Project Estimator

About Workshop Workshop GR is a full-service consultancy that helps operators and entrepreneurs take their bathhouse and spa concepts from zero to one — from the first idea to a fully realized, operating space. This role sits within our Design Build arm, where we design, manufacture, and install the custom saunas, thermal rooms, and wellness spaces at the heart of those concepts. Hot-and-cold contrast therapy has gone from niche to mainstream in the U.S. Saunas and cold plunges are now one of the fastest-growing corners of the wellness world. We work with some of the most notable names in the space and are uniquely positioned to be the premier thermal room and pool provider in the US Market. Our business doubled from last year to this year, and we expect to double again in 2026, with new lines of business on the horizon. We’re small, fast, and building something genuinely cool. If you want to be early in a company that’s growing this fast, this is a rare seat. The Role The Estimator owns the front end of every deal: turning a bid invitation into an accurate, defensible cost estimate that we can build a winning proposal on. When a general contractor or owner sends us drawings and a scope, you’re the person who figures out exactly what it will cost us to deliver — and gives us the numbers we need to price it and sell it. You’ll work across the full range of what we build: saunas, steam rooms, cold plunges, hot tubs, thermal‑neutral pools, and the specialty carpentry that ties it all together. Much of what goes into these projects is specialty and much of it is sourced overseas, so getting the number right means understanding materials, equipment, international logistics, and field labor in a way most estimators never have to. You’ll report to the partners and work closely with our project and design teams. This is a build‑the‑function seat: our estimating lives on a working system today, and you’ll be the person who turns it into a real estimating operation — the workbooks, formulas, templates, and logic that make us faster and sharper on every bid that follows. You’ll also own our vendor and subcontractor relationships. That means managing the roster we rely on today, and actively going out to find new ones — sourcing distributors, manufacturers, subs, and specialty suppliers who expand what we can offer and sharpen what we can price. Every new relationship you build and every new capability you bring into the fold widens our catalog and makes us more competitive on the next bid. There’s a real prospecting and research side to this job, and it’s a big part of what makes it interesting. What You’ll Do Own the bid intake. Receive bid invitations and design drawings from GCs and owners. Read them closely, understand the scope, and identify what’s in, what’s out, and what’s unclear. Confirm scope with the client. Get on the phone or in writing to nail down exactly what’s being asked for before a number ever gets built. Ambiguity at this stage is where estimates go wrong. Build the estimate. Do the internal takeoff and estimating for the work we self‑perform and coordinate, and send RFQs to our vendor roster — distributors, manufacturers, and subcontractors — for everything we source or sub out. Chase quotes, level them, and pull them into one clear picture. Price the whole scope. Cost specialty work across custom millwork, advanced lighting and audio systems, pre‑fabricated sauna and steam rooms, and specialty sauna, steam, and pool equipment — both custom and off‑the‑shelf. Model the logistics. A large share of what we buy comes from overseas. Calculate landed cost, tariffs, freight, and lead times, and build that into the estimate so there are no surprises later. Account for travel. We work all over the country. Factor the real cost of getting our crews and materials to jobs outside our home territory into every estimate. Compile and present. Pull it all together into a close, well‑organized cost estimate and present it to the partners so we can formulate a proposal that wins the work. Help build the proposal. Work with the partners to translate the estimate into the client‑facing proposal — turning cost into price and scope into a document that closes. Own vendor relationships. Manage and strengthen our roster of distributors, manufacturers, and subcontractors — the partners we depend on to price and deliver. Keep those relationships warm and our pricing current. Source and grow the catalog. Prospect and research new vendors, subs, and suppliers who expand what we can build and how competitively we can bid it. Bringing a new capability or a better price into the fold directly grows the business. Build the system. We’re a startup. The tools, workbooks, formulas, and estimating logic we’ll rely on for years get built on top of our current system — by you. What We’re Looking For Mid‑level estimating experience at a general contractor or specialty contractor, where you learned how real estimating gets done — takeoffs, RFQs, bid leveling, and putting together a number someone actually built to. Strong command of the estimating process. You know how to break down a scope, source pricing, and assemble a complete, accurate estimate under a deadline. Exceptional attention to detail. A missed line item or a bad assumption comes straight out of our margin. Precision here is the job. Strong written and verbal communication. You’ll be confirming scope with clients and pulling quotes out of vendors and subs, much of it in writing and across time zones. Strong organization and follow‑through. You’ll run multiple bids at once and chase dozens of quotes without letting anything slip. A relationship‑builder’s instinct. You own our vendor and sub relationships and you’re always hunting for the next good one. You’re comfortable reaching out cold, building rapport, and turning a new supplier into a real partnership. Comfort with ambiguity and a builder’s mindset. There isn’t a thick binder of estimating SOPs yet — you’ll write it. You should be energized, not unsettled, by a fast‑moving, still‑forming environment. Comfort working in Gmail, Google Sheets, and AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Nice to Have (Not Required) Experience with dedicated estimating or takeoff software (Bluebeam, STACK, PlanSwift, or comparable) — a meaningful plus. Experience estimating specialty trades — millwork, MEP, custom equipment, or high‑finish work. Exposure to international procurement, import logistics, or landed‑cost modeling. Experience sourcing or managing vendors and subcontractors — building a supply base, not just buying from one. Background in construction, manufacturing, or the wellness/hospitality space. Genuine interest in sauna culture and thermal experiences. Logistics Location: New York, NY. In‑office preferred, particularly during training and ramp‑up. Open to remote for the right candidate. Travel: Minimal. This is primarily a desk‑based estimating role, with occasional site visits as needed. Compensation Anticipated base salary range: $85,000 – $120,000. Actual base salary within the anticipated range will be determined by several components including, but not limited to, the individual's experience, skills, qualifications, and market factors. #J-18808-Ljbffr