Junior Estimator

Just Construction Recruitment; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

401(k)

Health, dental and vision insurance

Real autonomy and growth opportunities

Job summary

Just Construction Recruitment partners with a well-established family-owned general contractor in the Raleigh area to fill a hybrid Estimating & Preconstruction role. You’ll help move projects from concept budgets on basic floor plans to final pricing on full drawings, working closely with the Preconstruction Lead.

You’ll interact daily with subcontractors, design teams and clients, prepare budgets, conduct takeoffs, define scope, and support permitting and contract handovers.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years at a general contractor.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering or a related field.
• Must live in the Raleigh area and be able to work from the office every day.
• Strong communication skills and comfort talking with subcontractors, designers and clients.
• Solid understanding of how a GC runs projects.

Responsibilities

• Prepare conceptual budgets and detailed estimates across the full project lifecycle.
• Identify and define scope, and pass to subcontractors clearly so they price it correctly.
• Talk with subcontractors daily, solicit pricing and level bids against the local market.
• Perform quantity takeoffs, mostly straightforward with some detailed work on conceptual budgets.
• Work alongside design teams and clients, acting as the guardrails during preconstruction.
• Help navigate local permitting and jurisdictional requirements to get projects started.
• Support AIA contracting and handover of awarded projects.
• Build lasting relationships with the local subcontractor community.

Skills

Strong communication

GC project management

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or related field

Tools

RedTeam

Bluebeam

PlanSwift

Procore

Job description

About the Company A well-established, family-owned general contractor in the Raleigh area, specializing in interior fit-ups. They deliver 35-40 projects a year, ranging from $250K to $10M, with most between $1M and $2M. All work is private and within an hour of Raleigh, and at least half is negotiated rather than bid. They are a team of about 30 with a relaxed, no-ego culture, and they run projects with the processes of a much larger firm.

About the Role

The Role This is a hybrid of estimating and preconstruction project management. You’ll report to the Preconstruction Lead and join a small precon team. You’ll see projects at every stage, from conceptual budgets on a basic floor plan through to final pricing on a full set of drawings.

Responsibilities

• Key Responsibilities
• Prepare conceptual budgets and detailed estimates across the full project lifecycle
• Identify and define scope, and make sure it is passed to subcontractors clearly so they price it the way the company needs
• Talk with subcontractors daily, solicit pricing and level bids against the local market
• Perform quantity takeoffs, mostly straightforward, with some more detailed work on conceptual budgets
• Work alongside design teams and clients, acting as the guardrails during preconstruction
• Help navigate local permitting and jurisdictional requirements to get projects to a start
• Support AIA contracting and the handover of awarded projects
• Build lasting relationships with the local subcontractor community

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
• 2-5 years at a general contractor
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering or a related field
• Must live in the Raleigh area and be able to work from the office every day
• Strong communication skills and comfort talking with subcontractors, designers and clients
• Solid understanding of how a GC runs projects

Required Skills

• Estimating experience is helpful but not required.
• The company will train the right person on estimating.
• They are especially interested in people who come from:
• Project manager
• These are people who want to see the business side of construction and change direction.
• Software
• Estimating software (RedTeam)
• Bluebeam for takeoffs
• PlanSwift (used for deeper takeoffs)
• Procore (project management)
• Prior experience with these is a plus but not essential.

Preferred Skills

• Prior experience with these is a plus but not essential.

Pay range and compensation package

• Competitive base salary of $80K-$100K
• Annual bonus
• 401(k)
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Real autonomy and a lot of exposure to the business, with a clear route to take on more responsibility as the team grows