Independent Residential Building Consultancy • Melbourne • Mornington Peninsula • South-East VictoriaEXPERIENCE MATTERS
RJD Building Consultants logoRJD BUILDING CONSULTANTSEXPERIENCE MATTERS
Residential Building Consultant • Melbourne & Mornington Peninsula

Know the cost. Understand the process. Stay in control.

Independent residential building consultancy for homeowners and owner-builders across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and South-East Victoria, providing building cost planning, pre-build advice, tendering and project consultancy — with practical construction experience behind every decision.

Discuss your projectExplore services
Since 1986Practical residential building experience
Fixed-fee optionsClear scope for many pre-build services
Direct involvementWork directly with the Principal Consultant
Limited full-build intakeSelective engagements, not volume consultancy
Residential construction site during pre-slab works in Victoria
Practical site experience

Advice grounded in how residential projects are actually built.

RJD Building Consultants combines estimating, permit coordination, tendering and project consultancy with hands-on residential construction experience dating back to 1986.

The role is consultancy — helping clients understand cost, scope, sequencing and decisions — not operating as a volume residential building contractor.

Serving Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula and South-East Victoria.
Residential project experience

From groundworks to completion.

Selected project images from Rob Dillon's residential building career. They show the construction stages, sequencing and site realities that inform RJD Building Consultants' advice today.

Residential groundworks and service preparation on a Victorian building site
Groundworks & site preparationEarly site decisions have consequences for cost, sequencing and the trades that follow.
Timber framing stage of a two-storey residential project in Victoria
Timber framingUnderstanding structure, buildability and trade interfaces before they become expensive problems.
Two-storey residential timber framing under construction
Two-storey constructionProgramme, procurement and coordination become increasingly important as the project develops.
Residential brickwork and external construction work in progress
External works & brickworkReal site experience helps identify scope gaps and sequence work sensibly.
Residential extension under construction with scaffolding and structural work
Extensions & alterationsExisting buildings add another layer of cost, access and construction-risk considerations.
Completed timber deck and residential outdoor extension
Finishing & outdoor worksGood planning continues right through the finishing stages.
Completed contemporary residential project in Victoria
Completed residential projectKeep the end result in view while managing decisions through the build.
Completed residential interior with large feature windows and natural light
Interior completionDetails, finishes and coordination matter just as much as the early structural stages.
RJD services

Use only the help your project actually needs.

Some clients need a realistic cost before they commit. Others need help getting through permits, tendering and pre-construction. A smaller number want RJD involved throughout the build.

01 • COST

Estimates & Cost Planning

Independent project costing, scope review and budget guidance to help you understand what the project is likely to cost before major commitments are made.

Building Estimates & Cost Planning →
02 • PRE-BUILD

Planning & Building Permits

Application coordination and liaison for Planning Permit and Building Permit processes, with additional Report & Consent applications where required by the RBS.

Planning & Building Permit Help →
03 • TENDER

Tendering & Procurement

Trade scopes, quote requests, comparison of competing prices, procurement planning and practical advice before appointments are made.

Tendering & Procurement Services →
04 • FULL PACKAGE

Project Consultancy

Construction consultancy, coordination, cost monitoring, programme support, site attendance and reporting for selected owner-builder projects.

Residential Project Consultancy →
About RJD

Building experience first. Consultancy built from it.

Rob Dillon has worked in the building industry since 1986. After decades constructing residential projects and working directly with clients, trades, designers and consultants, his work has progressively moved into building consultancy and project coordination.

“The advice should make sense on the drawings, in the budget and on the building site.”

RJD exists to use that practical experience to help clients make better decisions before and during construction — without assuming every client needs the same level of service.

RJD Building Consultants is a consultancy service. Clients retain control of their project decisions and, where applicable, contract directly with their selected builders, trades and suppliers.

Rob Dillon, Principal Consultant at RJD Building Consultants, on a residential building site
Rob Dillon — Principal ConsultantResidential building experience since 1986, now focused on practical client-side consultancy.
1986Building career begins and practical construction knowledge develops from the ground up.
TodayRJD provides estimating, permits, tendering, pre-build and selected construction consultancy services.
How it works

A clear way into the project.

The first conversation is about where your project is now — not about forcing you into a large package. RJD can step in for one defined service or stay involved through construction where the project and client are a good fit.

STEP 01

Tell us where you're up to

Plans, site, permit status, budget and the problem you need solved.

STEP 02

Select the right service

Estimate, permits, tendering, pre-build coordination or a full consultancy engagement.

STEP 03

Get a defined scope

Clear deliverables, fees, client responsibilities and what happens next.

STEP 04

Move forward with control

Use the advice as a stand-alone service or progress into the next stage when required.

Full Package Consultancy

Limited by design.

RJD does not aim to run a volume portfolio of full-build engagements. Full Package Project Consultancy is accepted selectively so the projects taken on can receive direct involvement from Rob.

Pre-build consulting remains available separately, so a client can use RJD for estimating, permits, tendering or getting the project ready to build without committing to a full construction consultancy service.

Fee guide

Straightforward fees for defined services.

Clear, defined fees for common pre-build services. More complex or additional consultancy work is charged at the published hourly rate unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Planning Permit Application

$795 + GST
Client pays all Council fees and statutory charges.

Building Permit Application

$795 + GST
Client pays all RBS fees and statutory charges.

Council Report & Consent

$395 + GST
Where required by the Registered Building Surveyor. Client pays Council fees.

Hourly Consultancy

$160 + GST / hr
Billed in 15-minute increments of $40 + GST.

Full Package Project Consultancy is offered by separate agreement and subject to project suitability and availability. The fee structure includes an $895 + GST non-refundable sign-up fee, a $1,795 + GST pre-start retainer credited in full against the final consultancy fee, and a flat consultancy fee equal to 5% of the GST-inclusive Approved Construction Cost. The 5% consultancy fee itself is GST-inclusive.

Why RJD

Practical judgement, not consultancy for consultancy's sake.

The aim is not to add another layer of paperwork to a residential build. It is to help the client see cost, scope, programme and decisions clearly enough to keep the project moving.

RJD Building Consultants provides consultancy and advisory services rather than residential building contracting.

Experienced eyes on the drawings
Look for buildability, missing scope and cost implications early.
Commercially useful estimates
Understand where the money is likely to go before accepting quotes.
Structured tendering
Make trade and supplier quotations easier to compare.
Client control remains clear
RJD advises and coordinates; material appointments and expenditure remain subject to the agreed client authority structure.
Start with a conversation

Tell RJD where your project is up to.

Use the project enquiry form below. It gives RJD enough information to understand where your project sits before the first conversation.

Project Enquiry

Fields marked * are required. Uploading plans is optional.

PDF, JPG or PNG. Up to 3 files, 8 MB each.

Your enquiry details are sent directly to RJD Building Consultants and are used for responding to your enquiry.

Prefer email? BuildingConsult@rpfd.com.au