General Contracting Estimator

Build More with Your Career at Christman Building Innovation Group

With projects throughout the Midwest, Christman Building Innovation Group (CBIG) is a great place to begin, continue or grow your career. We're searching for the next generation of innovative minds who want to shape the world and live to build. CBIG is looking for a General Contracting Estimator to join the team in our Lansing, Michigan region. The role will lead General Contracting estimating efforts to produce accurate construction cost budgets and estimates, provide input on process improvements, and also supports project planning goals and initiatives.

What You Will Do:

As a General Contracting Estimator, your primary daily responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrates conceptual estimating proficiency in the scope review process, subcontractor knowledge, information of on-screen takeoff and estimating software platforms, and in interiors estimating.
• Surveys, quantifies materials, and produces assemblies from drawings.
• Coordinate with internal self-perform trades to optimize bid competitiveness.
• Develops subcontractor and suppliers scopes and conveys to bidders to provide a complete proposal.
• Prepares proposal letters, qualification and clarification sheets.
• Reads and interprets technical documents such as Geotechnical Reports, Due Care Plans, etc.
• Manages supplier and subcontractor bid invitations for respective estimates.
• Contacts/Follows-up with subcontractors and suppliers for pricing input.
• Demonstrates knowledge of client relations and estimate presentations.
• Possesses great knowledge with regard to technical specifications and pricing levels.
• Reviews contract scopes and associated dollar figures.
• Assists with subcontractor recommendations and buyouts.
• Meets deadline challenges and has the ability to prioritize multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Leads the bid team to prepare accurate cost estimate proposals for GC type projects.
• Provides technical assistance to Project Managers in negotiating contracts, change orders, etc. as required.
• Responsible for timely and complete bid submission and management of all required bid submission requirements (i.e. schedule, logistics, breakdown pricing, etc.).
• Ensures clean handoff of estimate, bidding information, drawings, specifications, etc. to project management team; assists with kickoff meetings.
• Organizes and performs quantity take-offs.
• Provide input and help develop a bid level schedule for distribution to subcontractors and general conditions analysis.
• Honors the brand promises of the Christman Building Innovation Group at Christman. Foundational to our brand is: providing accurate costing; proactively offering creative solutions for the team; and understanding our client's business to optimize capital investment and to win as a team.
• Completes assigned and required training for this role.

What You Will Bring to the Team:

Required experience, knowledge, and skills for this role include:

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Business, Finance or a related job field.
• Five (5) years of work experience in construction or related job field specifically in an estimating background.

-or-

• Equivalent combination of the above education, training, and experience.

Preferred experience, knowledge, and skills for this role include:

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Business, Finance or a related job field.
• Use of Planswift and WinEst estimating software.
• Basic understanding of accounting and project management concepts.
• Deep understanding of research methodology, data analysis, and estimation metrics.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• The ability to contribute as a member of a team and help others succeed is very important for success at Christman.
• Well organized, excellent communication, and negotiation abilities.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Knowledge of building construction, materials, systems, market conditions, trade practices.
• Must have conceptual ability to work with minimum information and quickly develop an understanding of the owner and/or architect requirements.
• Complete knowledge of the estimating documents and the ability to provide accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of the documents.
• Familiarity with construction project management software.
• Strong computer knowledge in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Work Environment and Physical Demands: This position will be conducted in a temperature controlled professional office environment, with moderate noise. The role will routinely use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, and file cabinets. While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to talk, listen sit, walk, reach, kneel, stoop, crouch, and use hands and fingers to handle or feel and to operate a computer keyboard and phone while maintaining visual acuity. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or carry lightweight (under 20 pounds) objects.

The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Expected Hours of Work and Travel: Full time position. Extended hours and weekends may apply. Minimal travel required, depending on the project, travel to other areas may be required. Majority of travel done during work hours; overnight stays may be required.

Why Christman?

At Christman, everyone is an owner. Through our employee stock ownership plan, each employee-owner shares in the collective success and wealth of our nationally recognized company and is eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefits program, including health insurance, 401K contribution, professional development and tuition reimbursement, and more.

CBIG was created to initiate, champion and drive innovation and excellence across Christman's multiple self-perform entities. In addition to 485 construction management and general contracting professionals, Christman currently employs more than 400 skilled trades men and women in carpentry, demolition, concrete, mass timber, earthwork, interiors, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, service and more.

This group of construction and estimating professionals drives better service, cost efficiencies, safety solutions, technology advances and innovative practices for Christman's self-perform operations nationally. CBIG connects our craftsmen and women to build upon regional successes and lessons learned across our offices in Michigan, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Learn more about how you can grow as a Christman Expert, Leader and Partner and build more with us.

Notice to Recruiting Agencies (Unsolicited Resumes): The Christman Company does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our applicant tracking system, website, or to any Christman employee/affiliates. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Christman employees or its' affiliates will be considered property of The Christman Company and will be processed accordingly. Christman will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume without an executed agreement and assigned to a specific search.

The Christman family of companies is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability status. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.