Department:

Estimation

Reports to: Project Manager

Type: On site- Full-time

Role Purpose

• Own end-to-end cost estimation for residential builds — feasibility through to contract-signed budget
• Produce accurate, fully-detailed estimates & Purchase orders that hold up through construction with minimal variation
• Set the cost baseline that Pre-Construction, Procurement and Site rely on

Key Responsibilities

Estimating & Take-off

• Prepare detailed quantity take-offs from architectural, structural, engineering and soil reports
• Build full estimates against the company cost code structure — no uncoded or lumped items
• Price single dwellings, dual occupancies, townhouses, secondary dwellings and dual-key products
• Prepare preliminary/feasibility estimates for sales and land packages at short notice

Documentation Review

• Review drawings, specifications, engineering and permit documents for gaps, clashes and buildability issues before pricing

Trade & Supplier Pricing

• Issue scopes of work and bid packages to trades and suppliers; analyse and normalise quotes like-for-like
• Maintain and update rate libraries, material pricing and labour constants
• Flag scope gaps between trades so nothing falls between packages

Handover & Cost Control

• Present estimates with clear assumptions, exclusions and risk allowances
• Hand over the approved budget to Pre-Construction and Procurement with a documented basis of estimate
• Support variation pricing and post-contract cost queries
• Review actual vs estimated costs on completed jobs and feed learnings back into rates

Systems

• Maintain estimating data in the company platform ) — no offline spreadsheets outside the system
• Keep job records, revisions and version control current and auditable

Requirements

Required Qualifications & Experience

• BSc / BE in Civil Engineering
• 3–4 years' estimating experience in residential construction
• Demonstrated experience working to Australian Standards
• Proven take-off and pricing capability across full trade scope — site works, structure, lock-up, fixing, fit-off, external works
• Prior estimation software experiences including constructors is a plus

Skills & Attributes

• Exceptional attention to detail — catches missing dimensions, scope gaps and drawing inconsistencies before they become variations
• Strong numerical and analytical ability; comfortable interrogating a quote rather than accepting it
• Reads and interprets construction drawings and specifications fluently
• Proficient in estimating software, take-off tools and advanced Excel
• Clear written communication — scopes, assumptions and RFIs that leave no room for interpretation
• Works to deadlines without trading off accuracy
• Takes ownership of an estimate end-to-end; raises issues early rather than going quiet

Success Measures (first 6 months)

• Estimates delivered within agreed turnaround times
• Variance between estimated and actual cost within tolerance
• Reduction in scope-gap variations attributable to estimating
• Rate library and cost codes kept current and accurate