Civil Estimator - Mass Earthwork / Utilities

Gillett Excavating LLC; Port Huron (MI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Half-ton pickup

Performance bonus

Semi-flexible hours

Accountability culture

Owner-led

Two weeks PTO

Job summary

Gillett Excavating LLC in Port Huron, MI is seeking an estimator to own the bid process for projects from $0.5M to $6M, including erosion control, demolition, grading, utilities, paving, and restoration. You will price work, perform takeoffs, respond to RFIs/RFQs, and develop proposals with the owner to ensure profitable bids.

You’ll partner with the PM on scheduling, align field data with bid assumptions, and help build estimating systems while supporting field crews.

Qualifications

• Understand the whole site package from erosion control to finish work.
• Able to price a job so it is buildable and profitable.
• Reading plans, interpreting specs, and performing accurate takeoffs.

Responsibilities

• Build clear bids for $0.5M to $6M projects across commercial and subdivision work.
• Deliver production goals and margins the field can build to.
• Prevent cost and constructability surprises before the job hits the field.
• Build proposals reflecting true project value via takeoffs, RFIs, RFQs, bid review with the owner.
• Strengthen future pricing and improve win rates through bid follow-up.
• Tighten estimates by reconciling production data with bid assumptions.
• Collaborate with the PM on schedule development and estimating systems.

Skills

Bid estimation

Plan reading

Cost accounting

Industry knowledge

Team collaboration

Tools

Insite Elevation Pro

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

Trimble GPS

GanttPro

B2W

CloudRig

Job description

Build the full bid, not just the takeoff. Help shape how the work gets priced, sold, and built, and be a critical part of driving the company’s early growth.

How You’ll Contribute

We’ve grown to a point where bidding, training, and managing the field can’t all live on one plate anymore. As our first Estimator hire, you’ll take ownership so we can stay accurate, responsive, and focused on building the people side of the company. Working directly with the owner, you’ll help build successful proposals from plans, price work for project success and profitability, and help build the remaining systems.

What You'll Get To Do

• Build clear, well-defined bids for $0.5M to $6M projects in commercial and subdivision soil erosion control, demolition, mass grading, utilities, paving, and restoration.
• Deliver production goals and margins the field can actually build to.
• Prevent cost and constructability surprises before the job ever hits the field.
• Build proposals that reflect true project value by handling takeoffs, RFIs, RFQs, proposal development, and bid review with the owner.
• Strengthen future pricing and improve win rates through bid follow-up.
• Tighten future estimates and align field expectations by reconciling production data with bid assumptions.
• Help shape how the work gets built by collaborating with the PM on schedule development.
• Help build stronger estimating systems while real work is still moving, with direct support from the owner, field PMs, and SI.
  Help sell jobs of value to great customers, not just chase low numbers.

Typical Schedule:

Monday through Friday, with office hours of at least 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
40 hours per week, with workloads that can run up to 60 hours per week depending on estimating volume. Weekend work may be required in peak estimating season. Days off have some flexibility as long as the work is getting completed and KPIs are being met. This role is office-based in Port Huron, with field visits as needed for clarification and assistance, likely about once every two weeks.

What You Bring

• At least 5 years of civil-related experience through estimating, project management, or operations management.
• You understand the whole site package, from erosion control and demo through grading, pipe, paving, and finish work, and you know how each step ties into the next.
• You’re wired for a place that values relationships, leads by example, and wants to raise the standard of what the industry is known for.
• You’d rather be a critical part of a company’s early growth than sit in a role where you only handle one piece of the bid.
• You know how to read plans, interpret specs, and perform accurate takeoffs that produce quantities the field can trust.
• You have a strong grasp of large-scale financial job costing, including direct vs. indirect costs, markup, and overhead, and you know how to price a job so it’s buildable and profitable.
• You’re not a spreadsheet Estimator. You like to ground your numbers in the dirt and see how production actually runs instead of guessing from behind a screen.
• You like building a successful and profitable project from theory and historical data.

Even Better, But Not Required

• Finance experience
• Familiarity withInsite Elevation Pro, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, Trimble GPS, B2W, GanttPro, and/or CloudRig

Position-Specific Perks

• 1/2 ton pickup, take-home
• Performance bonus tied to KPIs and Success Statements (Core Values), ranging from $2,500 to $15,000
• Semi-flexible hours and days off with year-round work
• A culture built on accountability, consistency, and open feedback
• The owner works alongside the team, leading from the field as much as the office
• A company mindset focused on growth, constantly learning, improving, and evolving together

Tools & Technology

• Modern estimating and project management tools: Insite Elevation Pro, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, B2W, Trimble Business Center, and GanttPro
• High-end computers and software to keep performance fast and reliable
• A tech-forward team that’s always looking for smarter, more efficient ways to bid and build
• 401(k) with 4% company match
• 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees, and 50% for family
• Paid bonus program tied to company and individual performance
• Two weeks of paid time off

In just ten years, we’ve grown from a small residential startup into a company trusted to build the infrastructure that millions of people rely on every day, most of it buried underground, unseen but essential. We started by building assets; now we’re focused on building people. We believe hard work should lead to real rewards, accountability should create opportunity, and every project is a chance to raise the standard for what this industry can be.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our workplace and creating an environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. We comply with all applicable laws governing EEO and affirmative action, and we ensure that all employment decisions are made solely based on job-related qualifications and merit.