Job Title: Senior Estimator High-Spec Residential Homes
Location: Fully Remote (Australian Hours)
Employment Type: Full-Time, Annual Renewal
About the Role:
Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Estimator, specialising in high-value custom residential projects ($3$5 million). This fully remote role operates on Australian hours and offers a collaborative environment with opportunities to work on architecturally designed homes rather than standard project homes. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in delivering precise, end-to-end cost plans and detailed estimates for bespoke residential builds, with an eye for detail, buildability, and commercial outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Deliver accurate cost plans and detailed estimates for high-value custom residential projects.
- Interpret architectural, structural, civil, and services documentation to identify scope, risks, and cost drivers early.
- Conduct trade scoping, take-offs, and subcontractor procurement with a rigorous assessment of inclusions, exclusions, and assumptions.
- Apply commercial judgement in setting allowances, contingencies, preliminaries, escalation, and margins.
- Manage preconstruction budgets, cost forecasts, and variance analysis, including pricing variations and value-engineering opportunities.
- Identify and mitigate cost, scope, and delivery risks prior to contract execution.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of residential building contracts, specifications, inclusion schedules, and approval processes.
- Ensure compliance with NCC and QBCC requirements relevant to residential construction.
- Utilise estimating and construction management systems (Databuild preferred) and Excel for cost analysis and reporting.
- Engage with clients, architects, consultants, suppliers, and subcontractors to resolve scope and pricing matters.
- Mentor junior estimators or support staff and contribute to continuous improvement of estimating systems and processes.
Skills & Experience Required:
- Proven experience estimating high-value, architecturally designed residential homes in Australia.
- Expert ability to interpret complex construction documentation and deliver comprehensive estimates.
- Advanced understanding of residential construction methodologies, sequencing, and buildability.
- Strong financial acumen and commercial awareness in preconstruction cost management.
- Excellent communication skills to articulate cost positions, assumptions, and risks to directors, project managers, and clients.
- Highly detail-oriented, organised, and able to manage multiple concurrent estimates under tight deadlines.
- Proactive, solutions-focused, and comfortable operating in a design-led, high-value residential environment.
Why Join Us:
- Work fully remotely while engaging with a high-performing team across Australia.
- Opportunity to work on unique, high-spec residential projects.
- Annual contract renewal with potential for long-term growth.
- Collaborative environment fostering professional development and knowledge sharing.
