Stormwater
- Stormwater pipes and culverts
- Inlet and junction pits
- Headwalls and outlets
- Subsoil drainage
ASMM / ANZSMM · Civil Stormwater · NPWC 39 ED
Civil Stormwater & External Drainage Estimating
Pipes, pits, trenching and utilities measured in metres and numbers
Stormwater is priced by the pipe run: pipe size, depth, bedding, backfill, pits and connections. The long section is where the cost is, and the depth of each run changes the excavation quantity far more than the pipe itself.
We calculate every run from the long sections, count pits and junctions, add excavation, bedding and reinstatement, and return a priced stormwater and utilities schedule matched to External Drainage and Utilities (39 ED).
Metres of pipeBy diameter and class
Pits countedBy type and depth
AS/NZS 3500.3Stormwater drainage
Trench m³From long sections
Deliverables
What You Actually Receive
| Deliverable | Format | Detail level |
|---|---|---|
| Stormwater pipework | Excel, m | RCP, PVC and HDPE by diameter and class |
| Pits and junctions | Excel, No. | By type, size and depth |
| Excavation and bedding | Excel, m³ | By depth range and bedding type |
| Detention and treatment | Excel, No. / m³ | Tanks, GPTs and basins |
| Utilities | Excel, m | Water, sewer, gas and conduits |
| Reinstatement | Excel, m² | Pavement, kerb and landscape |
| Priced estimate | Excel + PDF | Supply and installation, with GST on its own line |
Australian Framework
How This Work Fits Into the Australian Standards
Every estimate is structured to the trade sections used for tendering and to the elements used for early cost plans, so one set of quantities serves both.
| Trade section (ASMM / ANZSMM) | Element (NPWC / AIQS) |
|---|---|
| Civil Stormwater & External Drainage | 39 ED External Drainage / Utilities |
Scope Coverage
Civil Drainage Work We Measure
Every pipe and pit from the building to the connection point.
Water quality & detention
- Detention tanks
- Gross pollutant traps
- Bioretention basins
- Rainwater harvesting
Utilities
- Water mains
- Sewer connections
- Gas and electrical conduits
- Telecommunications ducts
Excavation
- Trench excavation
- Bedding and backfill
- Shoring and dewatering
- Rock excavation
Reinstatement
- Pavements and kerbs
- Line marking
- Landscape reinstatement
- Testing and CCTV
Our Process
Start a Project →
How We Prepare Your Estimate
Five steps from your drawings to a civil stormwater and external drainage number you can defend in a scope review.
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01
Scope review
An estimator reads the civil drawings, long sections, pit schedules and the drainage and utilities 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.
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02
Digital measurement
Quantities are measured digitally in Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift or On-Screen Takeoff, in metric: lineal metres of pipe by diameter and class, numbers of pits and junctions, and cubic metres of trench excavation and bedding. 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 hoursSingle sites and small commercial.
Typical fee A$350 to A$850
Mid-size commercial
24 to 48 hoursCommercial estates and subdivisions.
Typical fee A$850 to A$1,800
Large / complex
48 to 72 hoursMajor civil and infrastructure projects.
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 Civil Stormwater Estimating to Us
A full-time estimator is a salary, super, software seats and training. A civil stormwater and external drainage 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 civil stormwater and external drainage 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
Made for Anyone Pricing Civil Drainage
Civil contractors
Pipe, pit and trench takeoffs.
Drainers
Hydraulic and civil drainage.
Builders
External works allowances.
Developers
Subdivision budgets.
Civil engineers
Cost feedback.
Councils
Infrastructure budgets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DN375 RCP stormwater, class 2 | m | 186.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Junction pits, 900 x 900 | No. | 12 | $ | $ | $ |
| Trench excavation, 1.5 to 3.0 m | m³ | 620.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Granular bedding | m³ | 140.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Detention tank, 60 m³ | No. | 1 | $ | $ | $ |
These example items show only the layout and units. They do not come from a client project.
FAQ
Common Questions
Do you use long sections?
Yes, we calculate depths and trench volumes from them.
Do you include utilities?
Yes, water, sewer, gas and conduits where shown.
Do you price water-sensitive urban design?
Yes, tanks, GPTs and bioretention basins.
Do you include reinstatement?
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 Civil Stormwater Tender?
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.