Why We Don’t Quote a Single All-Inclusive Price (And What to Watch For When Others Do)

Transparent pricing isn’t about being vague. It’s about being honest about what’s predictable and what isn’t — and making sure you understand the difference before you commit.

When people first look at modular or prefab dwellings, they expect a simple answer to a simple question: how much does it cost? And plenty of companies are happy to give them one. A single number. “From $120,000 all-inclusive.” “Turnkey packages starting at $89,000.” “Everything included — just add your land.”

We don’t do this. Not because we’re trying to be difficult, and not because we’re hiding anything. We don’t do it because a single all-inclusive price for a secondary dwelling is almost always inaccurate, and we think the inaccuracy hurts people more than the simplicity helps them.

Here’s why.

The Two-Part Reality

Every secondary dwelling project has two cost components, and they behave completely differently.

The dwelling cost — the building itself. Design, materials, manufacturing, fit-out, delivery. This cost is predictable. It’s determined by the size of the dwelling, the specification (finishes, fixtures, BAL compliance level) and the manufacturing process. We can quote this accurately because we control it. We know what our materials cost, what our factory time costs, and what the transport costs. This number doesn’t change based on your property.

The site cost — everything that needs to happen on your land before, during and after the dwelling arrives. Soil test, survey, footing construction, service connections (water, sewer, electricity), access preparation, crane placement, council fees, infrastructure charges, BAL assessment and compliance, and any additional requirements your specific site triggers. This cost is variable. It depends on your soil, your slope, your existing services, your access, your council area, and whether any overlays apply to your property.

On one property, site costs might be $20,000. On another, with the same dwelling, site costs might be $80,000. Same building. Same quality. Same manufacturer. Completely different total because the sites are different.

What Happens When Someone Quotes All-Inclusive

When a modular or prefab company quotes a single all-inclusive price, one of several things is happening — and none of them are good for the buyer.

They’re assuming average site conditions

The quote is based on an assumed site — flat, good soil, short service runs, no overlays, straightforward access. If your site matches those assumptions, the price holds. If it doesn’t — and on acreage in SEQ, it usually doesn’t — you’ll hit variations. The variations come after you’ve signed. They come as “unforeseen site conditions” or “additional requirements” or “provisional sum adjustments.” The all-inclusive price was never actually all-inclusive. It was an opening offer.

They’ve built a large contingency into the price

Some companies protect themselves by pricing for the worst-case site scenario and calling it all-inclusive. If your site is straightforward, you’re overpaying — subsidising the contingency buffer that exists for someone else’s difficult site. This approach guarantees a simple number, but it doesn’t guarantee value.

They’re excluding things you’d expect to be included

Read the fine print. “All-inclusive” might mean the dwelling, transport and crane — but not footings, not service connections, not council fees, not the BAL assessment, not the certifier. These aren’t optional extras. They’re essential components of the project. Excluding them from the headline price makes the number look attractive, but the total cost to get a habitable, approved dwelling on your land is substantially higher.

They haven’t seen your site

This is the most common scenario — and the most concerning. A company quoting all-inclusive without visiting your property, without reviewing your soil conditions, without checking your overlays, without understanding your service connections, is guessing. They might guess well. But if they guess wrong, the gap between the quoted price and the actual cost is your problem, not theirs.

What We Do Instead

We separate the two cost components and quote each one honestly.

The dwelling price is quoted as a fixed number based on the model, size and specification you choose. This is the cost we control. It’s accurate, it’s detailed, and it doesn’t change based on your site.

The site costs are estimated after we understand your property. This means reviewing your soil test (or organising one), checking your overlays, understanding your existing services, assessing access, and confirming your council’s requirements. We provide an itemised estimate with realistic ranges for each component, so you can see exactly where the money goes and what drives the variation.

The total project cost is the sum of both. It’s not a single number — it’s two numbers that together give you a realistic picture of what your specific project will actually cost. And because you can see both components separately, you can make informed decisions about each one. You might choose a higher dwelling specification and simpler footings. You might choose a different building location on your property to reduce the BAL rating and save on construction upgrades. You can optimise the total because you can see the parts.

