For many Australian builders, hiring a local Quantity Surveying (QS) firm for estimating feels like the default option. It’s what’s always been done: send them the plans, wait for the numbers, get the report back. Straightforward, right?
But when deadlines tighten, tenders pile up, and costs rise, this traditional setup can start to slow things down. Builders today are beginning to look for better ways to manage their estimating workload and offshore solutions are proving to be one of the smartest moves.
Why QS Firms Still Appeal
QS firms are familiar, professional, and often have strong local networks. For many businesses, they offer comfort and reliability, especially for complex projects that need detailed reporting. However, the catch is that QS firms serve multiple clients at the same time. During peak tender periods, your projects are one of many on their list, and turnaround times can become unpredictable.
You’re also paying premium rates that include overhead costs, admin time, and the firm’s profit margin. Over time, these add up to a significant expense especially when your goal is simply to get accurate, timely takeoffs and estimates.
You may already work with a company that advertises themselves as a commercial construction estimating services in Melbourne but here’s something most builders don’t realise: many QS firms now outsource or offshore their own estimating work anyway. They might not mention it, but to keep costs down, they often have offshore teams completing large portions of the takeoff and estimate preparation.
So while you think you’re paying for a construction estimating service in Melbourne and keeping it “local”, your estimate may already be produced offshore, just with a higher markup and less control.
The Offshore Estimator Alternative
Offshoring has changed the way construction businesses build their estimating teams. Instead of paying per project, you can now have a dedicated Quantity Surveyor or Estimator who works exclusively for your business. They follow your systems, understand your priorities, and become part of your internal workflow just like an in-house team member, only based offshore.
At Platform, every Philippine Estimator we provide has proven experience working on Australian construction projects. That’s not a learning curve, that’s a head start. They already understand local materials, tender formats, and pricing expectations. They know how Australian builders structure their estimates and what details are non-negotiable.
This means you can get straight into productive work instead of spending weeks on training or adjustments.
What Builders Gain from Offshore Estimators
The biggest benefit is control. With a QS firm, you hand over a job and wait. With your own Offshore Estimator, you set the priorities and deadlines. They attend your team meetings, communicate directly with your staff, and adjust based on your schedule.
The consistency is another major advantage. Because they’re dedicated to your business, their output gets better over time. They start to understand how your company prices projects, how your clients prefer quotes structured, and what details matter most to you. That kind of alignment is difficult to achieve with a third-party service.
And then there’s cost efficiency. Builders who offshore through Platform typically save up to 70% on estimating costs compared to hiring locally or using a QS firm. That’s not just savings on paper—it’s the ability to tender for more jobs, expand your estimating capability, or reinvest into better tools and systems.
Long-Term Capability Over One-Off Service
QS firms are excellent for once-off or specialised work, but they don’t help you build internal capability. Hiring a full-time Offshore Estimator gives you continuity. They’re invested in your workflow, familiar with your templates, and become a key part of your operations.
Instead of paying repeatedly for the same service, you’re building lasting estimating strength inside your business.
At Platform, we focus exclusively on construction. We’re the only Australian company that’s 100% dedicated to offshoring for the construction industry, which means everything we do—from screening to training—is built for your world.
Our Estimators don’t just understand estimating; they understand how Australian builders estimate. That’s what makes our approach faster, more consistent, and more reliable than traditional outsourcing or QS services.
In Summary
Choosing between a QS firm and an Offshore Estimator comes down to what you want to achieve. If you need occasional help on complex tenders, a QS firm can still be useful. But if your goal is to strengthen your estimating department, improve capacity, and gain long-term control over your costs, an Offshore Estimator offers far more value.
You don’t just get extra hands, but you also get capability that grows with your business.
