Construction Estimator

Construction Estimator

Priority Location: Latin America

Working Hours: 9AM - 5PM (Mon - Fri) CST

Salary Range: $3,500 - $5,500 USD per month

(The final offer is at the client's discretion and depends on the candidate's interview result, skills, and experience.)

Type of contract: Independent Contractor

Type of job: Remote

Why This Role Exists:

The company has a strong pipeline of work and an active bidding process, but its existing estimating team has limited capacity.

The current team includes a senior estimator, a junior estimator who also supports project management, and multiple project managers. As bidding volume continues, too much estimating and takeoff work is being concentrated among a small number of people.

The goal of this hire is to add an experienced professional who can immediately take meaningful estimating work off the team's plate.

This person will become an important extension of the company's existing estimating function — completing detailed takeoffs, reviewing plans and scopes, supporting estimates from start to finish, and helping the company move projects through the pre-construction process more efficiently.

The role may also support submittal processing and related project documentation, allowing the company's estimators and project managers to spend more of their time on higher-value work.

This is not an entry-level estimating position. The company is specifically looking for someone with significant construction experience who can bring established estimating judgment, technical knowledge, and familiarity with the U.S. construction market to the team.

What You'll Do:

Estimating & Quantity Takeoffs

• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs for commercial, institutional, and educational construction projects.
• Review architectural, structural, civil, MEP, and other project drawings and specifications to understand the complete scope of work.
• Analyze construction plans and identify the materials, quantities, assemblies, and labor requirements associated with a project.
• Complete detailed takeoffs across a variety of construction scopes.
• Review projects for wood, metal studs, structural steel, and other construction components as applicable.
• Ensure all relevant items are captured during the takeoff process rather than relying solely on high-level measurements.
• Identify scope gaps, inconsistencies, exclusions, and potential estimating risks before an estimate is finalized.
• Interpret drawings and specifications and develop a clear understanding of how the project is intended to be constructed.
• Assist in preparing accurate, complete, and competitive estimates for projects Waldrop is bidding.
• Work closely with the existing senior estimator and project management team to ensure estimates align with Waldrop's approach and project requirements.
• Learn and follow Waldrop Construction's specific estimating methodology, takeoff standards, scopes, and internal processes.

Pre-Construction & Bid Support

• Support the company's pre-construction and bidding efforts from initial plan review through completed estimates.
• Review bid documents and project information to determine the full scope of work.
• Help organize and maintain estimating information as projects progress through the bidding process.
• Assist with identifying quantities and scope items that require additional clarification.
• Flag discrepancies or missing information in plans and specifications.
• Collaborate with the team when additional information, pricing, or clarification is required.
• Help ensure estimates are completed accurately and on schedule so the company can continue pursuing opportunities without creating additional workload for the existing team.

Submittal Processing

In addition to estimating, this person will provide support with submittal processing and related project documentation.

Responsibilities may include:

• Reviewing submittals against project plans, specifications, and requirements.
• Organizing and processing submittal documentation.
• Coordinating information between project documentation and the appropriate members of the project team.
• Helping keep submittals moving efficiently through the review process.
• Identifying missing or incomplete information.
• Supporting project managers and estimators with documentation-heavy portions of the construction process.

The exact balance between estimating and submittal support may evolve based on project volume and the company's needs.

Technology & Tools:

• Toggle.ai (not mandatory if you have strong experience with comparable takeoff platforms and demonstrate the ability to learn the company's process quickly.)
• PlanSwift
• Bluebeam
• AutoCAD / CAD
• Other digital construction takeoff platforms
• Construction estimating software
• Digital plan review tools

Qualifications & Skills:

• 10+ years of construction estimating experience (or equivalent senior-level expertise) for a U.S.-based general contractor, construction management firm, or commercial builder.
• Proven track record estimating U.S. commercial and institutional projects, with strong familiarity in U.S. construction standards, terminology, and workflows.
• Prior experience estimating K-12 educational or other institutional construction projects is highly valued.
• Strong technical understanding of commercial construction scopes involving wood framing, metal studs, structural steel, and mixed construction materials.
• Expertise in performing detailed, accurate digital quantity takeoffs from complex commercial plan sets.
• Proficiency with digital takeoff and estimating platforms such as PlanSwift, Bluebeam, Toggle.ai, or similar industry tools.
• Ability to read and interpret full sets of U.S. architectural drawings, specifications, scopes, and project documentation with high precision.
• Hands-on experience driving the pre-construction process from initial plan review through final, complete cost estimate.
• Sharp eye for spotting scope gaps, plan discrepancies, omissions, and potential financial/estimating risks.
• Capability to assist with submittal processing and project documentation as needed during the pre-construction phase.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across remote teams.
• Strong ability to work independently, manage multiple active estimates simultaneously, and hit strict bidding deadlines.
• High level of attention to detail, strong personal accountability, and a willingness to adapt quickly to internal company estimating standards and workflows.

Experience We're Particularly Interested In:

Strong candidates may come from backgrounds such as:

• Senior Construction Estimator
• Commercial Construction Estimator
• Preconstruction Estimator
• Senior Quantity Takeoff Specialist
• Construction Estimator / Quantity Surveyor
• Construction Preconstruction Manager
• Estimator / Project Manager
• Senior Takeoff Specialist

Candidates who have worked directly with U.S.-based general contractors, commercial construction companies, educational construction, institutional projects, or construction management firms will be especially attractive.

What Success Looks Like:

The first priority for this hire is to increase the company's estimating capacity without sacrificing accuracy or quality.

Within the first several months, a successful candidate should be able to:

• Become proficient in the company's estimating and takeoff standards.
• Independently complete detailed takeoffs on assigned projects.
• Accurately interpret construction plans and specifications.
• Produce reliable quantities and estimates with limited supervision.
• Reduce the workload currently carried by the senior and junior estimators.
• Help the company respond to more bidding opportunities.
• Identify scope gaps, discrepancies, and potential issues before estimates are finalized.
• Provide dependable support with submittal processing and project documentation.
• Become a trusted extension of the company's existing estimating team.
• Ultimately, the goal is for this person to become someone the team can confidently hand a set of plans to and say:

"Take this project, understand the scope, complete the takeoff, and help us get this estimate across the finish line."