Bulk earthworks
- Stripping topsoil
- Cut and fill
- Compaction and testing
- Import and export
ASMM / ANZSMM · Groundworks · NPWC 38 EX
Groundworks & Excavation Estimating
Cut and fill, trenching and earthworks measured in m³ and m², in 24 to 48 hours
Earthworks estimates start with levels and end with truck movements. Bulking, compaction, rock, groundwater, disposal and haulage distance all change the number, and the geotechnical report often moves it more than the drawings.
We calculate cut and fill volumes from the survey and design surfaces, add the trenching, retaining and disposal scopes, and return a balanced, priced earthworks schedule.
m³ cut and fillFrom design surfaces
AS 3798Earthworks standard
Geotech appliedRock and groundwater
HaulageTrucks and tip fees
Deliverables
What You Actually Receive
| Deliverable | Format | Detail level |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk earthworks | Excel, m³ | Cut, fill and balance with swell and shrinkage |
| Trimming and compaction | Excel, m² | Subgrade and base preparation |
| Trenching | Excel, m / m³ | By depth and service type |
| Rock excavation | Excel, m³ | Where the geotechnical report shows rock |
| Disposal and import | Excel, m³ / t | Cartage and tip fees, including contaminated material |
| Retaining and batters | Excel, m / m² | Walls, batters and erosion control |
| Priced estimate | Excel + PDF | Plant, labour and GST shown separately |
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) |
|---|---|
| Groundworks / Excavation | 38 EX External Earthworks / Substructure |
Scope Coverage
Groundworks Work We Measure
From stripping topsoil to final trim.
Excavation
- Foundations and basements
- Trenching for services
- Rock breaking
- Dewatering
Retaining & stabilisation
- Retaining walls
- Batters and benching
- Soil nailing
- Erosion and sediment control
Site establishment
- Clearing and grubbing
- Tree protection
- Temporary access roads
- Stockpiles
Disposal
- Spoil removal
- Contaminated material
- Tip fees
- Haulage distances
Our Process
Start a Project →
How We Prepare Your Estimate
Five steps from your drawings to a groundworks and earthworks number you can defend in a scope review.
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01
Scope review
An estimator reads the civil drawings, survey, geotechnical report and the earthworks 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: cubic metres of cut and fill, square metres of trimming and compaction, and lineal metres of trenching. 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 hoursHouse sites and small commercial.
Typical fee A$350 to A$850
Mid-size commercial
24 to 48 hoursSubdivisions and commercial sites.
Typical fee A$850 to A$1,800
Large / complex
48 to 72 hoursMajor civil and bulk earthworks.
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 Groundworks Estimating to Us
A full-time estimator is a salary, super, software seats and training. A groundworks and earthworks 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 groundworks and earthworks 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 Earthworks
Earthmoving contractors
Volume and haulage takeoffs.
Civil contractors
Site works packages.
Builders
Excavation allowances.
Developers
Site works budgets.
Engineers
Cost feedback.
Surveyors
Quantity checks.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip topsoil, 150 mm | m² | 2,400.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Bulk cut to fill | m³ | 3,260.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Export spoil, general fill | m³ | 820.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Rock excavation | m³ | 140.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Trench excavation, 1.5 m | m | 180.0 | $ | $ | $ |
These example items show only the layout and units. They do not come from a client project.
FAQ
Common Questions
Do you apply swell and shrinkage factors?
Yes, taken from the geotechnical report if there is one, otherwise as an assumption we state.
Do you include rock?
Yes, where the report shows it.
Do you price disposal?
Yes, including tip fees and contaminated material.
Can you work from a survey?
Yes, from survey and design surfaces.
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 Groundworks 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.