Steel Estimator

Steel Designs Inc; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary range

Yearly bonus opportunity

Hybrid work schedule

Paid time off

Growth path to Lead Estimator

Job summary

Steel Designs, Inc. in Houston, TX seeks a detail-driven estimator to own the bid process for miscellaneous and structural steel. You will review drawings, perform detailed takeoffs, and build complete cost estimates to create competitive proposals and clean handoffs for fabrication and installation.

The role offers a base salary with a yearly bonus opportunity, a Monday–Friday hybrid schedule, and growth toward a lead estimator role as the company expands its shop and project scope.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience reading construction drawings and performing steel takeoffs.
• Proficiency in Bluebeam, Tekla or similar software and strong Excel skills.
• Experience with Tekla PowerFab or similar estimating software is preferred.
• Ability to write clear, professional bid inclusions and qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Own the bid process from invitation to submission for miscellaneous and structural steel.
• Review drawings and specs to fully understand scope before pricing.
• Perform detailed takeoffs and build complete cost estimates covering material, fabrication labor, installation, and freight.
• Turn estimates into professional bid proposals and handoffs for fabrication and installation.
• Maintain bid files, supplier pricing, and bid log; pursue projects aligned with SDI capacity.

Tools

Bluebeam

Tekla

Tekla PowerFab

Excel

Job description

The Steel Estimator at Steel Designs, Inc. is a detail-driven bid owner who reads the drawings, builds accurate miscellaneous and structural steel takeoffs, and turns them into competitive proposals and clean handoffs that win the right work and set every SDI project up for profitable fabrication and installation.

ABOUT STEEL DESIGNS, INC.

Steel Designs, Inc. (SDI) is a Houston, Texas-based steel company that has designed, fabricated, and installed miscellaneous and structural steel for commercial construction projects since 1979. SDI partners with general contractors on commercial work, delivering stairs, rails, embeds, lintels, canopies, and structural framing that are fabricated in its own shop and installed by its own team. A growing team of 25 to 30 people, SDI is driven by a mission to build with excellence and serve with purpose, with every team member owning their work, growing through experience, and proactively doing the hard work that wins a rewarding future for themselves and their families.

SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Every bid leaves SDI on time, fully scoped, and accurately priced, with clear inclusions, exclusions, and clarifications that protect the company, because this estimator owns the bid process from drawing review through submission.
• SDI's win rate on right-fit projects is climbing, go/no-go decisions are made early and confidently, and an up-to-date bid log shows exactly what was won, what was lost, and why.
• Estimating runs independently, awarded jobs hand off to project management, drafting, and the shop with no surprises, and the estimator has built the process, templates, and standards that position them to step into a Lead Estimator role.

OBJECTIVES

• Own SDI's bid process from invitation to submission, delivering accurate, competitive estimates for miscellaneous and structural steel on commercial construction projects.
• Review architectural, structural, and shop drawings and project specifications to fully understand scope before any number goes on a bid.
• Perform detailed material takeoffs for stairs, rails, embeds, lintels, canopies, structural framing, and other miscellaneous and structural steel components.
• Build complete cost estimates covering material, fabrication labor, installation, equipment, freight, and markup, and turn them into professional bid proposals.
• Write clear inclusions, exclusions, clarifications, and qualifications so every proposal protects SDI's scope and margin.
• Identify and pursue the projects that best match SDI's specialties and shop capacity, and flag the ones that are not a fit before time is spent bidding them.
• Submit RFIs and resolve scope gaps and drawing conflicts ahead of bid day so proposals go out complete and defensible.
• Build and maintain relationships with general contractors and customers before and after bid day, handling follow-up, revisions, and value engineering to move bids to award.
• Hand off awarded work to SDI's project managers, drafting team, and shop with complete, organized documentation so fabrication and installation start with no surprises.
• Maintain organized digital and hard-copy bid files and track the bid log, win/loss results, and project outcomes.
• Maintain supplier relationships and keep material pricing current so every estimate reflects today's market.
• Refine and improve SDI's estimating process, templates, and standards as the company grows.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 3 years of experience working with construction drawings required, ideally in steel estimating, detailing, or project management; estimating experience with a steel fabricator or erector strongly preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret architectural, structural, and shop drawings and working knowledge of structural and miscellaneous steel components required; familiarity with AISC standards and Division 05 specifications preferred.
• Proficiency in Bluebeam, Tekla, or similar software and strong Excel skills required; experience with Tekla PowerFab or similar estimating software preferred.
• Proven accuracy and organization under bid-day deadlines and clear, professional communication with commercial general contractors required; existing relationships with Houston-area general contractors and interest in growing into a lead estimator or pre-construction leadership role preferred.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Base salary: $60,000 to $90,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.
• Bonus: Yearly bonus opportunity.
• Schedule: Full-time, Monday through Friday, with a flexible schedule and hybrid work.
• Paid time off: Paid time off included.
• Growth: A clear path to Lead Estimator and pre-construction leadership as SDI grows, working directly with ownership along the way.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to commute to the Houston, TX (77041) office for regular in-office time for team coordination and project handoffs in this hybrid role.
• Must be able to attend occasional job site visits and pre-bid walks, including active commercial construction sites in varying outdoor conditions.
• Must be able to work at a computer for extended periods reviewing drawings, performing digital takeoffs, building estimates in Excel, and managing bid documentation.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

As an equal opportunity employer committed to meeting the needs of a multigenerational and multicultural workforce, Steel Designs, Inc. recognizes that a diverse staff, reflective of our community, is an integral and welcome part of a successful and ethical business.