Whether an award covers a building estimator depends on:

• the industry or industries their employer operates in
• their specific duties and qualifications.

Building estimators work out the amount and costs of time, labour and materials for building and construction projects. They usually use this information to prepare tender documents or provide quotes to customers. Estimators are also involved in planning or scheduling building and construction work and helping manage building and construction projects.

Industry award coverage

An industry award can cover a building estimator if:

• their employer operates in the industry defined in the award
• there's a classification which matches the employee’s duties and qualifications.

For example, the Building and Construction Award can cover a building estimator, provided they work on-site for a company engaged in general building and construction, civil construction or metal and engineering construction. They’ll be classified as an Engineering Construction Technician.

No industry award coverage

When there’s no industry award covering the employer of a building estimator, the employee might be:

• covered by an occupational award
• covered by the Miscellaneous Award, or
• award free.

Occupational award coverage

An occupational award can cover a building estimator if:

• the award covers the work they do
• there's a classification which matches the employee’s duties and qualifications.

For example, a building estimator may be covered by one of the following occupational awards:

• Professional Award, for those employees who hold a relevant tertiary qualification such as a bachelor of engineering
• Manufacturing Award, for those employees engaged as building estimators where the employee is using engineering knowledge and processes to perform their tasks, or
• Clerks Award, if their duties are primarily administrative in nature.

Miscellaneous Award coverage

The Miscellaneous Award can cover a building estimator if:

• they’re not covered by an occupational award
• they’re not a managerial or professional employee.

Under the Miscellaneous Award, an employee may be considered a professional employee if their role requires a degree qualification, for example, a bachelor of accounting.

They’ll be classified based on their duties and qualifications.

Award free employees

Building estimators who aren’t covered by an industry or occupational award or the Miscellaneous Award are award free.

They’re entitled to the national minimum wage and the National Employment Standards.