Commercial Construction Estimator

Kennedy Richter Construction, LLC; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Kennedy Richter Construction, LLC is seeking a detail-oriented Commercial Construction Estimator to join our Preconstruction team in Los Angeles. You will drive the estimating process for HOA multi-family and commercial projects, from bid invitation through turnover, including site walks and cost modeling.

You will coordinate with Business Development, Operations, design consultants, and sub-trades, delivering thorough estimates and preconstruction analyses for ground-up development, tenant

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in commercial estimating.
• Deep understanding of CSI MasterFormat divisions.
• Ability to read and interpret commercial prints, drawings, and specs.
• Experience coordinating with clients, developers, architects, and trades.

Responsibilities

• Document Review: thoroughly analyze drawings and specs to master scopes.
• Quantity Take-Offs: perform granular take-offs across divisions.
• Scope Breakdown: evaluate self-perform vs. trade-partner scopes.
• Production & Review: establish productivity rates; review estimates with operations/management.
• Specialized Estimates: develop ROM/conceptual estimates for HOA/commercial needs.
• Project Turnover: lead turnover meetings with full estimate breakdowns and risks.
• Time Tracking: log time spent on estimating tasks per project.

Skills

Estimating experience

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Plan interpretation

Tools

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

Procore

Excel cost-modeling

Job description

Job Type: Full-Time

Department: Preconstruction

Role Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented and collaborative Commercial Construction Estimator to join our Preconstruction team. In this role, you will drive the estimating process for HOA Multi- Family and Commercial projects - ranging from ground-up developments and tenant improvements to commercial repairs and restoration - from initial bid invitation through project turnover.

You will be responsible for conducting site walks, reviewing commercial architectural and engineering plans, performing detailed quantity take-offs, building comprehensive cost models, and developing site logistics and preliminary schedules. As the primary preconstruction liaison, you will connect Business Development, Operations, commercial design consultants, sub-trades, and clients.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 3+ years of experience in commercial construction estimating (ground-up, commercial renovations, tenant improvements, or commercial restoration).
• Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of commercial building codes, structural systems, materials, and CSI MasterFormat divisions.
• Software Proficiency: Hands-on experience with commercial estimating software (e.g., Bluebeam, PlanSwift, Procore, or Excel cost-modeling tools).
• Document Analysis: Proven ability to read and interpret commercial architectural prints, structural drawings, engineering reports, and specifications.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills for interfacing with commercial clients, developers, architects, and trade partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Document Review: Thoroughly analyze project drawings, specifications, structural engineering reports, deficiency assessments, and destructive testing data to master project scopes.
• Quantity Take-Offs: Perform granular, accurate quantity take-offs across all divisions for scopes of work.
• Scope Breakdown: Evaluate self-perform capabilities versus scopes requiring specialized trade partners.
• Production & Review: Collaborate with Operations to establish accurate productivity rates for self-perform work; review finalized estimates with Operations and Management.
• Specialized Estimates: Develop Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) and conceptual estimates for HOA and commercial litigation, early-stage planning, or feasibility studies.
• Project Turnover: Lead official turnover meetings with the construction team, presenting full estimate breakdowns, risks, and scope specifics.
• Time Tracking: Track and log time spent on estimating tasks per project.

Logistics & Scheduling

• Site Logistics: Partner with Operations to map out site access, staging, crane placement, traffic control, and tenant/building coordination for job sites.
• Preliminary Schedules: Collaborate with Operations to construct realistic preliminary construction schedules for pricing models.
• Trade Partner Alignment: Distribute preliminary schedules and site logistics plans to commercial trade partners to ensure aligned pricing and operational feasibility.

Site Visits & Data Gathering

• Pre-Bid Meetings: Attend all commercial pre-bid conferences, job walks, and site investigations.
• Site Documentation: Accurately document existing field conditions through detailed notes, measurements, and photo documentation.
• Scope Definition: Work alongside engineering teams, consultants, and destructive testing crews to define precise commercial scopes of work.
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong ongoing relationships with subcontractors and vendors.
• Database Expansion: Help build and maintain a complete database of approved trade partners.
• Bid Solicitations: Coordinate the distribution of project/bid documents to all trade partners and vendors.

Client & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Primary Contact: Act as the main point of contact during the preconstruction phase for all project stakeholders.
• Cross-Department Liaison: Serve as the central liaison between Business Development, Operations, design consultants, and clients.
• Client Presentations: Prepare presentation materials and actively present project estimates during post-bid interviews and client meetings.

Document Control & Product Research

• File Management: Maintain organized project files and systematically archive all estimate spreadsheets, subcontractor bids, and vendor quotations per company standards.
• Material & Product Research: Research specified materials, assemblies, and products, compiling product data sheets into designated project folders.