Senior Commercial Construction Estimator

District of Columbia Public Schools; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid short-term disability

Paid life insurance

401(k) with company match

Flex/Unlimited PTO

Job summary

DCPS (District of Columbia Public Schools) is seeking a Senior Construction Estimator to own estimates from initial review through proposal submission and handoff. You will prepare accurate pricing, document risks, assumptions, and exclusions, and maintain files and Salesforce records for internal review.

Responsibilities include independently scoping and pricing single to multi-trade work, supporting complex bids, and presenting the estimate with clear scope and numbers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in construction management or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of construction estimating experience.
• Strong proficiency with ProEst and ACC.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Own estimates from initial document review through proposal submission and handoff.
• Independently scope and price single to multi-trade and lower-complexity work within established review thresholds.
• Support Senior Estimators on complex or multi-trade pursuits.
• Present the estimate with clear scope, numbers, assumptions, and risks.

Skills

Quantity takeoffs

Bid preparation

Communication

Leadership

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, or related field

Equivalent experience

Tools

Bluebeam

Excel

CompanyCam

ProEst

ACC

Job description

Senior Construction Estimator

Founded in 2011, DCPS is a one-stop provider of building services to commercial property managers and owners across Colorado and nationwide. In 2025, we provided services on over 1,100 commercial properties across our three divisions - Construction, Landscaping and Parking Lot Services.

Job Summary

Own assigned estimates from initial document review through proposal submission and handoff. Prepare accurate, fully supported pricing; document risks, assumptions, and exclusions; maintain complete files and Salesforce records; and present the estimate for internal review.

• Own assigned estimates from initial document review through proposal submission and handoff. Prepare accurate, fully supported pricing; document risks, assumptions, and exclusions; maintain complete files and Salesforce records; and present the estimate for internal review.
• Independently scope and price single to multi-trade and lower-complexity work within established review thresholds and support Senior Estimators on complex or multi-trade pursuits.

Example: exterior or interior painting, building repairs, and other defined trade scopes

Requirements

• Perform accurate quantity takeoffs and develop clear scopes of work.
• Solicit, collect, compare and level subcontractor and supplier quotes.
• Solicit work through subcontractor partners that are compliant in TrustLayer and actively identify, develop and support the onboarding of qualified new subcontractor relationships.
• Support estimates with traceable takeoffs, quotes, labor assumptions, allowances, exclusions, and bid notes.
• Identify and document scope gaps, schedule, access, logistics, permitting, code, and other material bid risks.
• Maintain a complete job folder and keep Salesforce stages, values, due dates, next steps, and notes current.
• Present the estimate and clearly explain the scope, supporting numbers, assumptions, and risks.
• Submit a complete, presentation-ready bid-review package, including the estimate, supporting takeoffs, subcontractor quotes, quote leveling, scope coverage, schedule, assumptions, allowances, exclusions, identified risks, and draft proposal.

PERFORMANCE SCORECARD FOR ESTIMATING ROLES

DCPS Way: 40%

• Based on input from Division Peers, RMs, Customers and other DCPS employees

Production :40%

• Bid accuracy and estimating-related margin retention.
• First-pass bid-review readiness and percentage of bids presented by the committed review date.
• Number and significance of material corrections required after bid review.
• Standard proposal turnaround of 14 days or less; exceptions require a documented reason, revised due date, and advance communication.
• Complete risk, assumption, allowance, exclusion, and pricing documentation.
• TrustLayer-compliant subcontractor coverage and development of qualified new subcontractor relationships.
• Complete and current job folders and Salesforce records.
• Quality of internal bid reviews and proposal presentations.
• Seamless handoff to Project Manager

Technical Proficiency: 20%

• Understanding of local building codes, ADA compliance
• Holds or plans to obtain relevant industry certifications (IIBEC, EDI, ASPE)
• Reads relevant plans and specifications, measures accurately, understands basic construction sequence,
• Recognizes a missing trade or quantity,
• Proficient with ProEst and ACC

Ready for Senior Estimator when:

Demonstrates sustained judgment across multiple trades and delivery types, manages ambiguous scope without unsupported assumptions, leads bid reviews, and identifies material contract or execution risk early.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, or related field preferred, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of construction estimating experience
• Strong expertise in commercial construction methods, materials, and project delivery
• Advanced proficiency in estimating tools such as Bluebeam, Excel, CompanyCam, or similar
• Strong leadership, communication, and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage complex projects and multiple priorities

Compensation

$120,000-$135,000

Bonus Range for both Estimator 1 & 2

0% - 15% of base salary

Final compensation will be based on experience, qualifications, and market conditions

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid short-term disability
• Paid life insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Flex/Unlimited PTO

Additional Information

This is an exempt position and is not eligible for overtime.

Employment with DCPS is at-will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause or notice.

Equal Opportunity Employer

DCPS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.