At Allen Price, no two days are the same for our civil engineers. We work across the full spectrum of civil engineering for development projects — from the first concept plans through to on-site construction and final approvals.
We design and manage essential infrastructure like sewer mains for residential subdivisions, stormwater drainage design for a commercial development, longitudinal sections for road designs, and bulk earthworks for building design. Our work covers every stage of land development — balancing technical design, client communication, site visits, and project management.
Starting the Day – Emails & Planning
Mornings usually begin with emails from clients, councils, certifiers, and consultants. That could mean:
- Answering design questions on the depth of a sewer main extension
- Reviewing council feedback on the positioning of a road alignment for a submitted DA
- Updating a client on progress for an Integrated Water Quality Management Strategy
Once the inbox is clear, we plan the day — scheduling submission dates, confirming survey pickups for stormwater modelling, and liaising with architects, planners, and certifiers to keep projects moving.
Design Work – Turning Plans into Reality
Our design work often involves:
- AutoCAD Civil 3D – creating detailed road designs for subdivisions, driveway profiles, and stormwater pits and pipes
- WATERCOM DRAINS – modelling catchments for projects like shopping centre car parks
- MUSIC – designing water quality measures like bioretention basins or swales
- Geosurvey – processing field survey data for accurate bulk earthworks plans
These tools take a project from concept drawings to detailed documentation for DA, CC, SWC, or Subdivision Certificate approval.
Client Meetings & Advice
We spend a good part of the day talking to clients, which might involve:
- Suggesting staging strategies for a multi-lot greenfield subdivision
- Troubleshooting stormwater design for an urban infill site
- Adjusting bulk earthworks plans to fit a steep house site
These discussions often mean shifting priorities to respond quickly and keep timelines on track.
Survey Coordination
Accurate designs depend on good survey data. We prepare clear mark-ups showing exactly what’s needed — whether that’s for a new road corridor, stormwater outfall location, or as-constructed sewer infrastructure.
Site Visits – Seeing it First-Hand
Fieldwork is where designs meet reality. A site visit might involve:
- Checking ground levels before finalising a road design
- Meeting contractors before starting a car park drainage upgrade
- Inspecting a completed sewer main for a subdivision
Wrapping Up the Day
We finish by updating project trackers, reviewing deadlines, logging time, and preparing for tomorrow — ready to jump from a rural road upgrade to an urban street alignment project without missing a beat.
The Types of Projects We Work On
- Small residential subdivisions – lot layouts, drainage, sewer mains
- Infil developments – road networks, stormwater, water quality
- Civil Works – intersection upgrades, culvert replacements, shared paths, car park drainage, service relocations
In summary: civil engineering at Allen Price is all about problem-solving, adaptability, and making sure development designs work in the real world — whether it’s a 50-lot subdivision or a single driveway on a sloping block, our role as the civil engineer is to ensure that all structures are designed to be safe, functional and sustainable.
