Design-Assist Estimator: Shape Budgets & Feasibility

Stout Building Contractors; Utah; On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Stout Building Contractors in Utah is seeking a Design Assist Estimator who can guide clients from concept to bid package. You’ll work with architects and design teams early, translating budgets into workable designs and helping shape cost plans.

The role emphasizes consultative, relationship-driven selling and detailed take-offs to support accurate bids. You will collaborate with designers, subcontractors, and clients to ensure value engineering preserves design intent while meeting budgets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or equivalent related work experience.
• 5+ years of estimating or preconstruction experience.
• Experience with design-assist, value engineering, or target-value design preferred.
• Strong mathematics and analytical skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a first point of contact for prospective clients, providing consultative guidance on project feasibility.
• Partner with clients and their design team through schematic design, design development, and construction documents to provide ongoing budget guidance.
• Help clients identify, vet, and select an architect or design team when one isn't already in place.
• Develop and maintain conceptual, schematic, and design-development estimates that evolve with the design.
• Identify and recommend value-engineering options that protect design intent while conforming to budget.
• Benchmark material, labor, and building-system costs against current market data.
• Collect and qualify bids and pricing from subcontractors and vendors; assemble a final bid package aligned with the target budget.
• Complete quantity surveys (take-offs) and detailed pricing analysis.
• Clearly present cost comparisons, trade-off options, and budget updates to clients and design teams.
• Track and communicate budget variances as the design evolves, and proactively recommend options to close any gap.
• Build and maintain relationships with architects, designers, trade partners, and clients to support repeat business and referrals.

Skills

Estimating

Preconstruction

Client relationship

Value engineering

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field

Job description

Stout Building Contractors in Utah is seeking a Design Assist Estimator who can guide clients from concept to bid package. You’ll work with architects and design teams early, translating budgets into workable designs and helping shape cost plans.

The role emphasizes consultative, relationship-driven selling and detailed take-offs to support accurate bids. You will collaborate with designers, subcontractors, and clients to ensure value engineering preserves design intent while meeting budgets.