Construction Estimator

D-K Construction; Flora (IN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

DK Construction, Inc. is seeking an Estimator to own the numbers for our premium residential remodeling and construction projects around Greater Lafayette.

You will turn plans, site walks, and client conversations into complete, clearly written budgets and proposals that align client expectations with what our crew will build and what the company needs to earn.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in residential remodeling or estimating.
• Ability to read architectural and structural plans and spot what the drawings leave out.
• Familiarity with trades: framing, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, drywall, paint, cabinetry and tile.
• Familiarity with residential building code.
• Strong written communication and comfort with numbers and spreadsheets.

Responsibilities

• Develop the scope from sales materials, site visits, and notes into a clear, homeowner-friendly scope.
• Build the budget in JobTread with labor hours, material costs, and allowances.
• Collaborate with trade partners and ensure scope matches across parties.
• Deliver proposals and revisions on time, maintaining clarity and cost control.
• Hand off budgets to Production Manager and compare estimated vs. actual costs for future improvements.

Skills

Residential remodeling experience

Read architectural/structural plans

Trades knowledge

Residential building code

Written communication & numeracy

Tools

JobTread

Job description

Estimator

DK Construction, Inc. · Full-time, on-site · Reports to the Finance/Estimating Lead

About DK Construction

DK Construction is a premium residential remodeling and construction company serving Greater Lafayette. We handle turnkey projects with end-to-end project management: kitchens, baths, additions, whole-home renovations, decks and exterior work. Our clients get three things from us: aligned expectations, craftsmanship, and a set price contract. Our core focus is simple: to be an excellent place for great people to work.

The role

As our Estimator, you own the number. Because we sell on a set price, every estimate is a promise: the client's price doesn't move, and anything missed comes out of the company's margin. You'll turn plans, site walks and client conversations into complete, clearly written budgets and proposals that match what the client expects, what our crew will build, and what the company needs to earn.

This is a role for someone who enjoys details, thinks like a builder, and takes ownership of a scope that holds up from the first meeting to the final walkthrough.

What you'll do

1. 1. Develop the scope
   • A. Take the information handed off by the sales consultant (general specs, plans, photos and notes) and build it into a complete scope.
   • B. Join discovery calls, Project Development Evaluations (PDEs) and site walks.
   • C. Measure, photograph and document existing conditions, including what stays, what goes and what could cause problems.
   • D. Write a numbered, room-by-room scope that a homeowner understands and a trade partner can price.
   • E. Spell out exclusions, quantity caps, assumptions and owner responsibilities right in the line they apply to.
2. 2. Build the budget in JobTread
   • A. Estimate labor hours task by task using DK's production rates.
   • B. Price materials to the exact product, series, color and finish.
   • C. Include the real costs of running a job: pre-construction, scheduling, material handling, construction management, equipment, disposal and closeout.
   • D. Set realistic allowances, tax included, and list each one clearly.
   • E. Review margin by cost type before anything goes out.
3. 3. Work with trade partners
   • A. Send detailed bid requests to trade partners.
   • B. Confirm each sub's scope matches ours line for line.
4. 4. Deliver proposals and revisions
   • A. Hit agreed turnaround dates on estimates.
   • B. Re-scope to a client's budget without losing clarity on what's included.
   • C. Price change orders with the same care as the original proposal.
5. 5. Hand off and improve
   • A. Walk the Production Manager and project lead through each sold budget before the job starts.
   • B. Compare estimated to actual costs on completed jobs, and update our cost catalog and labor rates from what the field actually did.

Who you are

1. 1. Detail-driven. You naturally ask One change, like a wider door, makes you think of the five other things it touches.
2. 2. Systematic. You like a consistent process and you follow it every time, so nothing falls through the cracks.
3. 3. Steady and disciplined. You don't guess at numbers. When something is unknown, you cap it, exclude it or state the assumption, and you hold the number under pressure.
4. 4. A builder at heart. You can picture the job start to finish, from protection and demo through finish and cleanup, and the crew trusts your hours.
5. 5. A clear writer. You write plain sentences that prevent misunderstandings months later.
6. 6. Honest and humble. You'll tell us when a job doesn't pencil out, and when an estimate misses, you want the data so you can fix it.
7. 7. Service-minded. You understand that our clients expect clarity, responsiveness and no surprises.

What you bring

1. 1. Required
   • A. 3+ years in residential remodeling, either in the field (carpenter, lead carpenter or project manager) or in residential estimating.
   • B. Ability to read architectural and structural plans and spot what the drawings leave out.
   • C. Working knowledge of the trades: framing, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, drywall, paint, cabinetry and tile.
   • D. Familiarity with residential building code.
   • E. Strong written communication and comfort with numbers and spreadsheets.
2. 2. Preferred
   • A. Experience with premium, design-build, addition or whole-home remodeling.
   • B. Experience with JobTread or similar construction software.
   • C. Familiarity with premium product lines such as Pella, TimberTech/Azek and similar.
   • D. Relationships with trade partners and suppliers in the Greater Lafayette area.

What success looks like

1. 1. Quotes go out on the date promised.
2. 2. Finished jobs land within 5% of the estimated cost.
3. 3. No change orders caused by scope we missed.
4. 4. Sub pricing is in hand before every proposal goes out.
5. 5. Margins meet company targets.

Your first 120 days and beyond

1. 1. Days 1–60: Shadow our estimating lead on live estimates, learn our cost catalog and process, and walk active jobs with our Production Manager.
2. 2. Days 61–120: Build estimates with review, and study how past estimates compared to actual costs.
3. 3. After 120 days: Own estimates end to end up to an agreed project size, with final sign-off from the estimating lead.

Why DK

1. 1. A company built around being an excellent place for great people to work.
2. 2. Premium projects for clients who value quality.
3. 3. Clear processes and tools, so you're set up to succeed rather than guess.
4. 4. A team that celebrates people who live out our core values.
5. 5. Compensation and benefits are based on experience and discussed at interview.