Job Description
A growing construction company is seeking a highly experienced, independent, and results-driven Construction Operations Manager and Estimator to take full responsibility for residential construction projects from the first customer call through final completion and payment collection.
This is not a traditional project manager role where projects are already sold, estimated, staffed, and scheduled.
We need someone who can receive an incoming lead and independently handle the entire project lifecycle:
- Identify the problem and recommend the correct solution
- Develop the scope of work
- Estimate labor, materials, subcontractors, permits, and project duration
- Present the proposal and close the customer
- Find and manage workers and subcontractors
- Order and coordinate materials
- Schedule and supervise the project
- Manage customer communication
- Handle change orders and field problems
- Perform quality control
- Complete the final walkthrough
- Assist with final payment collection
- Provide complete project documentation and financial reporting
The right candidate must be capable of taking a project from the initial customer conversation to successful completion with minimal supervision.
Current Project Volume and Growth
This is currently a project-based opportunity. Consistent weekly work is not guaranteed at this stage.
Some periods may have active leads and projects, while other periods may have fewer or no new opportunities. This is not currently a guaranteed full-time salaried position.
Our traffic, visibility, and incoming inquiries are gradually increasing. We expect project volume to grow as the company continues to expand.
We are looking for someone who understands that the business is in a growth stage and wants to build a long-term partnership. As lead volume increases, the right person may grow into a key leadership role within the company.
Main ResponsibilitiesCustomer Communication and Sales
- Communicate professionally with customers
- Explain construction problems and proposed solutions clearly
- Prepare and present estimates
- Answer questions and objections
- Follow up with undecided customers
- Close projects within company-approved pricing guidelines
- Coordinate contracts, signatures, deposits, and payment schedules
- Maintain communication throughout the project
- Help collect final customer payments
Inspections and Estimating
- Conduct detailed property inspections
- Take measurements, photographs, videos, and field notes
- Identify visible damage, moisture problems, drainage issues, structural concerns, and potential hidden conditions
- Determine the likely cause of the problem, not only the visible symptoms
- Develop detailed scopes of work
- Calculate labor, materials, subcontractor costs, equipment, disposal, permits, deliveries, and project duration
- Obtain and compare subcontractor pricing
- Maintain accurate budgets and required profit margins
- Identify possible change-order risks
- Determine when an engineer, architect, permit specialist, or licensed specialty contractor is required
Crew and Subcontractor Management
- Maintain or develop relationships with dependable workers and subcontractors
- Find qualified crews for different types of projects
- Negotiate labor and subcontractor pricing
- Verify that crews are qualified for the assigned work
- Coordinate licensed specialty trades when required
- Explain scopes clearly
- Schedule workers and subcontractors
- Monitor attendance, workmanship, productivity, and professionalism
- Replace unreliable or unqualified workers when necessary
- Inspect completed work before approving payment
Project Management
- Build realistic project schedules
- Coordinate workers, trades, materials, deliveries, permits, and inspections
- Sequence multiple trades correctly
- Visit active jobsites as required
- Monitor quality, budget, schedule, and profitability
- Identify delays and problems early
- Resolve field issues quickly
- Keep customers informed
- Document progress with photos, videos, receipts, invoices, and written updates
- Prepare and obtain approval for change orders before additional work begins
- Prevent unauthorized work outside the approved scope
- Protect customer property and maintain professional jobsite conditions
- Complete punch-list items and final walkthroughs
- Submit complete project closeout and financial documentation
Required Construction Knowledge
This position is not limited to cosmetic remodeling.
The candidate must understand the core systems of residential properties, including foundations, framing, drainage, waterproofing, crawl spaces, moisture control, structural repairs, interior reconstruction, and exterior construction.
