Building Cost Estimator
Building Cost Estimator
If you're pricing a build and want a number you can actually rely on, not a rough guess, you need someone who has measured real jobs before, not just run a calculator.
Estimating Australia has been preparing building cost estimates for Australian builders, developers and owner-builders for over 30 years. Every estimate is prepared or reviewed by Peter Irvin, who has worked as a builder and project manager as well as an estimator, so the numbers reflect how a job actually gets built, not just how it looks on a spreadsheet.
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What a building cost estimator actually does
A building cost estimator measures your plans and prices the job trade by trade: materials, labour, and the preliminaries and margins that sit around them, so you know what the build will actually cost before you commit to it.
That's different from an online construction cost estimator, which gives you a rough per square metre figure with no knowledge of your specific plans, site or specification. A proper estimate is built from your drawings, item by item. If you're not sure which one you need, our guide on what a building cost estimator is explains the difference in more detail.
What's actually inside a real estimate
Most estimating pages talk in generalities. Here is what a real residential estimate looks like once it's broken down trade by trade. This is a genuine (anonymised) job from our files, a renovation and extension project costed at $774,928 across 20 trade packages, before preliminaries, margin and contingency are added at the top level.
Trade | Cost | % of build |
|---|---|---|
Glazing, skylights and external doors | $92,000 | 11.9% |
External works and landscaping | $86,049 | 11.1% |
Joinery, stairs and handrails | $85,350 | 11.0% |
Preliminaries | $74,370 | 9.6% |
Electrician and mechanical | $54,293 | 7.0% |
Masonry, blockwork and brickwork | $42,355 | 5.5% |
Plasterer, linings and render | $41,217 | 5.3% |
Painting and floor coverings | $40,335 | 5.2% |
Carpenter labour | $36,217 | 4.7% |
Structural steel and metalwork | $33,183 | 4.3% |
Structural timber | $31,320 | 4.0% |
Concrete work and termite control | $27,814 | 3.6% |
Plumber, drainer, gas fitter and water tanks | $27,501 | 3.5% |
Demolition | $25,428 | 3.3% |
Roofing | $22,134 | 2.9% |
PC items (taps, toilets, appliances, mirrors) | $21,160 | 2.7% |
Waterproofing and ceramic tiling | $13,973 | 1.8% |
Excavation and plant hire | $9,160 | 1.2% |
Cladding, external finishes and insulation | $6,109 | 0.8% |
Internal fix (doors, architraves, skirting) | $4,961 | 0.6% |
Every line item in a real estimate is quantity multiplied by rate, right down to individual fixings, downpipes and door hardware where it matters. That level of detail is what a proper Bill of Quantities gives you: the ability to compare subcontractor quotes properly and spot what's been left out of a builder's price. See the full sample estimate.
Why the trade-by-trade number matters more than a per-square-metre figure
A per square metre rate tells you roughly what a build might cost. It can't tell you that your glazing package is nearly 12% of the job, or that your external works and landscaping are running level with your structural steel. Those are the numbers that actually let you find savings, negotiate quotes, or spot a subcontractor's price that is missing scope.
This is also part of why two builders' quotes for the same job can land tens of thousands of dollars apart. They are often not pricing the same list of inclusions. A trade-by-trade estimate makes that visible before you sign anything. Our guide on what should be included in a construction estimate covers this in more detail, and our comparison of a construction cost plan versus a builder's quote explains why the two numbers so often don't match.
What we provide
Residential construction estimating, new homes, renovations and extensions
Every estimate is delivered as a clear PDF or CSV, trade by trade, so you can hand it straight to a lender, a client, or use it to check a builder's quote.
How it works
Send your plans. Drawings, specifications and any tender documentation, by email or through our contact form.
Get a fixed fee proposal. We review the project and quote a fixed fee for the estimate before any work starts.
We measure and price it. Trade by trade, using your rates where you have them, or our own pricing data where you don't.
You get the full breakdown. PDF and/or CSV, ready to use for tenders, bank funding, or comparing quotes.
Priority turnaround is available for urgent tenders, normally 24 to 48 hours for eligible projects, for an additional fee.
See a sample of a full estimate or see a sample Bill of Quantities.
Who prepares your estimate?
Peter Irvin leads our estimating team, with over 30 years across residential, commercial and civil construction in Australia: as a builder, a project manager, and now as lead estimator. That on-site background is the difference between an estimate that looks complete and one that actually reflects how the job gets built. It means knowing what a scope is likely to be missing, where variations tend to come from, and what a subcontractor's quote usually leaves out.
Building cost estimator, common questions
How much does a building cost estimate cost? It depends on the size and complexity of the project. We provide a fixed fee quote once we've seen your plans, so you know the cost upfront before any work starts. See our Pricing and Rates page for an indicative figure, or call for a fee proposal.
How is a building cost estimator different from a free online calculator? A calculator applies a general rate per square metre with no knowledge of your actual plans, site conditions or specification. A building cost estimator measures your drawings and prices the job trade by trade, so the figure reflects what you are actually building, not a national average. Our online construction cost estimator guide explains what a calculator can and can't tell you before you set a budget.
How long does a building cost estimate take? Turnaround depends on project size and documentation. Priority turnaround is available for urgent tenders, typically 24 to 48 hours for eligible projects, for an additional fee.
What information do you need to prepare an estimate? Architectural drawings at minimum. Structural drawings, a finishes schedule, specifications and any engineering documentation will make the estimate more accurate and reduce assumptions. See our guide on what should be included in a construction estimate for the full list.
Can a building cost estimate help me compare builder quotes? Yes. Because it is broken down trade by trade, you can line it up against a builder's quote and see what's included, what is missing, and where the numbers don't match. Our guide to how accurate estimates protect your project budget covers this in more detail.
Should I get an estimate or a Bill of Quantities? An estimate gives you the total likely cost. A Bill of Quantities goes a step further and itemises every material and labour quantity, which is useful when you need to compare several subcontractor or builder quotes against exactly the same scope.
Need a building cost estimate?
Send your plans, and we'll come back with a fixed fee proposal.
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Sydney
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Melbourne
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1300 944 122