Chief Estimator
Location: Baldwin County, Alabama
Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Relocation Assistance: Available
Salary: $90-120k
About the Opportunity
A well-established, family-owned general contractor is seeking a Chief Estimator to join its growing team in Baldwin County, Alabama. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior-level estimator who is ready to take the next step in their career and grow into ownership of the company's estimating and preconstruction function.
The company has been established for more than 50 years and has extensive experience in ground-up multifamily and senior living construction throughout the Southeast. This is a lean, hands-on organization where the successful candidate will work closely with company ownership and operations leadership and have a direct impact on the company's growth and profitability.
This is not a maintenance role. The ideal candidate will have the opportunity to help build and modernize the estimating function while developing into a true department leader.
Position Overview
The Chief Estimator will be responsible for bids and preliminary budgets from initial pursuit through award and into project buyout and construction support.
This role combines hands-on estimating with leadership, subcontractor relationship management, process improvement, and conceptual budgeting. The successful candidate will eventually assume greater responsibility for the company's overall preconstruction function.
A key component of the position will be learning and developing the ability to create preliminary project budgets from limited information, including evaluating raw land, determining potential unit mixes and layouts, and developing comprehensive project budgets before complete plans and specifications are available.
Key Responsibilities
Estimating & Bid Management
- Own the bid calendar and work with leadership to evaluate bid/no-bid opportunities.
- Manage the estimating pipeline and prioritize active pursuits.
- Perform and oversee detailed quantity takeoffs across all construction divisions.
- Review plans, specifications, drawings, and other construction documents.
- Develop accurate estimates, budgets, and competitive bid proposals.
- Independently verify quantities and pricing before bids are submitted.
- Present completed bids to company leadership for final review.
- Support value engineering and scope development throughout the preconstruction process.
Subcontractor & Vendor Management
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with subcontractors and suppliers.
- Build solicitation lists for each project and actively manage bid coverage.
- Distribute plans, specifications, and bid documents.
- Follow up with subcontractors and vendors to ensure complete and competitive coverage.
- Expand the company's subcontractor and supplier network within its active markets.
- Review and evaluate subcontractor proposals for scope, pricing, and completeness.
Conceptual & Preliminary Estimating
- Develop preliminary budgets for developer clients.
- Progress toward full ownership of conceptual budgeting.
- Learn to develop complete project budgets from preliminary site and program information.
- Evaluate site layouts, unit mixes, unit types, and project scope to establish early-stage costs.
- Work directly with company leadership to learn the organization's established conceptual budgeting methodology.
Estimating Technology & Process Improvement
- Lead the implementation and adoption of Sage Estimating.
- Develop and maintain a structured cost database and assembly library.
- Help transition estimating processes away from spreadsheet-dependent workflows.
- Establish consistent digital takeoff and estimating standards.
- Train team members on estimating systems and processes.
- Improve the connection between estimating, project management, buyout, and accounting/job costing.
Qualifications
- 7+ years of construction estimating experience with a general contractor.
- Experience estimating ground-up multifamily, senior living, or other repetitive residential construction strongly preferred.
- Strong ability to read and interpret construction drawings and specifications across multiple divisions.
- Experience performing detailed quantity takeoffs and developing complete project estimates.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain subcontractor and vendor relationships.
- Strong understanding of construction costs, labor, materials, and project scope.
- Experience with digital takeoff and estimating software.
- Strong analytical and mathematical skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- Self-directed and comfortable working in a lean organization.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills.
- Willingness to be hands-on and remain involved from estimating through construction.
- Willingness to work on-site in Baldwin County, Alabama.
Career Growth
This position is designed as a long-term career opportunity. Initially, the Chief Estimator will work closely with company leadership on bids, pricing, takeoffs, and subcontractor coverage. As the candidate demonstrates command of the company's construction products and cost structure, responsibility will expand toward independent bid authority and ownership of the estimating department.
The long-term goal is for this individual to become the primary leader of the company's estimating and preconstruction function.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive base salary based on experience
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k)
- Vehicle or vehicle allowance
- Relocation assistance
- Long-term career growth opportunity
Location
Baldwin County, Alabama
This is an on-site position and is not remote or hybrid. Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates.