Structure & Site
Framing Estimating Services in New Zealand
Stud-by-stud framing quantities for walls, floors and roofs, with lintels, bracing elements and fixings taken from your NZS 3604 or engineered drawings.
Framing is the trade most builders know best, and the one where a rough per-square-metre rate is most tempting. The problem is that rates hide the drivers: ceiling heights, opening counts, lintel sizes, bracing type and roof complexity all change the timber and labour involved.
We measure framing in detail. Wall frames are taken off by height and stud spacing, with plates, nogs, lintels, trimmers and cripple studs counted around each opening. Floor framing includes bearers, joists and blocking. Roof framing covers rafters, ridges, hips and valleys, or truss counts and layouts if trusses are being used.
Bracing elements are counted from the bracing plan, along with the hold-downs and fixings each element requires. For light steel framing, we measure panels and members by profile.
Scope
What we measure in a framing takeoff
| Item | Unit | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Wall framing | lm / m² | Studs, top and bottom plates, nogs by wall height. |
| Lintels and beams | no. / lm | By size and span from the lintel schedule or NZS 3604 tables. |
| Floor framing | lm / m² | Bearers, joists, blocking and subfloor bracing. |
| Roof framing | lm / no. | Rafters, ridges, hips and valleys, or truss counts. |
| Bracing elements | no. / BU | Bracing panels from the bracing plan. |
| Fixings and connectors | no. | Hold-downs, straps, brackets and nailing plates. |
| Light steel framing | lm / panels | Profiles and panels where steel framing is specified. |
Deliverables
What you receive
Framing takeoffs can be split into prenail frame and truss supply versus on-site framing, so you can price prefabrication and site labour separately.
| Itemised quantity sheet | Excel + PDF |
| Marked-up plans | Colour-coded PDF |
| Material and labour schedule | Excel |
| Assumptions and exclusions list |
Who it is for
Built for the people who price the work
- Builders
- Send frame and truss quantities to two prenail suppliers and compare like-for-like.
- Subcontractors
- Framing crews can quote by lineal metre of wall and roof complexity.
- Developers
- Test the framing cost effect of raising ceiling heights from 2.4 m to 2.7 m.
- Architects
- See how many lintels and bracing elements a design with large openings needs.
Process
How a framing estimate runs
STEP 01
Upload plans
Upload floor plans, elevations, sections, bracing plan and any truss or engineering layouts.
STEP 02
Scope confirmation
We confirm stud spacing, timber grade, treatment and whether framing is prenail or site-cut.
STEP 03
Takeoff and review
Walls, floors and roofs are measured by element, then checked against wall length and roof area ratios.
STEP 04
Delivery
You receive the framing schedule, PDF summary and marked-up plans showing each wall type.
New Zealand context
Standards and practice
Most New Zealand timber-framed houses are designed to NZS 3604:2011, which sets stud, lintel, joist and rafter sizes by span, loading and wind zone. We read the wind zone, earthquake zone and bracing demand from the drawings because they drive lintel sizes, fixing requirements and bracing quantities.
Framing timber is typically structural grade radiata pine (SG8 is common), treated to H1.2 for enclosed framing under NZS 3640. We take grades and treatments from the drawings and specification, not from assumptions.
We measure and price to the drawings. Design compliance and building consent remain with your designer and building consent authority.
Cost drivers
What drives the cost of framing work
01
Wind and bracing demand
Higher wind zones need more bracing, larger lintels and more fixings. The same house can need noticeably more framing hardware on an exposed site.
02
Ceiling height
Taller walls need longer studs, more nogs and sometimes larger studs. Raised ceilings add cost across framing, linings and painting.
03
Openings
Every window and door needs a lintel, trimmers and cripple studs. Highly glazed designs use more framing per lineal metre of wall than plain walls.
04
Prenail versus site framing
Prenail frames and trusses shift labour into the factory, which can shorten the programme. We can split quantities so you can compare both approaches.
Where framing estimates go wrong
Framing estimates commonly undercount studs. Doubled studs at openings, extra studs at corners and junctions, and blocking for fixtures and fittings all add up. A stud count from wall length and spacing alone is always short.
Bracing is the other common gap. Bracing elements need specific linings, fixings and hold-downs, and in higher wind zones there are more of them. Missing them affects both framing and linings costs.
FAQ
Framing Estimating questions
Do you measure framing to NZS 3604?
We measure what is drawn. For NZS 3604 houses, that usually means stud, lintel and joist sizes from the standard's tables, as shown on the plans.
Can you estimate prenail frames and trusses?
Yes. We can split quantities so prenail suppliers can quote frames and trusses separately from site framing.
Do you count bracing elements?
Yes. We count bracing elements from the bracing plan, with their fixings and hold-downs.
Do you estimate light steel framing?
Yes. We measure steel frame panels and trusses where they are specified.
How do you handle truss layouts?
If you have a truss layout from a supplier, we count trusses, girders and bracing from it. Otherwise we allow for trusses based on the roof plan.
Can you measure framing for a renovation?
Yes, we measure new framing and show removals separately.
Related services
- Carpentry Estimating
Measured carpentry scope beyond the frame: decks, cladding installation, interior trim, stairs, doors, hardware and fit-off.
- Material Takeoff Services
Order-ready material lists, converted from measured quantities into the lengths, sheets and packs your merchant actually sells.
- Roofing Estimating
True roof areas calculated by pitch, with sheet lengths, flashings, gutters, downpipes and underlay measured for ordering.
- Residential Estimating
Estimates for new homes, townhouses, alterations and additions, measured from your consent drawings and laid out the way builders price.
Get a quote
Send your plans for a framing estimate
Upload your drawings and we will reply with a fixed fee and turnaround before any work starts. No obligation.
- — PDF, DWG and ZIP accepted
- — Fees in NZD, excluding GST
- — Prefer email? Use the link in the footer