas break when someone adds a rowInserting a row should not drop a total. Structured references and locked formulas stop the classic estimating-sheet failure.
- AI-assisted takeoff: what it can and cannot doWhere AI genuinely removes manual work in takeoff, where it does not, and why review is part of the design.
- When to move your estimator from Excel to a web appThe signals that point beyond a spreadsheet — and why many businesses should stay in Excel.
Common questions.
Send us your boat costing spreadsheet.
We'll tell you what to keep, what to fix and what to automate — free, and confidential.
We typically reply the same business day. Fixed-price quotes after scoping. Your files stay confidential.