Lead Project Cost Estimator

Prepares and reviews cost estimates and forms and other materials submitted to secure State and/or federal grants and loans from school aid programs and represents the district on matters pertinent to securing such funds. Confers with commissioned architects and engineers to resolve differences in their cost estimates and District estimates for each project and negotiates agreements on preliminary estimates of construction costs.

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discounts
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

Position Description:

• Leads and supervises a team of Estimators, including designating daily assignments
• Plans and participates in the preparation of construction cost estimates of buildings or other structures from drawings, outlines, and specifications
• Prepares and reviews cost estimates and forms and other materials submitted to secure State and/or federal grants and loans from school aid programs and represents the district on matters pertinent to securing such funds
• Checks construction cost estimates submitted by commissioned architects and engineers for accuracy and completeness and compares them with District estimates
• Confers with commissioned architects and engineers to resolve differences in their cost estimates and District estimates for each project and negotiates agreements on preliminary estimates of construction costs
• Conducts studies and prepare reports when contractors' bids vary widely from the agreed construction cost estimate
• Checks segregations of contract costs as estimated by building contractors and recommends acceptance or rejection as a basis for progress payments
• Analyzes change orders on construction work under contract and approves or rejects extras or credits submitted
• Prepares or reviews cost estimates for projects
• Establishes and maintains procedures for approval of plans and specifications for building projects and submission of approved projects to public bidding
• Develop methods for maintaining data used in records, charts, and graphs reflecting estimated construction costs compared with actual costs
• Conducts and participates in seminars and workshops with staff and minority contractors relative to school construction bidding procedures, contracts, and cost estimating
• Estimates costs of damages to District property caused by fire, natural disaster, and major acts of vandalism
• Establishes budgets for school building projects
• Assists other branches with related functions
• Prepares preliminary and final independent cost estimates of projects for comparison with designer or contractor for PM/CM to establish negotiating position
• Prepares change order estimates for Owner Authorized Representatives to establish negotiating position
• Provides support in price negotiations
• Prepares claim analysis and estimates
• Review of contractor’s claims and proposals for merit and accountability
• Performs related duties as assigned 

Minimum Required Qualifications:
Required Experience:

• Fourteen (14) years full-time paid professional experience in the preparation of complete cost estimates for major/complex type I, II, or III, and V building construction as defined by the State building codes.
• Three (3) years of full-time paid experience in supervising estimators.
• Must have worked for a construction cost consulting firm for at least five (5) years
• Graduated from a recognized college or university with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering or construction management 

Alternative Required Experience:

• Twenty (20) or more years solid full-time paid professional experience in the preparation of complete cost estimates for major/complex type I, II, or III, and V building construction as defined by the State building codes.
• Five (5) years of full-time paid experience in supervising estimators.
• Must have worked for a construction cost consulting firm for at least five (5) years
• Degree not required.

Knowledge/SkillsRequired: 

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Extensive knowledge and experience in developing conceptual and pre-construction cost estimates for complex school building projects
• Ability to prepare cost estimates quickly in a fast- paced working environment
• Knowledge of current local construction labor and material costs
• Extensive experience in developing and estimating the scope of work for change orders
• Ability to compare the independent cost estimate with contractor proposal to quickly identify differences
• Ability to develop scope of work based on RFI/RFC answers and estimates the detailed costs of those scopes of work independent of the contractor proposal

Required Education: 

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management
• Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis, provided that graduation from high school or evidence of equivalent educational proficiency is met.