Senior Estimator

Senior Estimator | Ballarat

Step into a key role with a market leader. Drive pre-construction accuracy, protect project margins, and put your mark on our growing business!

G.J. Gardner Homes Ballarat is seeking a collaborative, detail-oriented professional to join our team as a Senior Estimator. We are a successful local business backed by the proven systems and market power of Australia’s most trusted national building brand. We have a strong family culture and we work together to keep pricing competitive, protect project margins, and deliver an incredible experience for our clients across the Ballarat region.

You will initially work directly alongside our business owner and master estimator to learn the G.J. estimating software, setting you up for complete success as they transition toward retirement. We are seeking strong commercial acumen, deep construction literacy, and proven residential estimating experience - ideally from an established Senior Estimator or a highly experienced Estimator looking to bring their technical precision and price-book expertise to a respected local team.

Perks You'll Love

• Direct Mentorship: Learn and master our local estimating systems with hands-on support from the business owner in a supportive, team-oriented environment.
• Key Technical Role: Be an essential technical contributor in a growing business, helping refine workflows, optimise cost structures, and maintain price-book accuracy.
• Great Work-Life Balance: Enjoy standard full-time office hours from 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday (no weekends).
• World-Class Systems: Utilise G.J. Gardner's industry-leading software, digital estimating tools, and national support framework to streamline your workflow.
• Stable Office Base: Focus on technical precision and price-book maintenance in a professional office environment with no regular site travel required.

What You'll Be Doing

• Pre-Construction Accuracy: Produce detailed, highly accurate material and labour cost estimates from building plans to protect margins while keeping pricing competitive.
• Price-Book Maintenance: Support the ongoing accuracy of our local price book, updating design templates and maintaining database integrity across rates and suppliers.
• Purchase Orders & Variations: Ensure production purchase orders are generated with precision, mitigating job delays and variations early in pre-construction.
• Supplier & Trade Relations: Coordinate seamlessly with local Ballarat suppliers, trade contractors, and internal sales, design, and construction teams.
• Process Consistency: Apply rigorous standards to ensure cost consistency, plan accuracy, and margin protection across all custom builds and standard designs.

What You'll Bring

• Strong Construction Literacy: Proven background in residential estimating or high-level trade management with solid experience managing rates, take-offs, and bill of quantities.
• Commercial Acumen: Clear understanding of margin protection, unit rates, and pre-construction financial accuracy.
• Eagle Eye for Detail: A "measure twice, cut once" mindset, taking absolute pride in data accuracy and accountability for your work output.
• Tech Proficiency: Comfortable with modern management software, digital spreadsheets, and specialised estimating systems (construction qualifications highly regarded).
• Ballarat Focus: A community-minded professional living within a sustainable commuting distance of our Ballarat office, looking to settle into a stable, long-term role.

Why Join G.J. Gardner Homes Ballarat?

We offer a stable, supportive environment where your technical expertise is valued, your experience is rewarded, and your professional stability is a priority. We live by our core values every day: Act with Integrity, Practice Empathy, Strive to be Better, and Succeed through Collaboration.

How to Apply

Submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are the right fit for our Ballarat office!