Are you skilled at turning a construction concept into accurate drawings, reliable quantities, clear pricing, coordinated technical documents, and a project that is genuinely ready to build?
Blue Sky Decks is seeking a Preconstruction Designer / Estimator to join our growing Preconstruction Department.
This is a technical residential construction role for someone who understands that drawings, engineering, permits, selections, quantities, pricing, procurement, and field execution must all agree before construction begins.
You will work within our existing preconstruction team and help move projects from the signed design agreement through the Operations handoff. The role requires strong collaboration, technical accuracy, clear communication, and dependable follow-through as projects move through design, estimating, engineering, permitting, procurement, and construction preparation.
The responsibilities below reflect the complete work performed within this position.
About Blue Sky Decks
Blue Sky Decks is a premium residential construction company specializing in high-end decks and outdoor living spaces throughout North Idaho and Eastern Washington.
Our projects frequently include:
- Lakefront and mountain properties
- Challenging site access
- Significant elevation changes
- Wood and steel framing
- Engineered foundations and connections
- Custom stairs and railing systems
- Multiple subcontracted trades
- Detailed permitting requirements
- Complex, multi-phase project scopes
We build durable, well-designed outdoor living spaces for homeowners who value craftsmanship, longevity, professionalism, and a project that is planned correctly before construction begins.
Our mission is simple:
We build for life’s best moments.
Our core values are clear:
- Teamwork
- Positivity
- Transparency
- Growth Mindset
- Proactivity
- Craftsmanship
We are a growing company that uses technology, documented systems, construction-management software, design tools, digital measurement tools, recorded project information, and AI-supported processes to improve speed, accuracy, and communication.
The right person will be comfortable learning new tools, receiving direct feedback, and helping improve the systems used throughout Preconstruction.
Job Summary
Before a crew arrives, drawings must match scope, estimates must match drawings, engineering and permit requirements must be incorporated, products must work together, purchasing information must be accurate, and Operations must receive documents it can confidently build from.
The Preconstruction Designer / Estimator turns approved client direction and documented site conditions into coordinated, build-ready project information.
This is not a general administrative, drafting-only, or estimating-only position. It is a technical residential construction role connecting design, structure, engineering, permitting, products, quantities, pricing, procurement, and field execution.
You will work across drawings, 3D models and renderings, takeoffs, estimates, engineering, permits, product research and selections, vendor pricing, procurement, purchase orders, change orders, and Operations handoff. The right person sees how one decision affects the rest and keeps the full package aligned.
Why This Role Matters
Blue Sky Decks is growing, and our projects are becoming larger, more customized, and more technical. Strong preconstruction gives Operations clear scope, reliable pricing, current documents, fewer surprises, and stronger gross profit. Weak preconstruction creates conflicting drawings, permit delays, pricing gaps, field questions, rework, and disappointed clients.
This role adds capacity to keep projects moving, identify missing information early, improve drawing and estimating accuracy, create clear bid and purchasing scopes, reduce field problems, and prepare complete handoffs.
The WorkProject Review, Site Information and Drafting
You will review design agreements, proposals, scopes, notes, measurements, recordings, selections, engineering, and prior drawings to determine what is current, missing, conflicting, incomplete, or unverified.
You will consider existing structures, access, utilities, elevations, terrain, drainage, excavation, equipment, staging, sequencing, and site constraints. You will distinguish facts from assumptions, maintain open-item lists, request additional information, and clearly communicate what decisions or answers are required. Site visits may be necessary.
You will produce and revise site, foundation, footing, framing, steel, stair, railing, roof-cover, elevation, section, connection, flashing, waterproofing, drainage, fascia, and finish drawings. You will incorporate approved changes, engineering markups, permit corrections, and selections; prepare permit-ready and construction-ready packages; and create 3D models, renderings, presentation drawings, and applicable schedules.
You will maintain CAD standards, templates, title blocks, sheet numbering, symbols, notes, dimensions, revision history, and document control. Related drawings and schedules must agree. Missing information must be identified, and outdated drawings must not be issued.
Material Takeoffs and Estimating
You will complete takeoffs for demolition, excavation, concrete, wood and steel framing, decking, railing, stairs, fascia, hardware, flashing, waterproofing, drainage, lighting, and specialty systems.
Takeoffs must include primary materials plus connectors, blocking, fasteners, brackets, trim, adhesives, membranes, accessories, waste, and supporting components. You will organize quantities by system, phase, area, supplier, or purchasing category; document assumptions; identify unresolved quantities; reconcile takeoffs to drawings and quotes; update them after approved revisions; and maintain standardized templates and assemblies.
