A subdivision is really several civil jobs sharing one site. Earthworks, roads, drainage, retaining, power, telco, water and sewer all get staged around each other. Pricing them as one package (roads, drainage, pit and pipe and earthworks) means the shared trenches, the staging and the cut and fill balance get counted once, and counted properly.
What's included
Earthworks and retaining
- Clearing, stripping, bulk earthworks
- Lot filling and regrading
- Retaining walls on lot boundaries
- Erosion and sediment control
Roads
- Pavements, kerb and gutter
- Footpaths, driveways, laybacks
- Line marking and signs
- Tie-ins to existing roads
Drainage
- Stormwater pipes and pits
- Detention basins
- Inter-allotment drainage
- Subsoil drainage
Services
- Power and telco pit and pipe
- Street lighting conduits
- Water and sewer, through our specialist practice
- Road crossings
Want a rough figure before the plans are priced? Try our subdivision cost calculator for an indicative range per lot, or read our guide to subdivision civil costs per lot in NSW.
Things that catch people out on estates
A site that balances overall often doesn't balance stage by stage, and importing fill now to export it later gets paid for twice. Retaining walls on lot boundaries change height the whole way along, so an average height under-prices the tall sections. And the services are where the clashes hide: shared trenches, separations and crossings for four different networks.
Water mains, sewer and pump stations on the same job are priced by our specialist practice, Water Sewer Estimating Sydney, with the same lead estimator.
Common questions
What does subdivision civil work cost per lot?
It depends on lot size, the fall of the land, how much retaining there is, the road length per lot and the services. We give you the per-lot figure for your site and show what's driving it.
Can you estimate from a concept layout?
Yes, for a feasibility study. With less design there are more assumptions, so we write them down and give a range where that's the honest answer.
Do you price the whole package or single trades?
Either. The whole package, or just the parts you want priced.