Project Experience
Utilities
QIA is currently embedded with a major international OEM on one of Australia's most significant pumped hydro projects, providing on-the-ground commercial management and quantity surveying support across the project lifecycle.
On the procurement side, Nicholas has led the end-to-end tendering of major works packages — including surveying, hydro-mechanical installation, and turbine supply. That means running the EOI process, screening and shortlisting vendors, preparing contract-compliant client communications, compiling and issuing tender packages, coordinating the internal tender review team, negotiating final terms, and executing contract awards. It's hands-on procurement leadership, not oversight from the sidelines.
Alongside that, QIA has developed internal commercial tools to support the project team's day-to-day reporting and tracking needs — practical, fit-for-purpose solutions built around the project's actual workflows rather than off-the-shelf products that need to be forced to fit.
This engagement reflects QIA's capacity to step into complex, fast-moving project environments and deliver senior-level commercial capability from day one.
image source: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/
Snowy Hydro Commercial Secondment
2026
Ausgrid BESS Estimation (Tranche 2)
2025
QIA delivered quantity surveying cost estimating services across four Ausgrid Tranche 2 Battery Energy Storage System sites — Rothbury, Berkeley Vale, Rathmines and Kurnell. The work supported Environmental Impact Statements prepared in accordance with the Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs). Each site required a certified cost review of Ausgrid's proposed EDC cost matrix to confirm accuracy and completeness. This engagement positioned QIA within a broader program supporting grid stability and the NSW energy transition.
image source: https://www.mirrigation.com.au/works/projects
Murrumbidgee Irrigation Surge Reservoir
image source: Squarespace stock images
10-Year Capital Works Plan, Kellyville
Wren St, Bowen Hills — Feasibility Cost Plan
Aramara BESS
Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Health Service — IPHCC
2026
QIA provided cost estimation services for a solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) development at Aramara. The engagement built on QIA's established BESS estimating experience gained through earlier Ausgrid and Kurri Kurri work. Our role was to deliver a defensible cost position to support the project's development planning. It continues QIA's track record supporting renewable energy infrastructure across NSW.
Residential
2026
QIA prepared a 10-Year Capital Works Fund Plan for a 43-lot strata scheme at Kellyville NSW. The plan was built on detailed remediation and maintenance cost estimates, with a inflation assumptions detailed and applied across the forecast period. It gives the owners corporation a clear, costed roadmap for major maintenance and capital works funding over the coming decade. This is a strong example of QIA's capital works planning capability for strata and multi-lot residential schemes.
QIA prepared a Feasibility Cost Plan (R1) for a 30-level mixed-use residential development at Wren Street, Bowen Hills. The building comprises 242 apartments across studio, 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed configurations, with ground-floor medical suites, commercial tenancy, above-ground carpark, and landscaped communal areas. The cost plan covered all building elements from structure and facade through to apartment fitout, building services, infrastructure, and external works — producing a total construction cost of approximately $149.7 million, or $4,081/m² GFA, with a cost-per-apartment of $618,640 across the full building. Escalation was applied assuming a Q1 2027 construction commencement.
Social Infrastructure
image source: Cabbone Constructions
2025
Power and Water Esatimation Engagements
QIA was engaged by a major fabrication and construction contractor in late 2024 under a formal consulting agreement to lead and support the pre-contracts function across a large, concurrent portfolio of infrastructure tenders. The engagement was ongoing rather than project-specific — QIA was embedded within the client's estimating team, covering estimate leadership, tender management, client-facing meetings, and the design and rollout of estimating systems.
Across the engagement, QIA led the preparation of estimates and tender submissions for a broad range of mechanical fabrication and installation packages. These included balance-of-plant piping fabrication and installation for one of the largest underground pumped hydro projects in the world, along with permanent water supply distribution, drainage, and structural steel packages on the same scheme. Other work covered mechanical installation packages for a state-owned water authority across multiple sites, water and wastewater treatment plant tenders including pre-treatment facility packages in New South Wales, a desalination project, mechanical and building services packages for a major airport decarbonisation programme, generator fuel flue line estimates, and a mechanical services package for a Commonwealth defence programme.
Alongside the delivery work, QIA established the commercial infrastructure to support the estimating team on a lasting basis. This involved implementing CostX as the primary estimating environment, developing templates and reporting formats, building a tender tracking database with management dashboards, and documenting pre-contracts procedures for quality assurance and staff onboarding. A rates library serving as a single source of truth was developed and embedded into the team's workflow.
QIA also provided discrete advisory support on manufacturing cost modelling for a fabrication process, producing a detailed breakdown of production costs across raw materials, labour, machinery, overheads, and logistics for the client's leadership team.
QIA provided quantity surveying input supporting the development of a regional Aboriginal community health service in Bourke, NSW, engaged via Cabbone Constructions. The work supported cost planning for essential health infrastructure delivery in a regional community. This engagement reflects QIA's involvement in social infrastructure projects that serve community and First Nations health outcomes. It's a meaningful addition to QIA's experience outside the commercial and energy sectors.
BTR Portfolio Cost Reconciliation & Forecast to Complete
2025
image source: https://shadbolt.com.au/
2025
QIA carried out a quantity surveying take-off and cost proposal for surge reservoir infrastructure works in the Murrumbidgee region, engaged via Investructure. The work was undertaken under a signed NDA given the sensitivity of the client's irrigation network planning. Our role was to provide an accurate, itemised cost basis to support the client's infrastructure planning. The project reflects QIA's expanding experience in water infrastructure alongside its energy sector work.
image source: Squarespace stock images
2026
QIA delivered cost reconciliation and forecast-to-complete reporting across an institutional Build-to-Rent portfolio in Brisbane, for a major Project Managment firm. The work involved reviewing actual spend against budget and projecting remaining costs through to project completion. This gives the client clear visibility over their cost position across a multi-asset portfolio. It demonstrates QIA's capability supporting institutional residential investors beyond single-asset projects.