Commercial Construction Estimator

Trueline Talent; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentives

Company vehicle

Fuel card

PTO & holidays

Laptop & phone

Direct access to ownership

Autonomy in estimating

Preconstruction development

Career progression

Job summary

Trueline Talent's client, a growing commercial general contractor in Richmond, Virginia, is seeking a Commercial Construction Estimator to own estimating and preconstruction efforts. This role runs the full bid cycle, collaborates with ownership, and helps build a preconstruction function with leadership opportunities.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of commercial estimating experience in a GC setting, strong takeoff skills, and the ability to develop complete bid packages and value engineering

Qualifications

• Must have 5+ years of commercial estimating experience in a GC setting.
• Ability to independently develop complete commercial construction estimates.
• Experience reading architectural, structural, civil, and MEP plans.

Responsibilities

• Own commercial estimates from bid invitation through submission and turnover.
• Review drawings, specs, addenda, and bid requirements.
• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs and develop complete project estimates.
• Prepare conceptual, budgetary, negotiated, and hard-bid pricing.
• Solicit subcontractor and supplier proposals and build bid coverage.
• Develop clear scopes of work and bid packages.
• Level subcontractor proposals and identify gaps and risks.
• Estimate labor, materials, equipment, and general conditions costs.
• Identify value engineering and cost-saving opportunities.
• Attend pre-bid meetings and site walks; lead bid strategy with ownership.
• Maintain historical cost data and strengthen networks.
• Lead estimating-to-operations turnover for awarded projects.
• Support buyout, budgeting, change-order pricing, and cost management.

Skills

Estimating experience

Commercial GC environment

Independent estimating

Quantity takeoffs

Bid package development

Plan reading (A/E/MEP)

Communication & organization

Onsite Richmond work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or related

Job description

Trueline's client, a growing commercial general contractor in Richmond, Virginia, is seeking a Commercial Construction Estimator to take ownership of estimating and preconstruction efforts. This is an opportunity for an experienced GC estimator to run the full bid cycle, work directly with ownership, and help build a preconstruction function with a path toward future leadership.

What You'll Do as the Commercial Construction Estimator:

• Own commercial estimates from initial bid invitation through final submission and turnover
• Review architectural, structural, civil, and MEP drawings, specifications, addenda, and bid requirements
• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs and develop complete project estimates
• Prepare conceptual, budgetary, negotiated, and hard-bid pricing
• Solicit subcontractor and supplier proposals and build sufficient bid coverage
• Develop clear scopes of work and trade bid packages
• Level subcontractor proposals and identify gaps, overlaps, exclusions, and potential project risks
• Estimate labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, general conditions, bonding, insurance, and other project costs
• Identify value engineering and cost-saving opportunities
• Attend pre-bid meetings, site walks, and internal estimate reviews
• Partner directly with ownership on bid strategy, final pricing, and bid/no-bid decisions
• Maintain historical cost data and strengthen the company's subcontractor and supplier network
• Lead estimating-to-operations turnover for awarded projects
• Support buyout, budgeting, change-order pricing, and cost management when needed
• Help improve estimating processes as the company's project volume continues to grow

Must-Haves as the Commercial Construction Estimator:

• Demonstrated commercial construction estimating experience, ideally 5+ years
• Experience working in a commercial General Contractor environment
• Ability to independently develop a complete commercial construction estimate
• Hands-on quantity takeoff experience
• Experience soliciting subcontractors and suppliers and developing competitive bid coverage
• Experience developing scopes and bid packages
• Ability to identify scope gaps, exclusions, overlaps, and pricing risks
• Knowledge of commercial construction costs, means, methods, and sequencing
• Experience estimating labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and general conditions costs
• Ability to read architectural, structural, civil, and MEP plans and specifications
• Ability to manage multiple bids and deadlines
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Comfortable working directly with subcontractors, vendors, operations, and company leadership
• Ability to work onsite in Richmond

Nice-to-Haves as the Commercial Construction Estimator:

• Richmond or Central Virginia commercial construction experience
• Established Virginia subcontractor and supplier relationships
• Public-sector or government construction experience
• Institutional or higher-education estimating experience
• Davis-Bacon or prevailing wage knowledge
• Public procurement experienceBid bond and performance/payment bond experience
• Conceptual and budgetary estimating experience
• Subcontractor buyout and project turnover experience
• Previous Project Manager or Estimator/PM experience with substantial hands-on estimating responsibility
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field

Our Client Offers:

• Performance-based incentive opportunity
• Company vehicle or vehicle allowance
• Fuel card or business mileage reimbursement
• PTO and paid holidays
• Company laptop and mobile phone
• Direct access to company ownership
• Significant autonomy over the estimating process
• Opportunity to help shape and build the company's preconstruction function
• Potential advancement into Preconstruction Manager and Director of Preconstruction responsibilities as the company grows

Trueline and its clients are unabashed equal-opportunity employers committed to a diverse workforce. We welcome smart and ambitious applicants and recruit, refer, hire, place, and promote without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.