Project Type
Multi-Unit Housing Estimating Services in New Zealand
What is multi-unit housing estimating?
Professional Estimating provides multi-unit housing estimating across New Zealand. We measure 8 scope items for multi-unit housing work from your PDF, DWG or Revit drawings, deliver an Excel quantity schedule and marked-up PDF plans in 4–7 business days, and confirm a fixed fee in NZD before any work starts.
Townhouse, terrace and low-rise apartment estimates with per-unit quantities, inter-tenancy construction and shared site works priced separately.
Multi-unit housing has grown fast across New Zealand, with townhouses and terraces now a large share of new consents. These projects look like houses repeated, but the cost behaves differently: inter-tenancy walls, fire separation, acoustic detailing, shared driveways and services take a share of the budget that a standalone house does not have.
We measure multi-unit projects unit type by unit type, then add the shared elements once. If a development has three unit types repeated across twelve units, you see the cost of each type, the shared site works and the total, which makes it easy to test changes to the mix.
Inter-tenancy walls are measured with their full build-up: linings, framing or masonry, insulation and fire stopping. Shared items such as driveways, stormwater, retaining, fencing and service connections are measured from the site plan and split out.
Scope
What do we measure in a multi-unit housing takeoff?
| Item | Unit | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Per-unit-type quantities | per type | Each unit type measured once and multiplied by count. |
| Inter-tenancy walls | m² | Fire and acoustic rated walls with full build-up. |
| Fire stopping | no. / lm | Penetration seals and cavity barriers at separations. |
| Shared site works | m² / lm | Driveways, paths, retaining and fencing. |
| Service connections | no. / lm | Water, wastewater, stormwater, power and data per unit. |
| Stormwater management | no. / m³ | Detention tanks and soakage where required. |
| External envelope | m² | Cladding, roofing and joinery across the block. |
| Fit-out | per unit | Kitchens, bathrooms and finishes by unit type. |
Deliverables
What do you receive?
Multi-unit estimates show cost per unit type, shared works and a total, plus cost per square metre and per unit for feasibility.
Download the full estimate summary sample (PDF, 30 KB)
| Itemised quantity sheet | Excel + PDF |
| Marked-up plans | Colour-coded PDF |
| Material and labour schedule | Excel |
| Assumptions and exclusions list |
Who it is for
Who is this estimate for?
- Builders
- Price repeated units consistently and spot shared costs.
- Subcontractors
- Quote across all units with quantities per type.
- Developers
- Test unit mix and yield against cost per unit.
- Architects
- See the cost of typology and layout decisions early.
Process
How does a multi-unit housing estimate run?
STEP 01
Upload plans
Upload the site plan, unit type plans, elevations and any consultant drawings.
STEP 02
Scope confirmation
We confirm unit types, counts and which elements are shared.
STEP 03
Takeoff and review
Each type is measured, shared works are added and totals checked against the unit count.
STEP 04
Delivery
You receive costs by unit type, shared works and the total, with marked-up plans.
New Zealand context
Which NZ standards apply?
Attached dwellings in New Zealand must meet Building Code clause C (Protection from fire) at inter-tenancy separations and clause G6 (Airborne and impact sound). These requirements drive the wall and floor build-ups between units, which are some of the most expensive elements per square metre in the building.
Many councils now require on-site stormwater detention for medium-density developments, and infrastructure capacity can trigger upgrades to public services. We price these where the site plan or consent conditions show them.
We measure and price to the drawings. Design compliance and building consent remain with your designer and building consent authority.
Cost drivers
What drives the cost of multi-unit housing work?
01
Unit mix
More unit types means less repetition. Standardising types lowers design, supply and labour cost.
02
Separation construction
Fire and acoustic rated walls and floors between units are expensive per square metre and must be detailed carefully.
03
Site infrastructure
Shared driveways, retaining, stormwater detention and service upgrades can add a large share to the budget.
04
Building height
Moving from two to three storeys or more brings scaffolding, access and structural changes that affect the rate per square metre.
Where do multi-unit housing estimates go wrong?
Staging is often overlooked too. Larger developments are usually built and sold in stages, which means some site establishment, scaffolding and services work is repeated, and early stages carry shared infrastructure for later ones. We can split quantities by stage so cash flow and funding drawdowns line up with what is actually being built, and so the cost of each stage is clear before it is released for sale.
Multi-unit estimates often price units like standalone houses and miss the separation work between them. Fire stopping, acoustic seals and rated linings at every inter-tenancy wall add up quickly across a block.
Shared infrastructure is the other big gap. Driveways, retaining, stormwater detention and service connections may be shown only on the civil drawings, which some estimates never look at.
Finally, per-unit services such as separate meters, hot water systems and distribution boards are easy to count once for the building rather than once per unit. We count them per unit.
FAQ
Multi-Unit Housing Estimating: frequently asked questions
Can you price each unit separately?
Yes. Costs are shown per unit type and can be split to individual units for sales or funding.
Do you include development contributions?
We list them as an item for you to confirm with council, as they depend on the consent.
Do you measure inter-tenancy walls separately?
Yes, with the full fire and acoustic build-up.
Can you test a different unit mix?
Yes. Because types are measured separately, changing the mix is quick.
Do you cover apartments?
Yes, including low and mid-rise apartment buildings.
Related services
- Residential Estimating
Estimates for new homes, townhouses, alterations and additions, measured from your consent drawings and laid out the way builders price.
- Cost Planning Services
Elemental cost plans that follow your design from concept to tender, so the budget is tested at every stage rather than at the end.
- Framing Estimating
Stud-by-stud framing quantities for walls, floors and roofs, with lintels, bracing elements and fixings taken from your NZS 3604 or engineered drawings.
- Drainage and Stormwater Estimating
Wastewater and stormwater drainage measured by pipe size and depth, with sumps, inspection points, detention tanks and network connections counted.
Get a quote
Send your plans for a multi-unit housing estimate
Upload your drawings and we will reply with a fixed fee and turnaround before any work starts. No obligation.
- — PDF, DWG and ZIP accepted
- — Fees in NZD, excluding GST
- — Prefer email? Use the link in the footer