You will prepare estimates using current supplier pricing, subcontractor bids, approved labor assumptions, equipment, permits, engineering, disposal, delivery, and other direct costs. You will separate confirmed, estimated, pending, and missing pricing; document allowances, exclusions, alternates, contingencies, and assumptions; identify duplicate or missing scope; compare pricing to drawings and selections; maintain revision history; and support final budget and gross-profit review.
Engineering Coordination
You will assemble complete packages for structural engineers, geotechnical consultants and other specialists using drawings, photographs, measurements, site conditions, project information and clear technical questions.
You will track requests, questions, calculations, reports, markups, stamped drawings and revision history; identify governing documents; and review returned engineering for consistency with scope, drawings, takeoffs, estimates and proposed construction.
Approved requirements must be incorporated into drawings, quantities, pricing, permit packages and construction documents. Incomplete, conflicting or unclear engineering must be raised before documents are issued. Engineered systems may not be independently changed without proper review.
Residential Permitting
You will prepare and maintain the technical portion of residential permit packages from initial application through corrections, resubmittal and final approval.
You will confirm the package contains the correct drawings, specifications, engineering and project information; coordinate technical questions with jurisdictions; track status, deadlines, corrections and outstanding requirements; prepare revised drawings and responses; and identify impacts to scope, design, feasibility, cost, schedule, procurement or construction.
Unusual code interpretations, conflicting comments and feasibility concerns must be escalated. Approved requirements must be incorporated into the final construction package.
Administrative support may handle forms, uploading, submission, routine follow-up, scheduling and filing. You remain responsible for the technical accuracy, completeness and visibility of the permit information.
Product Research and Technical Selections
You will research decking, railing, wood and steel framing, waterproofing, drainage, hardware, fasteners, lighting, finishes, windows, doors, fixtures, and specialty products.
You will gather specifications, installation requirements, warranties, code reports, limitations, lead times, and technical data; compare performance, compatibility, cost, availability, maintenance, appearance, and installation; and identify impacts to framing, spacing, blocking, flashing, labor, sequence, warranty, or engineering.
You may prepare comparisons, samples, finish boards, specification sheets, and technical presentation materials for internal or client selections. Approved selections must stay aligned across drawings, estimates, scopes, schedules, and purchasing.
You will research alternatives and identify compatibility, warranty, installation, or performance risks. You will also maintain complete product assemblies showing primary products, supporting materials, accessories, fasteners, flashing, adhesives, membranes, installation requirements, warranties, and technical documents.
Vendor and Subcontractor Pricing
You will prepare technical bid packages using current drawings, quantities, scopes and specifications so vendors and subcontractors understand exactly what they are pricing.
You will review returned quotes for completeness; compare them to drawings and takeoffs; identify exclusions, unclear assumptions, conflicting quantities, duplicate scope and missing work; request clarification; prepare consistent bid comparisons; maintain quotation history; and keep technical pricing information current for commonly used systems.
Administrative support may send requests, track responses, collect documents and complete routine follow-up. You remain responsible for technical completeness and accurate comparison.
Procurement and Purchase Orders
You will prepare the technical information required to purchase the correct materials, systems, and subcontracted work.
You will confirm products, manufacturers, models, colors, finishes, quantities, assemblies, and installation requirements; reconcile purchasing information with drawings, estimates, selections, and revisions; and identify long-lead items, decision deadlines, early-release needs, shop drawings, field verification, fabrication requirements, substitutions, and release dependencies.
You will review substitutions for compatibility, warranty, and installation impact and track unresolved specifications, substitutions, shop drawings, fabrication information, and release conditions.
You will prepare purchase-order scopes in Buildertrend or the current system. Each must define the material or work, quantities, specifications, inclusions, exclusions, allowances, qualifications, technical requirements, submittals, shop drawings, field measurements, and confirmations, with supporting documents attached.
Purchase orders move through scope and budget review before release. You will revise them after approved changes and identify gaps before materials or subcontractors are released. Administrative support may assist with issuance, signatures, routing, tracking, and filing.
Change Orders
You will prepare the technical and estimating information for work being added, removed, substituted or revised.
You will define the change, identify affected systems, complete takeoffs, gather pricing, update drawings and specifications, document assumptions, exclusions, credits and rework, and identify impacts to engineering, permits, procurement, schedule, sequencing and existing construction.
You will enter supporting information into Buildertrend, route it through review, revise it as the request is clarified, and ensure approved changes are carried into drawings, estimates, purchase orders, product schedules, specifications and other affected documents.
Requests that are not sufficiently defined or technically resolved must be identified before pricing or construction. Unapproved changes may not become part of the project documents.
