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Budgets · NPWC / AIQS Elements
Budget Estimating for Construction Projects
Early budgets for owners and developers, worked out from building elements and benchmark rates
Most projects are decided on a budget number set long before there is a full drawing set. If it is too low, the project is dead before it starts; too high, and feasibility fails.
We prepare budgets from sketches, area schedules or concept drawings using elemental rates, with contingency, escalation and exclusions shown so you know exactly what the number includes.
From sketchesConcept information
Elemental ratesNPWC / AIQS structure
ContingencyStated, not hidden
GSTShown separately
Deliverables
What You Actually Receive
| Deliverable | Format | Detail level |
|---|---|---|
| Budget estimate | Excel + PDF | Elemental summary with cost per m² |
| Assumptions | Written basis of the budget | |
| Exclusions | Items the budget leaves out | |
| Option pricing | Excel | Alternative schemes side by side |
| Cash flow | Excel | Indicative spend over time |
Scope Coverage
Budget Items We Cover
Building
- Substructure and structure
- Envelope
- Internal fit-out
- Services
External
- Landscaping
- Car parks and roads
- Fencing
- Signage
Soft costs
- Design fees
- Authority charges
- Insurance and legal
- Finance
Risk
- Contingency
- Escalation
- Provisional sums
- Exclusions
Our Process
Start a Project →
How We Prepare Your Estimate
Five steps from your drawings to a budget number you can defend in a scope review.
-
01
Scope review
An estimator reads the architectural and engineering drawings and specification before touching a takeoff tool, and lists every assumption, exclusion and missing item as a query for you to confirm. Nothing is priced on a guess.
-
02
Digital measurement
Quantities are measured digitally in Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift or On-Screen Takeoff, in metric: metric quantities. Each measurement sits on a named layer, so the marked-up PDF you receive is a visual audit trail.
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03
Pricing
We price the quantities using current Australian supplier quotes, subcontract rates and published benchmarks such as Rawlinsons, adjusted for your postcode and state. If you give us your own rates or a preferred supplier schedule, we use those.
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04
Senior QA review
Before anything is sent, a second estimator compares the takeoff with the drawings and verifies the measuring rules, deductions, wastage allowances and productivity assumptions.
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05
Delivery
Excel and PDF files reach your inbox within one to two days for standard jobs. One round of changes is included, and we remain available for tender queries and scope questions after the tender.
Tooling
Software We Work In
You do not have to hold a licence for these tools. We do the measuring with them and hand over the results.
Bluebeam Revu
Measuring, marking and comparing drawings on screen.
PlanSwift
Takeoffs made from ready-built assemblies, with quantities you can export.
On-Screen Takeoff
Layer-based measuring on big commercial drawing sets.
Rawlinsons-benchmarked rates
Up-to-date Australian unit rates, compared with supplier and subcontractor quotes.
Microsoft Excel
The final file, set out to match your cost codes and trade sections.
If you use Buildsoft, CostX, Estimate One, Procore or your own template, let us know and we will prepare the file so it imports straight in.
Turnaround & Pricing
Cost and Delivery Time
We quote a fee for each project before starting, in AUD excluding GST. We never bill by the hour, and you are never charged more than the quote.
Small / residential scope
24 hoursSmall projects.
Typical fee A$350 to A$850
Mid-size commercial
24 to 48 hoursMid-size projects.
Typical fee A$850 to A$1,800
Large / complex
48 to 72 hoursLarge developments.
Typical fee A$1,800 to A$3,600
Monthly takeoff package
OngoingA set number of estimates every month, with your jobs placed first in the queue.
Flat monthly rate from A$2,200/mo
Cost vs. Capacity
Why Builders Hand Budget Estimating to Us
A full-time estimator is a salary, super, software seats and training. A budget takeoff from us is a per-project cost that only appears when you are actually tendering.
- No software licences. Takeoff and cost-data subscriptions cost thousands of dollars per user each year. With us, you use ours.
- Tender more, more selectively. Most builders do not lose jobs through bad pricing. They lose them because they run out of time to reach enough tenders before closing.
- Site time stays site time. Items get overlooked when estimating at 9pm after a long day on site.
- Independent accuracy check. Even builders with in-house estimators use us to sanity-check large or unfamiliar budget scopes before they submit.
- Moves up and down with how busy you are. Five takeoffs in a busy month and none in a slow one. You never carry a fixed cost.
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
Owners
Project budgets.
Developers
Feasibility.
Architects
Design costs.
Builders
Budget pricing.
Councils
Capital works budgets.
Community groups
Grant applications.
Sample Output
Sample Line Items
Every estimate has this much detail: quantities tied to elements and measured in metric, never lump sums.
| Item | Unit | Qty | Material | Labour | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building works, 2,400 m² GFA | item | 1 | $ | $ | $ |
| External works | item | 1 | $ | $ | $ |
| Contingency, 7.5% | item | 1 | $ | $ | $ |
| Escalation to start | item | 1 | $ | $ | $ |
These example items show only the layout and units. They do not come from a client project.
FAQ
Common Questions
How accurate is a budget?
It depends on the design stage; we state the accuracy band.
Do you include soft costs?
Yes, as an optional add-on.
Can you test several options?
Yes.
Can you revise the budget as the design changes?
Yes.
Which states and territories do you cover?
Every one. Prices are set for your project postcode and state, so a job in Darwin and a job in Melbourne get their own unit costs instead of one national average.
What does it cost?
A fee is quoted per project, in AUD excluding GST, before any work starts. You approve it in writing first. There is no hourly billing and no invoice larger than the quote.
How fast is turnaround?
Standard scopes ship in 24 to 48 hours. Large packages take 48 to 72 hours. If you are against a closing time, say so when you upload and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
Are my project details kept confidential?
Yes. We keep drawings, specifications and tender figures private, and if you prefer we will sign your NDA before we receive any documents.
Ready to Get Started?
Ready for Your Next Budget Estimate?
Send your drawings along with a short note on what the job covers. A fee and delivery date come back the same working day, and the finished estimate follows within one to two days of your approval.