Project Estimator

Who We Are:

GMB Power Line Services is a family-owned, West Virginia utility contractor. Our IBEW crews deploy rapidly from regional hubs, spanning the Gulf Coast, Northeast, Midwest, and beyond, to restore and maintain power infrastructure with uncompromising safety and quality. Committed to operational excellence, we’re growing our fleet and workforce while prioritizing a safer, more reliable energy grid. Join our tight-knit, union-proud team and help power progress in every community we serve.

Position Summary:

The Project Estimator – Transmission & Distribution is responsible for developing accurate, complete, and competitive estimates for electric utility construction projects, with a primary focus on overhead and underground transmission and distribution work. The Estimator reviews plans, specifications, utility standards, scopes of work, bid documents, and field conditions to quantify labor, equipment, materials, subcontractor costs, and other project requirements. The role works closely with estimating leadership, operations, procurement, and other internal stakeholders to develop well-supported bids that reflect GMB's construction methods, labor requirements, risk profile, and financial objectives.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Transmission & Distribution Estimating

• Prepare detailed estimates for electric utility transmission and distribution construction, maintenance, rebuild, upgrade, and system-hardening projects.
• Develop estimates for overhead and underground distribution projects, including pole replacement and transfers, conductor installation and replacement, line extensions, equipment installation, underground cable and conduit systems, and associated utility construction.
• Develop estimates for transmission projects, including new line construction, reconductoring, structure replacement, line rebuilds, foundations, conductor and OPGW installation, and related civil or access requirements.
• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs from drawings, specifications, utility standards, construction units, maps, staking sheets, bid schedules, and other project documents.
• Build labor estimates using appropriate crew compositions, IBEW classifications and wage rates, production assumptions, work methods, overtime requirements, per diem, travel, and other applicable labor costs.
• Estimate equipment requirements and utilization, including line trucks, bucket trucks, digger derricks, cranes, excavators, tensioning and pulling equipment, support vehicles, specialty equipment, and other project-specific resources.
• Develop material estimates for poles, structures, conductor, wire, cable, insulators, hardware, transformers, switches, protective devices, grounding materials, conduit, vaults, foundations, and other transmission and distribution materials.
• Solicit and evaluate vendor and subcontractor quotations as needed to support complete and competitive estimates.
• Identify scope gaps, exclusions, assumptions, alternates, allowances, schedule constraints, constructability concerns, and project risks that may affect pricing or execution.

Bid Review & Estimate Development

• Review Invitations to Bid, Requests for Proposal, scopes of work, technical specifications, utility construction standards, drawings, schedules, pricing sheets, and contract documents to identify estimating requirements.
• Attend pre-bid meetings, site walks, and project reviews as required to understand access, terrain, existing facilities, outage constraints, environmental conditions, logistics, and other factors affecting construction cost.
• Prepare estimates using unit-price, lump-sum, time-and-material, cost-plus, or other pricing structures required by the customer.
• Develop complete estimate workbooks and bid breakdowns that clearly document quantities, production rates, crew assumptions, material pricing, equipment, subcontractor costs, indirect costs, and other estimate inputs.
• Coordinate with operations and field leadership to validate crew composition, productivity assumptions, construction sequencing, equipment needs, and constructability.
• Coordinate with procurement and vendors to obtain current material and equipment pricing, lead times, and other cost information needed for the estimate.
• Prepare estimate summaries and supporting documentation for internal bid reviews and approval.
• Incorporate approved changes from bid reviews and finalize pricing in accordance with established estimating procedures and approval requirements.
• Maintain organized and complete estimating files, including bid documents, takeoffs, quotations, assumptions, clarifications, exclusions, and final estimate documentation.

Estimating Accuracy & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain current knowledge of utility construction labor rates, material pricing, equipment costs, production rates, and industry practices affecting transmission and distribution estimating.
• Support post-bid and estimate-to-actual reviews by providing estimate assumptions and cost detail to help improve future estimating accuracy.
• Update estimating databases, historical cost information, production assumptions, and estimating tools as directed.
• Follow established estimating procedures, documentation standards, and internal approval processes.
• Protect confidential customer, vendor, pricing, and company information used in the estimating process.

Other:

• Perform other duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational goals, including tasks outside of the primary job function as operational needs evolve.

Qualifications

Required:

• 5+ years of experience in electric utility construction estimating, field operations, or a closely related transmission and distribution construction role.
• Demonstrated knowledge of transmission and distribution construction methods, materials, equipment, crew structures, and industry terminology.
• Experience reviewing utility drawings, specifications, standards, bid schedules, construction units, and technical bid documents.
• Ability to perform detailed quantity takeoffs and develop labor, equipment, material, subcontractor, and indirect cost estimates.
• Familiarity with union labor structures, including IBEW wage rates, classifications, fringes, and applicable labor requirements.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to project sites and pre-bid meetings as required.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Electrical Technology, or a related field; equivalent utility construction and estimating experience may substitute for formal education.
• Field experience in electric utility transmission or distribution construction.
• Experience estimating both overhead and underground distribution projects and high-voltage transmission projects, including systems up to 500kV.
• Experience with utility-specific estimating software or estimating databases.

Technical Skills & Competencies

• Strong mathematical, analytical, organizational, and documentation skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency with estimating software, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, utility standards, maps, staking sheets, and bid documents.
• Working knowledge of labor productivity, crew composition, equipment utilization, material takeoffs, and construction sequencing for T&D work.
• Ability to manage multiple estimates and bid deadlines while maintaining accuracy and complete supporting documentation.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for coordinating estimate inputs with internal teams, vendors, subcontractors, and utility customers during the bidding process.

Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt, Salary position

Benefits:

• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Health Insurance Options
• Voluntary Benefit Options
• 401(k) Plans

Physical & Travel Requirements:

This role requires up to 25% travel, including overnight travel and occasional short-notice travel during storm or emergency response events. Travel may include pre-bid meetings, project sites, utility partners, and corporate offices. A valid driver’s license and ability to travel by vehicle and air are required. The position is primarily office-based but includes periodic field visits to active construction and utility sites. Candidates must be able to sit for extended periods, work at a computer, communicate effectively, and occasionally stand, walk uneven terrain, climb stairs, and wear required PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, high-visibility vest, composite-toe boots). Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally is required.

Storm Duty & Operational Support Requirement

As a company supporting critical infrastructure and emergency response operations, all employees share a responsibility to support storm restoration and emergency response efforts when activated. Storm duty may require extended hours, travel to affected areas, and temporary reassignment of duties to meet operational needs. While on storm duty, employees may be required to assist in functions outside of their regular role or department to support restoration, logistics, safety, or administrative efforts. Flexibility, teamwork, and a willingness to respond where needed are essential components of employment.

Schedule:

• Varies due to nature of industry (typically M-F unless role requires otherwise)
• Weekend, extended, or emergency response hours as required

GMB Powerline Services, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.