Construction Estimator

Job Description

Job Description

The Commercial Painting Estimator is responsible for reviewing commercial construction documents (plans, specs, and addenda) and producing accurate, competitive, and profitable estimates for commercial painting scopes. This is a remote role that requires strong plan-reading ability, precise quantity take-offs, and clear written communication with the estimating and sales team. You will be a key driver of TrueCoat's growth into larger commercial and property management contracts.

$50 - $75 hourly

Plan Review & Takeoffs

• Read and interpret full commercial construction plan sets, including architectural drawings, finish schedules, specifications, and addenda
• Perform detailed digital take-offs of square footage by surface type (drywall, CMU, metal, wood, stucco, ceilings, doors/frames, etc.) using estimating/take-off software
• Identify all paintable surfaces, scope exclusions, and finish specifications called out in the documents
• Flag discrepancies, ambiguities, or missing information in plans and proactively request clarification from GCs or architects

Estimating

• Build detailed, itemized estimates covering labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractor costs
• Apply appropriate production rates, waste factors, and pricing based on surface type, access, and site conditions
• Research and price specialty coatings, fireproofing, epoxy, and other non-standard commercial finishes as needed
• Maintain and refine standardized pricing/production-rate templates to improve estimating speed and accuracy over time
• Prepare bid proposals, scope clarifications, and exclusions documents for submission

Bid Management

• Track bid due dates, addenda, and RFI (Request for Information) responses across multiple active projects
• Submit bids through GC bid portals (e.g., Building Connected, PlanHub, Procore) accurately and on time
• Maintain organized digital records of all take-offs, estimates, and submitted bids for each project
• Follow up on submitted bids and support the sales/closing process with technical scope knowledge

Collaboration

• Work closely with the Owner/Operations Manager to review pricing strategy and win/loss trends
• Communicate scope details clearly to the production team upon contract award
• Participate in weekly team check-ins to report on bid pipeline and estimating metrics

Required

• 2+ years of commercial painting estimating experience (or comparable commercial construction estimating experience with a willingness to specialize in painting)
• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret full commercial construction plan sets and specifications independently
• Proficiency with digital take-off software (e.g., Bluebeam, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff, or similar)
• Strong understanding of commercial painting production rates, materials, and application methods
• Excellent written communication skills — you'll be preparing client-facing documents regularly
• Highly organized, self-directed, and comfortable managing multiple concurrent bids on deadline
• Reliable high-speed internet and a dedicated remote work setup

Preferred

• Experience in estimating for property management, TI (tenant improvement), or new commercial construction projects
• Familiarity with the CSI MasterFormat specification divisions
• Experience with bid management platforms (Building Connected, PlanHub, Procore, etc.)
• Background in Colorado's Front Range commercial construction market

TrueCoat Painters is a woman-owned, professional painting company servicing Boulder-metro and Denver-metro. TrueCoat is a full-service painting company offering interior painting, exterior painting, cabinet refinishing (painting and staining), deck staining, fence staining, concrete sealing, drywall repair, etc.

TrueCoat prides itself on attention to detail and high-touch communication with all client types. The Company's core value is integrity, meaning we "do what we say we're going to do," ensuring a positive customer experience. TrueCoat has two offices, in Denver and Boulder.