Job Overview
We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Estimator to join our construction team. This role is responsible for producing accurate and timely project estimates, takeoffs, and budgets that align with the company's quality standards and margin goals. This role plays a key part in setting projects up for success by developing scopes of work, analyzing plans, and collaborating with vendors and trade partners. The Estimator ensures clear alignment between design intent, client expectations, and financial feasibility before the project transitions to production.
The Estimator is responsible for roughly 40 hours. The hours are 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. Pay is on a bi-weekly pay period.
Primary Accountability:
The Estimator is responsible for ensuring projects enter construction with a complete, accurate, and financially viable budget that reflects the approved design, selections, scopes of work, trade partner pricing, and company margin expectations.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Analyze architectural drawings, construction documents, and design specifications to develop detailed takeoffs and estimates.
- Own the development, accuracy, completeness, and documentation of Construction Cost Budgets prior to Construction Agreement.
- Create construction costs budgets including material, labor, and subcontractor costs, allowances, internal labor, and required company margin.
- Provide updated budget reviews at established Critical Path milestones throughout Design to ensure the evolving design remains aligned with the client’s established investment range.
- Identify and resolve estimating scope gaps, conflicting information, missing selections, allowances, exclusions, or unclear design details before finalizing the Construction Cost Budget.
- Identify and communicate budget red flags early in the design phase and collaborate with Design, Sales, and Production to determine the appropriate path forward.
- Collaborate with the Design and Sales teams to guide selections and design decisions within budget.
- Solicit and evaluate subcontractor bids; maintain adequate competitive bid coverage for major trades.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with trade partners and proactively develop alternate trade partners where pricing, capacity, quality or responsiveness creates risk.
- Participate in Trade Days and coordinate estimating-related processes and scope clarification with trades.
- Generate clear scopes of work and trade partner bid packages.
- Maintain up-to-date cost databases and vendor pricing, including historical data from previous jobs.
- Verify the Construction Cost Budget is complete and ready for Construction Agreement, including confirmed scope, selections, allowances, trade partner pricing, internal labor, material costs, and required company margin.
- Ensure all quotes, allowances, selections, exclusions, and scope assumptions are accurately reflected in the estimate and Construction Agreement.
- Prepare and present the final Construction Cost Budget and job cost breakdown as part of the formal Production Handoff, clearly communicating allowances, exclusions, unique scopes, pricing assumptions, risk areas, and outstanding items to the Production Manager and Project Manager.
- Prepare budget reviews with the Production Manager and Project Manager.
- Provide change order pricing support after Construction Agreement and maintain pricing accuracy.
- Proactively identify value-engineering opportunities that protect design intent and client priorities while improving constructability, cost, schedule, or margin.
- Track estimating accuracy and job performance vs estimate.
- Analyze estimated-to-actual cost variances by cost code/trade and identify recurring trends, missed scopes, pricing changes, or estimating assumptions requiring correction.
- Evaluate past projects, estimates, invoices, and actual job costs to continuously improve future estimating accuracy.
Shepard Homes/New Construction Responsibilities:
- Participate in New Home financial Reviews with the Production Manager.
- Evaluate floor plan base pricing at least every 6 months and update pricing as market conditions require.
- Collaborate with realtors on upgrade and contract pricing.
- Manage and maintain new home upgrade sheets.
- Collaborate with the Production Manager on spec home listing prices.
- Maintain accurate standard and upgrade pricing so sales decisions reflect current construction costs and margin expectations.
Skills & Experience:
- Minimum 5 years experience in residential new construction, remodeling, estimating, or project management.
- Strong residential construction knowledge and ability to read architectural drawings, construction documents, and specifications.
- Firm understanding of construction materials, methods, sequencing, and the ability to anticipate scope or constructability items that may not be obvious during Design.
- High-level understanding of all major trades, including schedules, pricing structures, fees, lead times, and downstream impacts.
- Residential estimating, takeoffs, scope development, cost analysis, and financial acumen.
- Understanding of P&L, job costing, margins, and construction financial reporting.
- Ability to evaluate estimates, invoices, and actual job costs and identify trends.
- Negotiation skills and confidence working with vendors and trade partners.
- Strong trade partner relationship-building and communication skills.
- Understanding of Trade Day processes and ability to communicate scopes and expectations clearly with trades.
- Understanding of deconstruction/demo processes and related estimating needs.
- Attention to detail, organization, deadline management, and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Proficiency with Google Sheets and company estimating/job-costing systems.
- Curious and resourceful - willing to go beyond the obvious answer to find better information, pricing, products, or construction solutions.
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Experience:
- Residential construction: 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
