A base price is the build only, on a standard block with standard inclusions. A turnkey price adds everything needed to move straight in: flooring, blinds, fencing, driveway, landscaping and site costs. The Property Plug normalises every panel quote to the same basis, so you compare the real landed number rather than two different finishing lines.
A from price is a starting line, not a finishing one. The single biggest mistake Perth buyers make is comparing one builder base price against another builder turnkey price and assuming the cheaper number is the better deal. It almost never is. Here is exactly what sits inside each, and how to read a quote properly.
What base price and turnkey actually mean
Every Perth builder quote sits somewhere on a spectrum between these two numbers. Knowing where a quote sits is the whole game. Design from-prices on our panel start $309,218 as a base build, and the turnkey figure for the same home is meaningfully higher because it carries the finishing items below.
- Base price (the from-price): the structural build on a flat, standard block with the builder standard inclusions. It is the headline you see advertised.
- Turnkey price: the base build plus every finishing item that makes the home liveable on day one, including the real site costs for your block.
The items that separate base from turnkey
The gap between a base price and a turnkey price is not a markup. It is the real cost of the items a base price leaves off. The table shows where each typically lands.
| Item | In a base price? | In a turnkey price? |
|---|---|---|
| Structural build | Yes | Yes |
| Standard kitchen + bathrooms | Yes | Yes |
| Site costs for your block | Usually an allowance only | Yes, real costs |
| Flooring throughout | No | Yes |
| Window treatments / blinds | No | Yes |
| Fencing | No | Yes |
| Driveway + paths | No | Yes |
| Landscaping | No | Yes |
Indicative only. Exact turnkey inclusions vary by builder. Always confirm the line-item list. Figures and inclusions current 14 June 2026.
Base price or turnkey, who each suits
Turnkey suits most first home buyers because the price you sign sits close to the price you pay, with fewer surprises at colour selection. A base price suits buyers happy to project-manage flooring, fencing and landscaping themselves to control spend. The right choice depends on your budget certainty and how much you want to manage.
- Choose turnkey if you want price certainty, you are using a tight deposit, or you simply want to move in without managing trades after handover.
- Choose base if you have time and appetite to organise finishing items yourself, and you understand the real cost of those items so your budget is honest.
- Either way, compare like for like. Base against base, or turnkey against turnkey. Never one builder base against another builder turnkey.
The cheapest from-price often becomes the most expensive home once the extras land. A base price with a thin inclusions list and an optimistic site allowance can finish higher than a turnkey quote that looked dearer up front.
Comparing quotes on the same basis
This is the work we do before you sign. We take each panel builder quote and normalise it to the same basis, so you are comparing the true landed number rather than two different finishing lines. We publish real siteworks for 102 Perth suburbs, which is the figure a base price usually hides behind an allowance. We are paid by the builder, never by you.
- Best home builders in Perth. the panel compared.
- How to choose a home builder in Perth. the full checklist.
- Building broker vs builder. why a broker compares honestly.
- Browse all 46 designs with real from-prices.