Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to estimate materials, overheads, labour and time requirements and establish costs for the provision of products and services for construction work.
The unit supports tradespersons and those in independent construction job roles to cost a construction project or part of a construction project. It applies to construction work on residential and commercial sites.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Gather information. | 1.1. | Job requirements are determined through discussion with customer or from information supplied. |
1.2. | Plans and specifications are accessed and site is inspected to confirm requirements. | ||
1.3. | Details of products and services to be provided are developed and checked for availability and fitness for purpose. | ||
1.4. | Delivery point and methods of transportation are determined where necessary. | ||
1.5. | Details of job tasks are accurately recorded and checked according to workplace procedures. | ||
1.6. | Information about material, labour and overhead costs is obtained and checked to be current and accurate. | ||
2. | Estimate materials, labour and time. | 2.1. | Work, including preparatory tasks, is planned and sequenced to cover all necessary activity. |
2.2. | Types and quantities of materials required for work are estimated based on availability, fitness for purpose, and current costs. | ||
2.3. | Labour requirements to perform work tasks and complete the job are estimated. | ||
2.4. | Time requirements to perform work tasks are accurately estimated and checked with appropriate personnel. | ||
3. | Calculate costs. | 3.1. | Totals of individual materials, labour and overhead costs are calculated according to workplace procedures and statutory requirements. |
3.2. | Other project-specific costs are identified and calculated according to workplace procedures. | ||
3.3. | Total work cost is calculated, including mark-up percentages set by appropriate personnel. | ||
3.4. | Final cost for work is calculated by applying profit margin according to workplace procedures, and is checked for accuracy. | ||
4. | Document and verify details. | 4.1. | Details of costs and charges are clearly and accurately documented according to workplace procedures. |
4.2. | Costs, calculations or other details are verified according to workplace procedures and current costing data. | ||
4.3. | Costing estimate and materials take-off are prepared for quote. | ||
4.4. | Costing documents are accurately completed for future reference according to workplace procedures. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit. The person must also cost three different construction jobs, where the costing includes:
estimating quantities of material required
determining the types and amount of labour required to complete the work
estimating time required to complete the work
estimating overheads associated with the work
totalling all costs and applying profit margin to establish a client quote.
In doing the above work, the person must:
locate, interpret and apply information, standards and specifications relevant to estimating and costing work
calculate final cost for the work and prepare a written quotation for each of the work requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
accuracy and detail required in costing estimates for construction work
construction terminology used in plans and specifications for construction work
contents and impact of job safety analyses (JSA) and safe work method statements (SWMS) on costing construction work
environmental and sustainability requirements relevant to the costing being determined
procedures for applying the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to costings
procedures for determining wages and overhead costs relevant to a quotation for construction work
international system of units (SI) of measurements relevant to the construction industry
process of estimating and costing construction work
quality requirements of construction projects and their impact on time required for completion
relevant statutory and authority requirements related to estimating and costing construction work
sources of information on material requirements and processes for calculating them
standards applicable to the work being costed, such as Australian standards and those in the National Construction Code
terms and content of relevant contract documentation to inform estimate.
Assessment Conditions
Suitable assessment of performance requires:
equipment:
calculator
computer with internet access
specifications:
plans and specifications for the work to be undertaken
costing information
relationship with client:
consultation with client is required.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | draw on experience of estimating labour time requirements and material costs, and apply knowledge to new jobs to be costed. |
Oral communication skills to: | confirm requirements with customer use listening and questioning to clarify any issues. |
Reading skills to: | read and interpret material specifications, job safety analyses (JSA) and Australian standards relevant to work to be undertaken. |
Writing skills to: | produce accurate and legible written costing information. |
Technology skills to: | find and interpret information relevant to current costings for materials and labour using simple internet searches use estimating and costing templates and software. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Plans and specifications must include three or more of the following: | building codes conceptual and preliminary sketches or drawings environmental requirements relating to the acquisition, use and disposal of materials project brief and scope of works, including relevant project plans and detailed project requirements quotation conditions and terms of contract relevant Australian standards and industry standards. |
Types and quantities of materials must include five or more of the following: | aluminium brick and blockwork cement, sand, aggregates and bonding agents claddings decorative finishes doors, windows and trims fillers fixings and fastenings glazing hardware medium density fibreboard (MDF) or alternative substrate panelling paint prefinished boards and laminates solid surfaces steel tiles timber. |
Labour costs must include: | estimation of time for manufacture, delivery, installation or application personal protective equipment (PPE) wages and on-costs for different types of construction workers. |
Overhead costs must include: | administration insurance transport use of communication technology. |
Other project-specific costs must include at least two of the following: | plant and equipment hire project-related signs site facilities statutory fees and charges transport and delivery charges waste removal fees. |
Costing documents must include three of the following: | costing spreadsheets job sheets labour time allocation materials lists and estimates quotation templates take-off sheets. |
Sectors
Construction
Competency Field
Common