Administrative support may assist with sending, signatures, client follow-up, uploads, recordkeeping and tracking.
Operations Handoff and Systems Improvement
Before handoff, you will confirm that current drawings, engineering, permits, specifications, selections, takeoffs, purchase-order scopes, product information, and approved changes are included and coordinated.
You will summarize structural and material systems, special conditions, site limitations, assumptions, and unresolved items; participate in handoff meetings; explain drawings and specifications; answer technical questions; and complete revisions.
A project is build-ready when scope, drawings, engineering, permits, selections, quantities, pricing, procurement, approved changes, and field requirements are aligned.
You will follow established standards, methods, file structures, workflows, and document-control procedures while improving templates, takeoff and product assemblies, cost libraries, bid comparisons, permit and procurement tracking, checklists, handoff packages, Buildertrend organization, and links between drawings, estimates, and project records.
Use new tools when they improve accuracy, speed, or visibility. Do not create personal systems others cannot understand or maintain.
Review and Approval Requirements
You are expected to use sound judgment, complete routine work, identify solutions, and move assignments without waiting for approval on every ordinary task.
Company review is required for final scope; changes to approved scope or design intent; final site validation, construction strategy, constructability, pricing, gross profit, contingencies, major substitutions, build-ready approval, release to Operations, and leadership of the final handoff; structural assumptions or changes to engineered systems; and client commitments affecting price, scope, schedule, engineering, permits, or construction.
The expectation is to know which decisions follow established standards and which affect the company’s broader commitment to the client and project.
The Right Person
You may be a strong fit if you enjoy detailed technical construction work and notice connections others miss. You compare drawings to estimates, question whether accessories and fasteners are included, and consider field impact.
You understand that construction documents are instructions used to engineer, permit, price, purchase, and build. You ask questions when information is incomplete, document assumptions, accept direct feedback, revise without defensiveness, and collaborate without becoming territorial.
You can follow established direction while recognizing when a structural, code, design, pricing, compatibility, permitting, or constructability issue requires broader judgment. Most importantly, you enjoy construction, design, estimating, problem-solving, organization, and technical coordination.
Required Qualifications
You must demonstrate meaningful experience in at least two areas: construction drafting and design; material takeoffs and estimating; or residential construction and technical coordination.
You must also have at least two years of relevant experience in residential construction, deck construction, estimating, drafting, design, permitting, engineering support, or preconstruction; experience carrying at least one residential permit from application through review, corrections, resubmittal, and approval; ability to coordinate with jurisdictions, engineers, consultants, vendors, subcontractors, and internal teams; ability to read drawings, engineering documents, specifications, and permit comments; experience preparing technical drawings and takeoffs or estimates; working knowledge of residential framing, decks, and sequencing; strong mathematical, spreadsheet, communication, organization, and document-control skills; ability to identify incomplete information and manage multiple assignments, permit timelines, and deadlines; and judgment to recognize when broader review is required.
This is a full-time, in-office role. Occasional travel, a valid driver’s license, and reliable transportation are required.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred experience includes deck design or construction; wood or steel framing; roof covers; high-end residential or remodeling; premium decking and railing systems; waterproofing and drainage; concrete, footings, helical piers, retaining walls, or site work; AutoCAD, Chief Architect, SketchUp, Revit, or similar software; rendering and permit drawings; Buildertrend; detailed estimating; purchase orders; change orders; bid leveling; product specifications and procurement; field construction; residential codes; and lakefront, hillside, or technically complex projects.
A related degree is helpful but not required. Demonstrated ability, judgment, and work quality matter more.
You Are Probably Not a Fit If
This is not the right seat for someone who wants drafting without construction, estimating without field awareness, or a narrow role with no departmental overlap.
It will not work for someone who makes unsupported assumptions, hides mistakes, misses deadlines without communicating, reveals missing information at the last moment, needs every task managed for them, ignores permit or purchasing details, resists feedback, becomes territorial, dislikes evolving systems, or refuses technology and AI-supported tools.
It is not remote. We need someone who balances speed and accuracy. Incorrect work delivered quickly is not success, and perfectionism that stops projects from moving is not success.
How to Apply
Follow these instructions carefully. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Submit to [email protected]:
- Resume in PDF format only
- Cover letter of one page or less covering why you are the right person for the job
- A portfolio, such as a redacted drawing set, framing or footing plan, permit package, takeoff, estimate, bid comparison, product specification, purchase-order scope, change-order package, 3D model, rendering, portfolio, or photographs of relevant work.
Use the exact subject line:
Preconstruction Designer / Estimator - Your Last Name, First Name
Pay: From $60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Fuel reimbursement
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
