Civil Estimating Services
Detailed take-offs and competitive pricing across all civil disciplines — from bulk earthworks through to variations and commercial claims.
Overview
Earthworks is typically one of the highest-risk cost items on any civil project. Our estimators have priced bulk earthworks across major infrastructure, residential subdivisions, and industrial developments — from small cut-and-fill packages through to multi-million-dollar mass haul operations.
Scope Includes
- Bulk cut and fill calculations with shrink/swell factors
- Mass haul analysis and haulage cost modelling
- Topsoil strip and reinstatement
- Benching, battering and slope stabilisation
- Imported fill and compaction specifications
- Rock breaking and blasting allowances
- Dewatering and groundwater management
- Erosion and sediment control (ESC)
Typical Line Items
- Excavation (m³) — cut, fill, over-excavation
- Haulage (m³·km or lump sum)
- Imported fill supply and placement
- Compaction testing allowances
- Topsoil strip, stockpile and respread
- Rock breaking / ripping
- Dewatering plant and disposal
Overview
Piling and ground engineering packages require specialist knowledge of geotechnical conditions, equipment productivity rates, and subcontractor market pricing. We price these packages regularly across Sydney and other Australian states, drawing on current subcontractor rates and geotech report interpretation.
Scope Includes
- Bored cast-in-situ piers (CFA, rotary, bucket auger)
- Driven precast and steel piles
- Micropiles and ground anchors
- Sheet piling and soldier pile retention
- Secant and contiguous bored pile walls
- Ground improvement (dynamic compaction, stone columns)
- Underpinning and basement retention
Typical Line Items
- Pile quantities (linear metres or number)
- Pile cap and capping beam concrete
- Temporary casing and spoil disposal
- Anchor installation and testing
- Retention system design-and-construct allowances
- Geotechnical monitoring
Overview
Concrete and structural civil works demand precise take-off methodology. We produce detailed reinforcement schedules, formwork area calculations, and concrete volume take-offs from structural drawings — giving you a defensible, auditable estimate for tender or budget purposes.
Scope Includes
- In-situ concrete (footings, slabs, walls, columns, beams)
- Precast concrete elements (panels, beams, planks)
- Reinforcement bar and mesh schedules
- Formwork area calculations (all types)
- Post-tensioned slabs and beams
- Shotcrete and sprayed concrete
- Concrete pavements and hardstands
- Structural steel (columns, beams, connections)
Typical Line Items
- Concrete volumes by element type (m³)
- Reinforcement (tonnes) — bar and mesh separately
- Formwork (m²) — soffit, edge, wall, column
- Precast supply and erection
- Post-tension tendons and stressing
- Concrete pump and placement
Overview
Drainage packages are a core civil discipline and one where scope gaps are common. We take off complete drainage networks from civil drawings — including all pipe sizes, pit types, headwalls, and associated earthworks — ensuring nothing is missed at tender.
Scope Includes
- Stormwater pipe networks (RCP, HDPE, PVC, CMP)
- Drainage pits, manholes and headwalls
- Gross pollutant traps (GPTs) and water quality devices
- Detention and retention basins
- Bioretention and rain gardens
- Subsoil drainage and agricultural drains
- Open channels and swales
- Kerb and gutter, kerb inlets
Typical Line Items
- Pipe supply and lay (linear metres by size and class)
- Pit supply and install (each by type)
- Trench excavation and backfill
- Headwall and wingwall concrete
- Basin earthworks and lining
- GPT supply and install
- Kerb and gutter (linear metres)
Overview
Road and pavement packages span a wide range of complexity — from small subdivision roads through to major arterial upgrades. We price full road packages including subgrade preparation, pavement layers, kerbing, line marking, and associated civil works.
Scope Includes
- Road formation and subgrade preparation
- Flexible pavement (subbase, base, asphalt)
- Rigid pavement (concrete roads and hardstands)
- Kerb and gutter, medians and islands
- Line marking, signage and delineation
- Traffic management allowances
- Intersection upgrades and roundabouts
- Shared paths and cycleways
Typical Line Items
- Subgrade preparation and proof rolling
- Pavement layers (m³ or m² by thickness)
- Asphalt supply and lay (tonnes or m²)
- Kerb and gutter (linear metres by type)
- Line marking (linear metres and area)
- Signage (each)
- Traffic management (lump sum or weeks)
Overview
Utilities packages require careful coordination across multiple service types and authority requirements. We price complete reticulation packages for water, sewer, gas, electrical, and communications — including all associated civil works, connections, and authority fees.
