Estimating Assistant

About the Role

Smart Dwellings is looking for a detail-oriented Estimating & Purchasing Assistant to support our new home construction process. This person plays a critical role in ensuring that every project is built with the right materials, in the right quantities, at the right time.

Responsibilities

- Read and interpret residential construction plans to identify and measure all relevant components - Perform detailed material takeoffs based on what is drawn on the plans, following a consistent process - Enter takeoff data accurately into our estimating system to generate material quantities for each project - Review quantities for errors, flag discrepancies, and verify that estimates match the plans - Cross-check your own work to catch math errors and ensure numbers are correct before submitting - Visit job sites to observe how purchased materials are being used and installed - Use field observations to identify opportunities to improve estimate accuracy and reduce waste - Communicate clearly with the project and purchasing team about findings, questions, and issues

What We’re Looking For

- Strong attention to detail — you notice when something doesn’t look right and you follow up on it - Ability to read residential construction plans (experience preferred; willingness to learn required) - Basic understanding of construction and building materials - Comfortable working with numbers — you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and accurately - Consistent and process-driven — you follow a standard method every time and don’t cut corners - Clear communicator, both written and verbal - Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously and keep the details of each one straight — at any given time we typically have 4–6 projects in preconstruction and 6–9 under construction - Reliable and organized

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience in construction estimating, purchasing, or a related field - Familiarity with estimating or takeoff software - Experience with Microsoft Excel - Background in residential construction or building materials