Construction Estimator

Drake International; Bath; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & bonus

RRSP program

Vacation progression

Flexible work environment

Direct access to ownership

Collaborative culture

Influence on early-stage decisions

Job summary

Drake International in Kingston, ON is seeking a Construction Estimator / Preconstruction Specialist to evaluate project feasibility, prepare budgets, analyze risk, and guide procurement decisions before construction begins.

You will work closely with ownership and leadership to shape development costing, supplier relationships, procurement strategy, and front-end project evaluation, influencing profitability and risk management across residential projects.

Qualifications

• Experience in estimating, preconstruction, procurement, cost planning, development costing, or construction operations.
• Strong understanding of residential construction methods and project costs.
• Ability to develop budgets, evaluate project feasibility, and identify risks.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Local market knowledge and experience working with suppliers and subcontractors.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate project feasibility and prepare conceptual budgets.
• Analyze risk and monitor construction costs.
• Maintain supplier and subcontractor relationships.
• Support decisions related to project viability, development costing, risk mitigation, and procurement strategy.

Skills

Estimating

Preconstruction

Procurement

Cost planning

Development costing

Construction operations

Communication

Negotiation

Relationship-building

Local market knowledge

Job description

Location: Kingston, Ontario (Onsite)
Work Type:Permanent
Salary:$80,000-$100,000 + Bonus
Vacancy: Existing Vacancy

This Construction Estimator / Preconstruction Specialist role is ideal for a professional who enjoys evaluating project feasibility, solving commercial and construction-related challenges, and working within a residential development and homebuilding environment.

The right person will recognize this role as a natural next step if they have experience in estimating, procurement, preconstruction, development costing, or construction operations and want greater involvement in business-critical decision-making.

Why This Role

This role offers the opportunity to influence projects before construction begins, work directly with company leadership, and contribute to decisions that impact profitability, risk management, procurement strategy, and long-term business success.

Unlike many estimating positions, this role focuses less on detailed takeoffs and more on feasibility analysis, supplier relationships, development costing, procurement strategy, and front-end project evaluation.

The Role: Construction Estimator / Preconstruction Specialist

In this role, you will spend most of your time evaluating project feasibility, preparing conceptual budgets, analyzing risk, monitoring construction costs, and maintaining supplier and subcontractor relationships.

You will work closely with ownership, construction leadership, procurement teams, suppliers, and trade partners and will be responsible for supporting decisions related to project viability, development costing, risk mitigation, and procurement strategy.

This role balances estimating and financial analysis with relationship management and strategic decision-making, providing meaningful input long before projects reach construction.

What You'll Bring

Required:

• Experience in estimating, preconstruction, procurement, cost planning, development costing, or construction operations.
• Strong understanding of residential construction methods and project costs.
• Ability to develop budgets, evaluate project feasibility, and identify risks.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Local market knowledge and experience working with suppliers and subcontractors.

Highly Valued:

• Residential homebuilding experience.
• Procurement and sourcing experience.
• Development feasibility analysis.
• Cost forecasting and contingency planning.
• Experience coaching or supporting procurement functions.

Benefits & Environment

• Competitive salary and bonus program
• RRSP program
• Vacation progression based on tenure
• Flexible, productivity-focused work environment
• Direct access to ownership and decision-makers
• Informal and collaborative culture
• Opportunity to influence major project decisions from the earliest stages

Since 1951, Drake International has connected people with meaningful work across Canada and globally. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process. For accommodation requests, contact your Branch Representative at 613-542-3790

This hiring process may use AI‑enabled tools to support.