What Is 'Miscellaneous' Actually Costing You? My Dad's 30-Year Mistake

By Dan Reeve — Working handyman and founder of SMASH Invoices. Dan has been a sole trader for over a decade and built SMASH after losing $1,200 in uninvoiced jobs in a single year. He still takes on handyman work and uses SMASH on every job. About Dan →

Writing "Miscellaneous — $20" at the bottom of every invoice costs the average sole trader $3,640–$5,200 per year. The $20 line covers real consumables — drill bits, blades, silicone, sandpaper — but typically recovers only 20–30% of their actual cost. A carpenter running 5 jobs per week for 30 years who undercharges miscellaneous by $60 per job has left over $468,000 on the table across their career. According to Fair Work and industry trades benchmarks, consumable materials are a recognised cost in every trade — and a legitimate line item on every invoice.

The carpenter who's been undercharging since 1994

My dad has been a carpenter for thirty years. He's good at his work. Professional. Reliable. Customers love him.

On every single invoice, at the bottom, he writes one line:

Miscellaneous — $20

That covers drill bits, saw blades, sandpaper, screws, wood filler, PVA glue, grinder discs, sanding pads, and whatever else went into the job. I asked him recently what exactly it covers. He said: "Just random stuff."

Twenty dollars. For everything. On every job.

I sat down and worked it out with him. An average carpentry job uses $60–$80 in consumables by a realistic assessment: two drill bits at $8 each, sandpaper at $12, screws at $6, PVA at $5, wood filler at $7. That's $46 before anything unusual. His miscellaneous line recovers $20. He loses $26 per job.

At five jobs per week for fifty weeks, that's $6,500 lost per year. For thirty years: $195,000. In consumables alone. Not in labour — in materials he bought, used, and handed away.

He didn't know. He genuinely did not know.

"My accountant showed me that I was spending $240 a month on consumables and charging about $80. Three years I'd been doing that. The 'Miscellaneous $20' line was basically a lie I was telling myself that I'd covered it." — Aaron W., Carpenter, Adelaide SA [PLACEHOLDER]

Why is "miscellaneous" such a dangerous habit?

Because it feels professional. It feels like you're covering your bases. In reality, a miscellaneous line is a surrender — you've stopped trying to itemise and handed the customer a discount on everything you didn't name.

Miscellaneous items are often the highest-margin items on the job. Drill bits cost $8 and take 30 seconds to bill. Sandpaper is $3 and takes 10 seconds. These are not complex items to charge for. They are simply never charged for because no one built the habit.

The pattern compounds across trades. Electricians run "misc cable — $15" when the conduit, clips, and junction boxes cost $45. Plumbers write "fittings — $30" when the P-traps, washers, and flexi hoses cost $75. Painters charge "materials" at a flat rate that covers a third of what they actually used.

How do you fix the miscellaneous habit?

You itemise. Not every item needs a separate paragraph. But each material category needs its own line with a real price.

The obstacle has always been: I don't know what to charge. Looking up Bunnings prices mid-invoice takes time. Guessing feels inaccurate.

SMASH Invoices removes this obstacle entirely. The app includes a 2,250-item Australian materials catalog with real Bunnings-sourced pricing. When you speak a job description — "fitted two door hinges, used PVA, wood filler, and three 50mm screws" — the app identifies the materials and prices them automatically. You don't look anything up. You don't guess. The miscellaneous line disappears because every item is named and priced.

My dad is trying it. He described his last job. The app priced $64 in materials. He had been going to write $20.

"First time I used it I described a bathroom install — new vanity, all fittings. The app came up with $186 in materials. I would have written $40 misc. That's $146 I just found on one job." — Steve R., Plumber, Canberra ACT [PLACEHOLDER]

Frequently asked questions

How should sole traders price consumable materials on invoices? Each consumable should be listed as a separate line item at either its actual cost or cost-plus-markup (typically 15–25%). A miscellaneous catchall line is not recommended — it undercharges routinely, lacks itemisation for tax purposes, and gives customers a reason to dispute the value they received.

What's a fair markup on materials for sole traders in Australia? Industry standard is 15–30% markup on materials, depending on trade and difficulty of sourcing. The markup covers purchasing time, delivery or collection, storage, and the risk of unused stock. Customers typically expect a markup and factor it into their decision to hire a professional rather than sourcing materials themselves.

Can I charge for drill bits and sandpaper on an invoice? Yes. Consumables directly used in completing a job are a legitimate invoice line item. Many sole traders undercharge on consumables out of habit or uncertainty. Itemising them properly increases invoice accuracy, improves business records, and ensures real job profitability.

Is there software that automatically prices materials for tradies in Australia? SMASH Invoices includes a 2,250+ item Australian materials catalog priced from Bunnings supplier data. Users describe a job by voice, and the app automatically identifies and prices materials. This removes the need for manual lookups and eliminates the habit of writing a flat miscellaneous figure.

How much do Australian carpenters typically charge for consumables per job? A realistic consumables cost for a standard carpentry job ranges from $40–$120 depending on job complexity. This includes drill bits, sandpaper, screws, adhesives, and fillers. A $20 miscellaneous line typically recovers 15–50% of this actual cost.

Stop writing $20 misc. Name every item. Get paid for all of it. Start Free →