Commercial Construction estimator

Our client is a well established, privately held commercial general contractor with more than 90 years of success delivering high-quality Design-Build, Construction Management, and negotiated commercial construction projects throughout the Kansas City region. Known for its relationship-driven approach and long-tenured workforce, the company specializes in a diverse portfolio of office, retail, municipal, senior living, industrial, multifamily, adaptive reuse, and historic renovation projects. With a collaborative, people-first culture and minimal bureaucracy, the organization offers employees direct exposure to leadership, meaningful career development opportunities, and the chance to make a significant impact within a growing preconstruction team.

About the Role

Prepare conceptual, square foot, and detailed estimates from early design through Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for a variety of commercial Design-Build and design-assist projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop preliminary budgets, preconstruction schedules, and value engineering recommendations to support project planning and owner decision-making.


• Participate in Design-Build pursuit interviews, owner presentations, and preconstruction meetings.


• Collaborate closely with preconstruction leadership, business development, project management, design teams, subcontractors, and project owners throughout the estimating process.


• Solicit, prequalify, and evaluate subcontractor and supplier bids while developing bid packages and leveling proposals.


• Coordinate project turnover meetings with project managers and superintendents to ensure successful transitions from preconstruction to operation.


• Prepare pricing for change orders and support estimating efforts for active construction projects.


• Maintain estimating databases, historical cost information, subcontractor relationships, and cost coding systems.


• Assist with self-perform estimating efforts and collaborate with internal trade teams as needed.


• Contribute to continuous improvement of estimating processes while working in a highly collaborative and adaptable environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commercial construction estimating experience with a General Contractor.


• Proven Design-Build and conceptual estimating experience across commercial projects.


• Ability to independently prepare both conceptual and plan/spec estimates from early budgeting through final pricing.


• Strong communication skills with confidence presenting estimates and participating in owner meetings and pursuit interviews.


• Experience coordinating subcontractor bidding, bid leveling, value engineering, and preconstruction activities.


• Proficiency with Bluebeam, On-Screen Takeoff (OST), Procore, and Microsoft Excel.


• Experience estimating a variety of commercial project types; candidates from Design-Build commercial GC environments are strongly preferred.


• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or a related field is preferred


• Experience with healthcare or medical construction is a plus.


• Candidates from residential-only or subcontractor-only backgrounds will not be considered.


• Desire to grow into a long-term leadership opportunity through direct mentorship with a clear succession path into a Preconstruction Manager role.