Scope Includes
- Water reticulation (mains, services, meters)
- Sewer reticulation (gravity, rising mains, pump stations)
- Gas reticulation and service connections
- Electrical conduit and cable networks
- Communications (NBN, Telstra, data)
- Service crossings and road bores
- Thrust boring and trenchless installation
- Authority connection fees and contributions
Typical Line Items
- Pipe supply and lay (linear metres by size and material)
- Valves, fittings and specials
- Service connections (each)
- Pump station supply and install
- Conduit and cable (linear metres)
- Pits and chambers (each)
- Boring and trenchless works (linear metres)
Overview
Retaining and landscaping works are often underpriced at tender. We take off complete external works packages including all retaining wall types, fencing, soft landscaping, and hard landscaping — ensuring your tender reflects the full scope of external works.
Scope Includes
- Concrete block and masonry retaining walls
- Timber and steel retaining systems
- Gabion and rock wall construction
- Fencing (all types — security, pool, boundary)
- Soft landscaping (turf, planting, mulch)
- Hard landscaping (paving, paths, kerbing)
- Irrigation systems
- Playground and recreation equipment
Typical Line Items
- Retaining wall (m² face area by type and height)
- Fencing (linear metres by type)
- Turf supply and lay (m²)
- Garden beds and planting (m² or each)
- Paving and paths (m²)
- Irrigation (m² or linear metres)
Overview
Demolition and remediation packages carry significant risk if not properly scoped and priced. We price demolition works from structural drawings and condition reports, including asbestos removal allowances, contaminated soil management, and waste disposal — with appropriate contingency for unknown conditions.
Scope Includes
- Structural demolition (buildings, structures, pavements)
- Selective demolition and strip-out
- Asbestos identification and removal allowances
- Contaminated soil excavation and disposal
- Hazardous materials management
- Concrete crushing and recycling
- Site clearing and vegetation removal
- Decommissioning of services
Typical Line Items
- Demolition (m² GFA or lump sum by structure)
- Asbestos removal (m² or lump sum)
- Contaminated soil (m³ by classification)
- Waste disposal (tonnes by waste type)
- Concrete crushing and recycling (tonnes)
- Site clearing (m² or ha)
Contaminated soil and asbestos quantities are typically estimated from available reports. Where reports are limited, we'll flag the risk and include appropriate provisional sums.
Overview
A well-structured BOQ is the foundation of a competitive and defensible tender. We produce detailed quantity take-offs and bills of quantities directly from civil drawings — formatted to your preferred structure or to a standard civil BOQ format — ready for pricing by your team or subcontractors.
Scope Includes
- Full civil BOQ preparation from drawings and specs
- Earthworks and pavement take-offs
- Drainage and services take-offs
- Structural concrete and reinforcement schedules
- Provisional sums and PC items
- Formatted to client or contract requirements
- Excel or PDF output
Typical Line Items
- Complete BOQ (all civil disciplines)
- Single-discipline take-off (e.g. drainage only)
- Reinforcement schedule from structural drawings
- Pavement take-off from road design drawings
- Earthworks take-off from survey and design levels
We can format BOQs to match your preferred template, a head contractor format, or a standard civil structure. Just send us an example if you have one.
Overview
We provide complete tender estimates — not just take-offs. Our estimates include current market rates, subcontractor pricing, preliminaries, margins, and a structured tender summary ready for submission. We work to your tender deadline and can assist with tender review and value engineering.
Scope Includes
- Full tender estimate (take-off + pricing)
- Subcontractor scope packages and pricing
- Preliminaries and site establishment
- Margin and risk analysis
- Tender summary and schedule of rates
- Value engineering and alternative pricing
- Tender review and checking
- Post-tender clarifications and addenda
Typical Line Items
- Complete tender estimate (all disciplines)
- Preliminaries schedule
- Schedule of rates for contract
- Subcontractor scope packages
- Tender summary and cover letter support
We work to your tender deadline. Send us your documents as early as possible — we can provide a fee indication within 24 hours of receiving the scope.
Overview
Variations and commercial claims require fast, accurate pricing to protect your margin. We price variations from instruction or drawing change, prepare supporting quantity calculations, and assist with EOT and delay cost submissions — giving you defensible documentation for contract administration.
Scope Includes
- Variation pricing from RFI or drawing change
- Quantity calculations for variation support
- Extension of time (EOT) cost submissions
- Delay and disruption cost analysis
- Provisional sum adjustments
- Back-charge and contra-charge assessment
- Final account preparation
- Dispute support and expert evidence
Typical Line Items
- Variation estimate (each)
- Supporting quantity calculations
- EOT cost submission
- Delay cost schedule
- Final account reconciliation
Variation turnaround is typically faster than tender work. Contact us with your instruction or drawing change and we can usually provide pricing within 1–3 business days.
Not sure which service you need?
Send us your drawings and a brief description of the project. We will confirm the scope, fee, and turnaround time before starting any work.