Site preparation & foundations
Site establishment, selective demolition, excavation, footings, slabs, reinforcement and formwork, with retaining structures and ground assumptions identified separately.
ESTIMAXRequest a quoteSector 01 / Construction estimatingResidential construction
Residential construction
estimating.
Construction quantities, early budgets and tender estimates for homes and residential developments, organised around the way the project will be built.
Australia-wide service · Scope agreed before work starts
A practical starting point
A home has more to price than its floor area.
Estimax helps residential builders, developers and design teams understand the work behind a building budget. We review the available plans, engineering, specifications and selections to separate the structure, finishes, services and external works into identifiable packages.
For a new home, the estimate can support procurement and tender preparation. For an extension or renovation, it also needs to distinguish retained construction from demolition, alterations and new work. Early design allowances remain visible so they can be replaced with measured quantities and quoted selections as the documentation develops.
01 / Project types
Projects we estimate.
- New homes
- Townhouses
- Apartments
- Duplexes
- Renovations
- Extensions
- Custom homes
- Multi-unit developments
02 / What we measureFrom the drawings
From the drawings
to the work packages.
The take-off follows the information issued for your project. Each element is separated by its type, specification and location where the documentation allows.
Structure & building envelope
Timber framing, structural steel, masonry, roof coverings, insulation, cladding, windows and external doors, separated by type and drawing location.
Rooms & internal finishes
Partitions, ceilings, floor and wall finishes, painting, skirtings and internal doors measured room by room, allowing for different finish selections.
Wet areas & joinery
Waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry, benchtops and scheduled fixtures in kitchens, laundries and bathrooms, with supply and installation boundaries recorded.
Residential services
Hydraulic fixtures and pipework, electrical points, lighting and mechanical systems to the detail shown, distinguishing nominated equipment from unresolved allowances.
Outside the dwelling
Driveways, paths, drainage, fences, decks and landscaping, plus common-area works and shared services for multi-unit projects.
Measured quantities and provisional allowances are identified separately. Missing design information is recorded so it can be resolved rather than hidden in a total.
03 / Estimating services01 02 03
PlannedMeasuredPriced
Choose the service that matches the decision you need to make and the detail available in your drawings.
Pre-construction cost planning
Compare building form, site works and finish levels while the design is developing. Identify provisional selections and keep the budget basis clear.
- Preliminary budgets
- Design option comparisons
- Design development allowances
- Budget review notes
Quantity take-offs
Measure by dwelling, level, room or trade so a builder can request comparable supplier and subcontractor prices without losing the drawing references.
- Measurements
- Trade breakdowns
- Drawing references
- Scope and quantity notes
Tender estimating
Bring measured work, agreed labour and material allowances, and received quotations into a residential tender breakdown. Highlight unresolved selections and client-supplied items.
- Detailed trade pricing
- Agreed labour & material allowances
- Received quotation comparisons
- Assumptions & exclusions
04 / Documentation we reviewThe right information.
The right information.
A clearer estimate.
Send the latest coordinated set you have, together with the drawing register and known changes. We confirm what can be assessed from that issue and what needs an allowance or clarification.
Early plans are a starting point for cost planning. Detailed take-offs and tender pricing require enough design and specification information to define the work.
- Architectural set
- Plans, elevations, sections and reflected ceiling plans establish dimensions and room arrangements.
- Engineering
- Structural details, slab designs and framing schedules define the load-bearing work.
- Selections & schedules
- Window, door, finish, fixture and joinery schedules identify different products and quantities.
- Site information
- Survey, geotechnical information and existing-condition drawings help define excavation and alteration allowances.
- Services & landscape
- Available services layouts, drainage details and landscape plans identify work outside the architectural set.
- Scope & tender updates
- Specifications, inclusions, exclusions and addenda establish the issue being priced.
05 / Trade-by-trade estimating
See where the cost sits.
Separate the building shell from finishes and external works, then split repeated dwellings and common areas where useful. This helps prevent shared drainage, driveways or services being missed or counted more than once.
01
Groundworks & concrete
02
Framing, steel & masonry
03
Roofing, cladding & glazing
04
Internal finishes & joinery
05
Plumbing, electrical & mechanical
06
External & common-area works
Existing work
What is retained, removed, protected or made good?
Selections
Which finishes are nominated and which remain allowances?
Shared scope
Are common areas included once and allocated clearly?
06 / What you receiveInformation you can
Information you can
actually work with.
Use a residential estimate to compare trade prices, review selections and see which parts of the home still require a decision.
Your quote sets out the agreed deliverables. A quantity-only take-off does not include a priced estimate unless pricing is part of the brief.
Your agreed estimating package
- Measured quantities for the agreed scope
- Trade-by-trade breakdown
- Drawing and document references
- Clear assumptions & exclusions
- Cost breakdown for priced commissions
- Outstanding information and allowance notes
Confirm your preferred format
Tell us if you need Excel, PDF, marked-up drawings or a separate labour and material split. We confirm availability and inclusion in the scope before work starts.
07 / Who we work with
Built around your role in the project.
We agree the scope around the packages you are responsible for, whether you are coordinating the whole project or pricing a single part of it.
- Residential builders
- Property developers
- Renovation contractors
- Trade subcontractors
- Architects & building designers
- Project managers
08 / How it worksSimple to start.
Simple to start.
Thorough from there.
A defined brief, a clear document issue and an agreed delivery date give the estimate a useful basis from the outset.
UPLOAD YOUR DRAWINGS01
Upload your drawings
Send the current drawings, specifications and project brief through our quote form. Include the site location and your required delivery date.
02
We review the documentation
We check the available design information, document revisions and any gaps that affect what can be measured or priced.
03
Scope & quote confirmed
We agree the estimating service, package boundaries, deliverables, fee and timing with you before proceeding.
04
Estimating & take-off
We measure the agreed work, organise the trade packages and develop pricing where it forms part of the confirmed service.
05
Internal review
Your agreed package identifies drawing references, assumptions, inclusions and allowances for your review.
06
Estimate delivered
You receive the agreed package with its pricing basis, assumptions and outstanding information clearly recorded.
09 / Why EstimaxConstruction thinking.
Construction thinking.
Clear documentation.
Useful estimating connects the drawings to the way the work is procured and built. The result needs to explain its basis as clearly as it presents its quantities and costs.
Review the detail
Read drawings, specifications and schedules together. Keep references with the work and raise scope questions where the information does not align.
Keep scope visible
Separate trade packages, identify interfaces and state allowances. Make the construction scope behind a number available for review.
Work across Australia
Share documentation digitally. Confirm the project location, access conditions and pricing basis so local requirements can be considered in the brief.
Ready when you areReady to price
Ready to price
your next project?
Upload your drawings and project documentation and let Estimax review the scope.