by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Quantity Surveying, Staff
Celebrating Seven Years of CCM!
This week marks seven years since the commencement of CCM – a milestone that invites reflection.
As Aristotle said, “Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man,” suggesting that foundational traits are formed early. If this holds true for business, then CCM’s first seven years have laid the groundwork for a company that delivers value to clients, nurtures talent, and supports genuine work-life balance.
We’re proud of what we’ve built. Some highlights from the journey so far include:
· Senior staff members with over six years’ tenure
· Strong, enduring relationship with our key client
· Industry recognition as leaders across several key sectors
· A formal mentoring program embedded across the business
· Repeat business rate approaching 80%
· Successful training of junior staff and cadets
· Offices in two countries and a team of over 70 professionals
· Strategic alliance across Asia, connecting us with over 400 like-minded professionals
On a personal note, the past seven years have flown by. CCM has enabled me to achieve things I’m deeply proud of, including:
· Collaborating with fellow Directors and senior leaders in a truly open, solutions-focused environment
· Maintaining a work-life balance that has allowed me to coach both my sons in basketball and attend most of their games
· Embracing hybrid work arrangements that support family life
· Remaining hands-on across the majority of Australian projects
· Contributing to standout projects—from major fitouts in Brisbane to a significant share of mainstream and non-mainstream education facilities across Southeast Queensland
If the first seven years have shaped our foundation, I’m proud of what we’ve built. I look forward to the next chapter as CCM continues to grow; locally, nationally, and across Asia, guided by the same values that brought us here.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Fitout, Quantity Surveying
Project Highlight by Lakma Wijewickrama
One of my highlight projects at Collaborative Cost Management has been the Holding Redlich Brisbane Office Fit Out.
This large-scale project transformed 2,400m² of premium office space. At the early stage, CCM prepared the pre-tender estimate, providing a strong foundation for procurement and cost control.
As someone who began my career in Sri Lanka and now works in the Australian construction industry, this opportunity has been one of the best for me. My main involvement was in the post-contract phase, where I focused on assessing progress claims, reviewing and preparing variations, and providing payment recommendations to ensure financial accuracy and contractual compliance.
This experience strengthened my skills in post-contract cost management and stakeholder collaboration, and I am proud to have contributed to this milestone project as CCM celebrates 7 years of success.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Education, Quantity Surveying
Project Highlight by Liam Wood
As Collaborative Cost Management celebrates its 7-year milestone, I’ve been reflecting on the projects that shaped my 6+ year journey at CCM — and Brisbane South State Secondary College stands out.
As Queensland’s second vertical school, it represented a bold shift in educational infrastructure, demanding innovation in both design and delivery. Constructed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project challenged all parties to adapt quickly and work collaboratively in a rapidly evolving environment.
CCM’s role as quantity surveyors was central to maintaining contractual fairness, managing cost fluctuations, and supporting clear, consistent communication. Post-completion, we used the experience to refine our internal processes — improving how we manage risk, interpret contract obligations, and support clients throughout the project.
It’s a great example of how CCM doesn’t just deliver — we evolve.
Here’s to seven years of learning, adapting, and building better outcomes.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Fitout, Quantity Surveying
Project Highlight by Minaz F.
Celebrating another year with Collaborative Cost Management and marking seven years in the business- we are building strong and growing seven-folds!
One project that stands out from the past year is the BHP office fit out on Level 9 and the refurbishment of levels 10 to 15. A project comprising of the full journey from concept design through to practical completion. I was fortunate to be involved end-to-end: from early pre-construction estimates to design development, navigating through tender stage and later supporting the works post contract. Along the way, I sharpened my skills in cost planning, project coordination, value management and understanding how early design decisions flow into delivery stages. Seeing the project evolve from sketches to completed workplace felt like a full circle.
Just before Level 9 works wrapped up and the refurb works kicked off, I swapped hard hats for baby hats and went on maternity leave- my most demanding and rewarding project yet. Now, being back at work, it’s been great to rejoin the team and help deliver the final stages of the project.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Commercial New Build, Education, Quantity Surveying
Project Highlight by Abtin Dolat and Zane Wolpers
For the past 6-months we have had the absolute privilege of working at Collaborative Cost Management as Cadet Quantity Surveyors. Our experience has been nothing short of remarkable, experiencing real world construction first hand whilst completing our university degrees at QUT. Working on the post contract team, we have assessed monthly progress claims and variations on both commercial and residential projects.
Reflecting on our time at CCM we have learned so much about construction in Queensland through hands on learning. Our favourite part of the job on the post-contract team would be the process of attending site to assess a projects progress every month, allowing us to assess and manage costs.
Out of the projects we have worked on, two stand out the most. These include Ripley Valley State Secondary College and the Albion Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.
Zane Wolpers:
Ripley Valley State Secondary College is currently expanding with a new general learning centre, car park, and construction court. The experience I have gained from this project is second to none. Whether I am completing monthly site inspections and progress claims or assessing a variation, I am learning every second I am on this job. Seeing all involved parties work together to maintain the progress of a project has opened my eyes to the extent of effort that goes into construction. I am excited to see the future progress of this project and the results that follow.
Abtin Dolat:
Queensland Fire Department Albion, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services headquarters currently under development in Albion. I joined the project midway, working under Liam Wood, and as my first public sector and large-scale project, it has been both challenging and rewarding. Being thrown into the deep end required me to find my own way forward, which in turn strengthened my skills and deepened my understanding of quantity surveying, construction, and related practices.
Thank you to the entire team for the immense time and effort you’ve dedicated to supporting our development. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow within the business and contributing wherever we can.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Feb 17, 2026 | Quantity Surveying, Sports & Recreation
Project Highlight by Yvion Lee.
My 7 Years at Collaborative Cost Management is 25% of my Quantity Surveying career to date! Throughout the years, I have been given many great opportunities to get involved in many projects across different stages. Over the last 3 years, I have been heavily involved in the pre-contract project stages.
There is one project that really attracted my interest. The Gold Coast Arena project is a world-class indoor live-entertainment venue. The project will be designed for multipurpose use, accommodating various events, including sports. It complements the existing venues and enhances the overall entertainment offered for residents and visitors to the City of Gold Coast. CCM were engaged to provide business case cost management services, including the provision of masterplan estimates, risk register, and life cycle costing.
I must say, I was overwhelmed with the feasibility reports and design that were provided at that time. Having to go through them all in detail, digest the data, capture the relevant information, and then interpret them from words to dollar signs. Not to mention in a timely manner too; that was a challenge for me. In saying that, having worked on this project, I appreciate the knowledge and technical expertise I have gained throughout the years of experience from a variety of projects. It enabled me to navigate through the project complexity and allowed me to provide valuable cost advice for the project. Also, I cannot describe how important it was to have collaborative communication with the project stakeholders to ensure we were all on the same page moving towards achieving this project’s objectives.
Looking forward to the next milestone achievement with CCM and our clients!
