Project Estimator

Detail Information

Job title: Project Estimator

Department Estimating / Preconstruction

Reports to [Company Director/ & VP]

Location: [Office location], with occasional job site visits

Employment type: Full-time, exempt

Key responsibilities

Bid review and planning

• Review bid invitations, drawings, specifications, and addenda to define scope and identify risks.
• Help leadership decide which projects to pursue based on size, schedule, location, and workload.
• Attend pre-bid meetings and site walks and document existing conditions.
• Submit RFIs and track addenda through the bid period.

Takeoff and pricing

• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs for plumbing, piping, sheet metal, and HVAC systems.
• Obtain, compare, and level quotes from equipment vendors, material suppliers, and subcontractors.
• Solicit and evaluate pricing for scopes such as controls, insulation, test and balance, excavation, and fire stopping.
• Build complete estimates covering labor, material, equipment, subcontractors, permits, general conditions, overhead, and profit.
• Maintain accurate cost data and labor units in the estimating system.
• Identify value engineering options and alternate approaches that improve the company's position.

Union labor costing

• Develop labor estimates using current wage and benefit rates for [UA plumbers and pipefitters, SMART sheet metal workers, and other applicable locals].
• Account for collective bargaining agreement costs, including overtime, shift premiums, foreman ratios, and travel or subsistence requirements.
• Apply prevailing wage, certified payroll, and project labor agreement requirements on applicable public and private work.
• Consult with field leadership on crew sizes, productivity, sequencing, and constructability.

Proposals and bid submission

• Prepare clear proposals with defined scope, inclusions, exclusions, qualifications, and alternates.
• Complete bid forms, bonds, and required documentation, and meet all submission deadlines.
• Review final numbers with leadership before submission.
• Follow up on submitted bids and take part in scope review and negotiation meetings.
• Track bid results, hit rates, and competitor pricing to improve future bids.

Handoff and preconstruction

• Provide budgets, conceptual estimates, and design-assist support on negotiated work.
• Hand awarded projects to the project manager with the estimate, scope notes, quotes, and key assumptions.
• Support buyout and early change order pricing as needed.
• Compare completed job costs to estimates and apply the lessons to future bids.

Qualifications

Required

• [3+] years of estimating experience with a mechanical, plumbing, or HVAC contractor.
• Experience estimating union labor, including wage packages and collective bargaining agreement costs.
• Strong working knowledge of plumbing, piping, and HVAC systems, materials, and installation methods.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and contract documents.
• Proficiency with estimating and takeoff software, such as [Quick Pen], and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong math skills and close attention to detail.
• Ability to manage several bids at once and meet firm deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in construction management, mechanical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent field experience.
• Background as a union journeyman, foreman, or apprenticeship graduate in the plumbing, pipefitting, or sheet metal trades.
• Experience with public bids, prevailing wage work, and project labor agreements.
• Experience with design-assist or design-build estimating.
• Experience with digital plan review tools such as [Bluebeam Revu or On-Screen Takeoff].
• Experience on [healthcare, higher education, life sciences, or public works] projects.

Working conditions

• Work is primarily office-based, with occasional visits to job sites and pre-bid walks.
• Site visits may involve walking uneven surfaces, climbing ladders and stairs, and exposure to noise, dust, and weather.
• Required personal protective equipment must be worn on all job sites.
• Extended hours may be needed around bid deadlines.

Compensation and benefits

• Salary range: [minimum] to [maximum], based on experience
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with [company match details]
• Paid time off and holidays
• Company phone and laptop
• Professional development and training support

Equal opportunity statement

James T. Kay Co. is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Mechanical Contractor