Chief Estimator - Residential & Light Commercial Specialty Construction

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating and proposal development for residential builder and light commercial projects
• Manage bid opportunities from initial plan review through final proposal submission
• Review architectural drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and bid documents
• Produce and validate quantity takeoffs, labor estimates, material pricing, and project cost projections
• Develop competitive proposals for insulation, fireplaces, building products, and related specialty construction scopes
• Identify exclusions, missing scope, constructability concerns, pricing exposure, and bid risks
• Recommend value engineering options and alternative solutions when appropriate
• Absorb and evaluate vendor and supplier pricing to support accurate estimates
• Cook with and coordinate with sales, operations, production, and leadership before bids are finalized
• Communicate directly with builders, contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders during bid development
• Maintain bid logs, estimating files, proposal records, assumptions, and project handoff documentation
• Monitor bid volume, win rates, backlog, and upcoming estimating priorities
• Establish consistent estimating procedures, templates, and quality-control standards
• Train and mentor junior estimators or sales-estimating team members as the department expands

Requirements

• 7+ years of construction estimating experience in residential construction, specialty contracting, builder services, or a related environment
• Strong experience estimating projects from plans, specifications, and bid documents
• Residential construction estimating experience required
• Proven ability to independently manage the complete estimating process from takeoff through final proposal
• Hands-on experience developing labor, material, and production-based pricing
• Ability to identify scope gaps, exclusions, cost risks, and value engineering opportunities
• Experience working directly with residential builders, contractors, suppliers, and operations teams
• Proficiency with estimating software, digital takeoff platforms, spreadsheets, and construction documentation
• Strong attention to detail, organization, communication, and analytical problem-solving skills
• Able to manage multiple deadlines and active bid opportunities simultaneously