About Ballow Construction
Ballow Construction is a design-build general contractor based in San Diego specializing in ground-up residential construction, custom ADU's, and whole-home remodels. We are a growing company with a tight, experience team and a reputation for delivering excellent projects with a client experience to match. We are scaling fast - and the person who owns the client relationship owns the growth.
Job Overview
We’re not looking for someone to price jobs and pass them along. We’re looking for someone who owns the full client experience across the entire lifecycle — from takeoff to closeout. This role sits at the center of our operation. You’ll estimate work, win it, and close it.
Our Project Managers handle field execution. You handle the relationship. When the client has a question, a concern, or wants to add scope, they hear from you. That continuity is how we win in a competitive market — and it’s how your commission is built to reward the full value you deliver, not just what you closed on day one. If you’re a closer who also knows construction, keep reading.
Responsibilities
Sales Pipeline & Lead Generation (Residential + Commercial)
- Generate new leads across residential (custom homes, ADUs, remodels) and commercial (ground-up, tenant improvements, government contracting) markets
- Build and manage your referral network with architects, interior designers, real estate agents, contractors, and past clients
- Execute proactive prospecting: cold calls, networking events, industry associations, online presence
- Qualify inbound leads and assess project fit with company capabilities and profitability targets
- Manage CRM system daily—track all leads, opportunities, interactions, and pipeline status
- Prioritize pipeline activity based on profitability potential and operational capacity to execute
- Own responsibility for pipeline health: $8M+ in qualified opportunities maintained at all times
Estimating & Proposal Development
- Conduct site visits and assess existing conditions for accuracy in estimation
- Produce accurate, budget-level estimates for both residential and commercial projects
- Read and interpret plans, specs, and contract documents to develop credible scope and cost
- Use estimating software and assembly pricing to produce competitive proposals
- Coordinate with operations team on complex scopes to ensure accuracy
- Build proposals that highlight value engineering and Ballow's competitive advantages
- Present proposals and handle objections in written and in-person meetings
- Deliver estimates that are profitable—accuracy protects company margins
Sales & Relationship Management
- Run design consultations with homeowners—scope discovery, design direction, preliminary budgets
- Conduct capability presentations with commercial developers and property owners
- Navigate government contracting processes: RFP responses, pre-qualification, agency relationships
- Deliver contracts for signature; close deals with clear terms and documented scope
- Manage change orders professionally—present scope additions, obtain approvals, document accurately
- Stay available to clients during construction for design decisions and scope changes
- Maintain client relationships through project completion—satisfaction, referrals, testimonials
- Build long-term relationships that generate repeat business and referrals
Handoff to Operations
- Conduct hand-off meeting with PM for every project within 48 hours of contract signing
- Provide detailed project brief: scope, client expectations, special requirements, design decisions
- Introduce client to PM and superintendent during project kick-off
- Document all client communication, changes, and special conditions for PM reference
- Remain available for client relationship management throughout project as needed
- Collect final feedback, testimonials, and referrals at project completion
- Attend final walkthrough and client sign-off; collect reviews, testimonials, and referrals
Requirements
Must-Haves
- 7+ years of commercial estimating and/or commercial construction sales experience
- Proven track record closing construction contracts
- Expert-level ability to read plans, interpret specs, produce accurate estimates independently
- Strong estimating software skills
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage sales pipelines across 40+ active opportunities
- Self-directed—you build your own pipeline without constant oversight
- Excellent organization: manage multiple active projects simultaneously without dropping scope or client details
- Detail-oriented—your estimates are accurate and your documentation is complete
- Strong communication skills: can present to homeowners, C-suite executives, and government officials
- Comfortable with CRM tools and daily data entry/logging
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation (site visits required)
Strong Pluses
- Existing relationships in San Diego residential or commercial construction markets
- Experience managing client relationships through active construction
- Knowledge of both residential and commercial construction across multiple trades
- Experience with government contracting or RFP processes
- Familiarity with ADU regulations and custom home building
- Bilingual (Spanish)
- Track record in value engineering and cost optimization
Nice-to-Haves
- Estimating software: Touchplan, BuildCalc, PlanSwift, or similar
- Construction accounting knowledge
- Project management software experience: Monday.com, Procore, Buildertrend
- Government contracting certifications or SAM.gov pre-qualification knowledge
Time Allocation
You'll work flexibly across residential and commercial based on profitability, pipeline health, and operational capacity. Typical weekly allocation:
- Lead generation and prospecting: 25-30%
- Estimating and proposal development: 30-35%
- Sales meetings and presentations: 15-20%
- Pipeline management and CRM: 10-15%
- Handoffs, client communication, and admin: 10-15%
Compensation
We’ve built a comp plan where strong performers are genuinely well-paid — your earnings grow with your output, not a salary band.
- Base Salary: $80,000 - $85,000 (depending on experience and track record)
- Commission: 6-8% of project gross profit, paid at three milestones
- At contract signing: 2% of estimated GP
- At project start: 2% of estimated GP
- At final billing/closeout: 2-4% of actual GP (based on final profitability)
- Your accurate estimates directly protect your commission payout
- Approved change orders you close are included in final GP calculation
- On-Target Earnings (OTE)
- Year 1 at goal (8-12 projects, $4M-$6M revenue, 20%+ margins): $130,000 - $160,000+
- Top performers consistently hitting profitability targets: $160,000 - $180,000+
- OTE scales with your output and accuracy—no salary caps
Benefits
- Medical benefits
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Direct access to company leadership — this is a high-visibility role in a growing organization
- Opportunity to grow with a stable, family-owned company
We do right by our clients, and we do right by each other. We're looking for someone who takes pride in honest work, holds themselves accountable, and wants to grow with a team that operates the same way.
If you have read this far, send your resume and a brief note covering your estimating background and the largest residential project you’ve sold to [email protected]. We read every application and respond to every qualified candidate — no black holes here.
Ballow Construction is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay: $80,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Fuel reimbursement
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Location:
- San Diego, CA 92111 (Preferred)
Shift availability:
Ability to Commute:
- San Diego, CA 92111 (Required)
Work Location: In person