Why This Matters for You

Transparent separated pricing protects you in three specific ways.

You can compare accurately. If you’re getting quotes from multiple companies, comparing a separated dwelling-plus-site estimate to an all-inclusive number is comparing different things. With separated pricing, you can compare dwelling cost to dwelling cost and site cost to site cost. You can see where one company is genuinely cheaper and where they’re just excluding more.

You can budget realistically. The site cost estimate — even as a range — gives you a realistic basis for budgeting. You know the dwelling is $X. You know the site is likely $Y to $Z. You can plan for the middle of the range and have headroom for the upper end. With an all-inclusive number, your budget is the number — and if reality exceeds it, you’re either finding more money or cutting scope mid-project.

You’re protected from surprises. The most common complaint in the modular dwelling industry isn’t about build quality — it’s about cost surprises. “The quote said $140,000 and it ended up costing $210,000.” That gap almost always comes from site costs that weren’t properly scoped, weren’t honestly communicated, or were deliberately excluded from the headline price. Separated pricing eliminates this because the site costs are explicitly identified, not hidden.

What to Watch For When Others Quote

If you’re comparing modular dwelling providers and one of them gives you a single all-inclusive number, here are the questions worth asking.

“What’s included in that price and what’s excluded?” Get a written list. Does it include footings? Service connections? Council fees? Infrastructure charges? Building certifier fees? BAL assessment and compliance (if applicable)? Transport and crane? If any of these are excluded, the number is not all-inclusive — it’s a dwelling price dressed up as a project price.

“Is this based on my specific site, or assumed conditions?” If they haven’t visited your property, reviewed your soil test and checked your overlays, the number is based on assumptions. Ask what those assumptions are. Ask what happens if your site doesn’t match.

“What are the provisional sums and what are the fixed prices?” A provisional sum is an allowance for work that can’t be accurately priced yet. It’s legitimate — some costs genuinely can’t be fixed until more information is available. But if the “all-inclusive” price contains $30,000 in provisional sums, you don’t actually have an all-inclusive price. You have a part-fixed, part-estimated price with a tidy-sounding label.

“What happens if site conditions differ from what’s assumed?” The answer you want to hear is a clear explanation of how variations are handled — documented, communicated before work proceeds, and agreed in writing. The answer you don’t want to hear is “that won’t happen” or “it’s all covered.” On acreage, site conditions vary. Any company suggesting otherwise hasn’t built on enough sites.

The Honest Position

We’d love to be able to say “a secondary dwelling on your property will cost exactly $X.” It would make marketing easier. It would make the sales conversation faster. It would probably generate more enquiries.

But it wouldn’t be true. And a number that isn’t true is worse than no number at all, because it creates expectations that the reality of your specific project may not match. We’d rather have a harder conversation at the start — where we explain the two cost components, what drives each one, and what your specific site is likely to involve — than an easy conversation at the start followed by a difficult one when the real costs emerge.

The dwelling price is transparent, fixed and competitive. The site costs are transparent, itemised and site-specific. Together, they give you the actual picture. That’s the only price we’re comfortable quoting, because it’s the only one we’re confident will hold.

Further Reading

• How Much Does a Secondary Dwelling Cost in Queensland? — the full cost breakdown with all components itemised
• What Happens on Site Before Your Dwelling Arrives — every stage of site preparation, with costs
• Building a Secondary Dwelling on Acreage in SEQ — comprehensive guide including site cost variables
• BAL Ratings Explained — how bushfire compliance affects cost
• What Is a Secondary Dwelling? — definitions and building classifications
• Secondary Dwelling Size Limits by Council — SEQ 2026 Guide — council fees and infrastructure charges

About Outhaus

Outhaus builds Class 1a modular secondary dwellings for acreage properties across South East Queensland. We separate dwelling costs from site costs because we think that’s the honest way to do it. If you want to understand what a build on your specific land would actually involve, we’ll walk you through both parts before anything gets formal.