Strong practical knowledge is expected in most of the following areas:
Crawl Spaces and Moisture Control
- Crawl space inspections
- Moisture assessment
- Crawl space encapsulation
- Vapor barrier systems
- Crawl space drainage
- Sump pumps
- Dehumidification
- Standing-water conditions
- Subfloor moisture damage
- Mold-related construction damage
- Joist, beam, post, and subfloor repairs
- Dry rot and termite-damaged wood replacement
- Insulation removal and replacement
Waterproofing and Drainage
- Interior and exterior waterproofing
- Foundation and crawl space waterproofing
- Basement waterproofing
- French drains
- Surface and yard drainage
- Downspout drainage
- Grading and water diversion
- Sump pump systems
- Waterproof coatings and membranes
- Leak-source identification
- Flashing and exterior sealing
- Retaining-wall drainage
- Water-intrusion prevention
Foundations and Structural Repairs
- Raised and slab foundations
- Foundation cracks
- Pier and post systems
- Beam and joist repairs
- Structural framing
- Subfloor replacement
- Floor leveling
- Settlement and foundation movement
- Foundation drainage
- Seismic retrofitting
- Foundation bolting
- Cripple-wall bracing
- Concrete repairs
- Structural wood replacement
- Coordination with structural engineers
- Reading and following engineering recommendations
Reconstruction and Remodeling
- Water-damage reconstruction
- Reconstruction following mold remediation
- Drywall, insulation, texture, and painting
- Framing and subfloor repairs
- Flooring, baseboards, trim, and finish carpentry
- Cabinet and countertop coordination
- Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
- Tile installation
- Doors and windows
- Interior layout modifications
- Whole-home remodeling
- Insurance reconstruction
Exterior and Larger Projects
- Roofing and exterior leak repair coordination
- Stucco and siding repairs
- Exterior painting
- Deck and balcony repairs
- Wood-rot replacement
- Exterior waterproofing
- Concrete walkways and patios
- Garage conversions
- Room and home additions
- ADU construction
- Structural alterations
- Permit and inspection coordination
- Multi-phase residential projects
Trade Coordination
The candidate does not need to personally perform every trade, but must understand how to estimate, schedule, supervise, and inspect:
- Framing
- Foundation work
- Waterproofing
- Drainage
- Concrete
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Roofing
- Drywall
- Painting
- Flooring
- Tile
- Cabinets and countertops
- Finish carpentry
- Insulation
- Stucco and siding
- Windows and doors
The candidate must know when licensed specialty contractors, engineers, architects, or other professionals are required.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 3 years of residential construction experience
- Strong estimating and project-management experience
- Experience selling and closing construction projects
- Ability to independently manage projects from initial lead through final payment
- Broad practical knowledge of residential construction
- Experience hiring and managing workers and subcontractors
- Ability to accurately calculate labor and material costs
- Ability to maintain budgets and project profitability
- Strong negotiation and problem-solving skills
- Strong customer communication and sales skills
- Professional appearance and behavior
- Reliable transportation and valid driver’s license
- Ability to travel throughout Los Angeles County and surrounding areas
- Smartphone and basic computer skills
- Ability to provide estimates, photos, receipts, reports, and project updates
- English required
Preferred Qualifications
- Existing network of reliable workers and subcontractors
- Crawl space encapsulation experience
- Waterproofing and drainage experience
- Foundation and structural repair experience
- Insurance reconstruction experience
- Water-damage reconstruction experience
- Xactimate experience
- Experience reading plans and engineering recommendations
- Experience coordinating permits and inspections
- Previous experience with a licensed general contractor
- CSLB license or relevant specialty license
- Spanish, Armenian, or Russian is a plus
Compensation
- 50% of net project profit after approved direct project expenses
- Project-based compensation
- No guaranteed salary
- No guaranteed weekly hours
- No guaranteed minimum number of projects at this stage
- Payment is made after the company receives the applicable customer funds and project costs are fully reconciled
- Compensation applies to projects assigned to and successfully managed by the candidate
- All expenses, receipts, subcontractor costs, and material purchases must be properly documented
- Profit calculations will be reviewed transparently
Direct project expenses may include:
- Labor and subcontractors
- Materials
- Equipment rentals
- Dumpsters and disposal
- Deliveries
- Permits
- Project-specific professional services
- Approved customer credits
- Approved callback or correction costs
General company marketing, SEO, website, office, and administrative expenses will not normally be deducted from individual project profit unless otherwise agreed in writing.
What the Company Provides
- Company infrastructure and brand
- Marketing and lead generation
- Incoming customer opportunities
- Website and online presence
- Company communication systems
- CRM and project documentation systems
- Customer contracts and administrative support
- Payment processing
- Long-term growth opportunity
- Opportunity to help build and lead a growing construction operation
Ideal Candidate
We are not looking for someone who only schedules workers or occasionally visits jobsites.
We need an experienced construction professional who can:
Receive the lead, inspect the property, determine the correct solution, prepare the estimate, close the customer, assemble the crew, manage production, complete the project, and help collect final payment.
This opportunity may be a strong fit for an experienced estimator, senior project manager, operations manager, superintendent, former contractor, or construction salesperson with strong technical knowledge and an established subcontractor network.
The ideal candidate is organized, technically knowledgeable, strong with customers, confident in sales, disciplined with budgets, and capable of taking full ownership of assigned projects.
Application Questions
- How many years of residential construction experience do you have?
- Have you managed projects from the first customer call through final payment?
- What types of projects have you estimated and managed?
- Do you have experience with crawl space encapsulation, waterproofing, drainage, or foundation repair?
- Do you have an existing network of reliable workers and subcontractors?
- Are you comfortable preparing estimates and closing customers?
- Are you comfortable with project-based work without guaranteed weekly projects?
- Are you comfortable receiving 50% of net project profit instead of a fixed salary?
- What areas of Los Angeles County can you cover?
- Do you have experience with Xactimate, permits, inspections, or insurance reconstruction?
Project volume is currently developing, but our traffic, visibility, and incoming inquiries are increasing. We are looking for the right long-term partner who can take ownership of projects now and grow with the company as volume expands.
Pay: $5,000.00 - $25,000.00 per month
Work Location: In person
