How our list prices work
Published list prices and written machine quotes serve different purposes. The list price covers the machine configuration shown, while a written quote sets out the selected extras, and it shows where to check quote validity before figures go to finance or management.
What a published list price normally includes
Our list prices are there to give workshops, cabinet makers and shopfitters a stable starting point before a full written quote is prepared. On this site, a list price usually refers to the machine in a defined base configuration, with the main mechanical and electrical specification stated on the relevant page.
For CNC routers, that base figure generally covers the router itself, the control arrangement supplied with that model, and the standard working area or bed size shown on the page. If a model is listed with a spindle size, axis layout or table format, that is the version the price relates to unless the page says otherwise. A woodworking machine list price covers the standard machine configuration listed for that model.
- The machine model shown on the page.
- The standard configuration stated for that model.
- The main specifications used to compare one option with another.
- A permanent public price reference rather than a once-off special.
Published figures are useful for comparing one class of machine to another without waiting for a custom document first. They are standing list prices for the machine configuration shown, giving you a stable reference when you are costing out a joinery line, replacing an older router, or setting a capital budget for a new shopfitting floor.
What is usually priced as an extra
Most workshops do not buy only the base machine. They add holding, extraction, tooling, installation items or configuration changes that match the material mix and the volume of work. That is where the written quote becomes important, because two machines with the same headline list price can land very differently once the job requirements are known.
Common extras are shown on their own pages so you can cost them in openly instead of trying to guess. If you cut melamine board all week, a vacuum bed and pump may be central to the job. If you are cutting solid timber parts, tooling choice can make more difference than people first expect. Dust extraction also needs to match the chip load and housekeeping requirements on site, especially in enclosed joinery spaces where fine dust builds up quickly.
- Vacuum beds and pump sets.
- Router bits and other tooling.
- Dust extraction units and ducting related items.
- Automatic tool-change upgrades where applicable.
- Alternative bed formats, hold-down choices or configuration changes.
- Delivery, offloading, installation or training where these are requested.
A written quote is the right place to total these lines properly. It stops a low base figure from being compared unfairly with a fuller machine package that is ready for production on arrival.
How to compare one price with another properly
Price comparisons only help when the specification is lined up cleanly. A smaller router with a simple table should not be measured against a larger machine with a vacuum bed, more spindle power and an automatic tool-change setup as if they are equal. The same goes for woodworking equipment where feed arrangement, motor size or table capacity shifts the actual working result.
When you compare options, keep the material, sheet size, daily duty and finish requirement in view. A cabinet maker in Pinetown cutting board packs for kitchens will read a router quote differently from a shopfitter producing mixed signage panels and assembled displays across KwaZulu-Natal. One may need more vacuum capacity, the other may need broader tooling allowance or a different cutting format.
- Match the bed size to the board or part size you actually process.
- Check whether the listed machine uses the same hold-down method as the one you are comparing.
- Look at spindle power, tooling allowance and production method together.
- Separate machine price from delivery and setup costs.
- Check whether dust extraction is included or shown separately.
If you are unsure whether two prices are truly equivalent, ask for both to be written out in a like-for-like format through our contact form. That usually clears up the gap properly, and it avoids approving a number that looked lower only because several working items were missing.
What a written quote adds beyond the price list
A written quote turns the public list price into a document you can use internally for approval, finance estimation and order planning. It sets out the chosen machine, the selected extras and any line items that sit outside the standard list entry. For many buyers, this is the point where a rough budget becomes a purchase case.
The quote can also separate equipment into sections so the cost of the router, vacuum package, tooling and extraction are visible instead of buried in one lump sum. That is useful when a workshop wants to stage spending, or where management needs to see what is essential now and what can be added later.
For finance discussions, a written quote is also easier to work with than screenshots from several pages. The document can show the machine package as one coherent job, which helps when figures are being reviewed by an accountant or lending contact. It also reduces mix-ups over whether the amount covers only the machine frame, or the practical cutting setup needed to put it into service.
Where to check quote validity and hold period
List prices stay published as a standing reference, but a written quote carries its own validity note. That validity period is the one to use when you are budgeting, seeking finance or waiting for internal sign-off. The quote will show how long the pricing holds, and any line that has a different hold condition should be read on its own wording.
This matters because some costs move independently of the base machine figure. Freight, imported components, certain motors, pumps, and accessory items can shift between the day a quote is written and the day a purchase is approved. A proper validity note prevents guesswork and gives your team a clean date to work around.
- Read the validity note on the quote before circulating it for approval.
- Check whether any accessory line carries a separate hold condition.
- If finance is delayed, ask for the quote to be refreshed before using old figures.
- Use the written quote rather than memory when discussing total budget.
If a quote has aged while a project sat in procurement, do not assume the old total still stands. It is better to have the package rewritten with the same machine logic than to move ahead on expired numbers, eish, that creates avoidable trouble later.
Details worth sending when you ask for pricing
The clearest quotes come from clear workshop information. You do not need a formal tender pack, but a few practical details make the difference between a broad estimate and a machine package that matches the work on your floor. This is especially true for routers, where material type, sheet size and hold-down method affect the final specification more than many first-time buyers expect.
- Town or delivery area in South Africa.
- Material types such as MDF, melamine board, plywood, solid timber, acrylic or composites.
- Typical sheet or part sizes.
- Whether you need a vacuum bed, tooling and dust extraction priced in.
- Preferred machine category, such as 3-axis or automatic tool-change.
- Whether the figure is for budgeting only or for finance paperwork.
With that information, the written quote can be set out in a way that is easier to compare and easier to approve. If you already have a shortlist from the router, tooling or dust pages, mention those items in our contact form so the quote lines follow your comparison neatly.
Questions we get asked
Are your list prices sale prices or short-term specials?
The published figures are standing list prices for the machine configuration shown. We do not run clearance sales or ex-demo specials on this site.
Does a router list price include vacuum, tooling and dust extraction?
Not usually unless the page says so clearly. Those items are commonly priced separately so you can add the package that suits your workshop and materials.
How long does a written quote hold?
The validity period is shown on the written quote itself. Use that note, rather than the general list page, when you are working through finance or internal approval.
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Tell us about the job
Send sizes, materials and where you are through our contact form, and we will come back with the practical options.
Open the contact form