Services

Estimating by First Principles

First Principles Estimating is an estimating technique which is not used by everyone. It comprises precise estimates on materials, labours, plant, and equipment, which are the primary 'ingredients' to any project. Many quantity surveyors or estimators use "all-in-rates" which are only a representation of the labour, plant and materials required. Our estimating templates can tell you the total cost of labour, material, and plant, and external sub contract costs, for each trade, and for the overall project. We also provide a detailed estimate on all of the Builder's Preliminary Items, including Supervision, Insurances, Overheads, and Profit.

Residential Estimating

We provide detailed estimates are two critical phases of the design, 1) at Design Development or Development Application Stage, and 2) at Contruction / Pre Construction, or Construction Certificate Stage. We have vast experience on countless residential projects, and we are very capable or acurately gauging and costing the engineering requirements, even prior to the structural engineer being appointed (ie. at Design Development Stage).

Estimating by First Principles

First Principles Estimating is an estimating technique which is not used by everyone. It comprises precise estimates on materials, labours, plant, and equipment, which are the primary 'ingredients' to any project. Many quantity surveyors or estimators use "all-in-rates" which are only a representation of the labour, plant and materials required. Our estimating templates can tell you the total cost of labour, material, and plant, and external sub contract costs, for each trade, and for the overall project. We also provide a detailed estimate on all of the Builder's Preliminary Items, including Supervision, Insurances, Overheads, and Profit.

Commercial & Industrial Estimating

Commercial & Industrial Estimating is an extension of Estimating Templates used for Residential Projects. Material Prices remain very similar, except labour and plant rates increase, as does various aspects of the builder's preliminaries.

Infrastructure Estimating

Most Infrastructure Projects are just a "big boys" version of Residential and Industrial. The key 'ingredient' is getting the supply cost covered by market, and understanding the crew costs and durations required for the various installations.

Tax Depreciation

Do you have an investment property? Then you probably require a Quantity Surveyor to prepare your Depreciation Schedules (or Tax Depreciation Schedules) in accordance with the Australian Tax Office.


Email Simon or call 0407 749 799, to obtain a quote and "get the ball rolling".


The guide fee for residential depreciation schedules is $400 to $700 + GST. The fee can be reduced to as low as $300+GST where only minor refurbishments or minor assets can be depreciated on older residential properties (construction dates prior to 1985 & 1982). For larger prestige dwellings the fee is greater due to a more complex schedule. If you are a developer who needs schedules on an entire development, ring for a quote (0407 749 799). If you have an industrial or commercial property a guide fee is $750 onwards, however if you own or run a small commercial food outlet the fee may be less.


The guide annual tax deduction is approx. 2.5% to 4% of the total construction price, when built.


If the property was recently built and has a construction price of around $450,000 then the annual depreciation amount will be around $15,000 to $20,000 in the early years, sliding down to around $10,000 from Year 15 to Year 40 (on a 40 year schedule). If the construction price was around $225,000 then you can halve the previous guide figures. There are a number of building assets which attract accelerated depreciation which impact slightly on these guide figures.


Asset Depreciation - No matter what your business is, we can work with you and your accountant to correctly depreciate your assets or business assets. If you own a farm, we can help you depreciate your farm equipment, barns, sheds, machinery sheds, the office etc.


Are you thinking of purchasing an investment property? We can advise you on what the estimated depreciation will be, before you even purchase the investment property. We can also show you how depreciation can work for you, and even provide you with an Investment Property Calculator (we simply enter the property amount, fees, estimated rent, miscellaneous costs, and estimated depreciation) which helps to assess whether the property will be "negatively geared", "positively geared", or "neutrally geared".


Commercial, Industrial or Infrastructure depreciation, please call to discuss further.

Life Cycle Cost

Life Cycle Cost Advice is an extension of first principles estimating, applied to the total life cycle of a building or asset. The effective life, or durability of many building products are known, either through experience, or from the manufacter's warrantee. Often the warrantee is slightly conservative, and with some discussion, we usually extend the effective life of various components beyond the warrantee. Other factors are then taken into consideration, to either extend or reduce the likely effective life of the various products, like site location, surrounding buildings, age and condition of surrounding buildings, proximity to salt water, and proximity to surf zone salt mist or salt spray, or even proximity to oil refineries and airports, which are harsher environments for external building fabrics.