Senior Cost Estimator

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Leland Saylor Associates is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Estimator to cost estimating services on our clients' projects, working in collaboration with our San Francisco Bay Area–based team. Our work supports primarily U.S.-based clients, and this role applies established U.S. estimating and cost-management practices across the full project lifecycle. This is a hybrid role, with on-site presence at our Walnut Creek office required 3 days a week.

To be successful in this role you must have excellent communication skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing capacity. Candidates must have a Visa or be a US Citizen otherwise authorized to work in the United States.

Daily Duties

• Provide estimating and cost planning, including producing and presenting the final cost plan.
• Collaborate with the design services team, general contractor, and owner in the development and reconciliation of cost estimates.
• Reconcile changes and assist the general contractor to ensure that their data is accurate.
• Meet with the general contractor and owner's project manager to gather status information and prepare cost estimate updates.
• Prepare written comments on the general contractor's submissions, including the executive summary.
• Estimate and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Inform and drive design and engineering priorities based on cost impact.
• Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling and budget issues.
• Manage cost checks and carry out progress valuations and pay-application reviews on larger projects.
• Manage change control, post-contract cost variances, contingency management, and commitment tracking logs.

Pre-Contract Duties

• Develop estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at each design milestone (schematic, design development, and construction documents).
• Prepare detailed conceptual cost estimates and cost studies from schematic or feasibility-level documentation.
• Develop variance summaries between estimates as the design evolves.
• Prepare detailed instructions to bidders, trade-specific clarifications, and comprehensive bid packages.
• Solicit and evaluate subcontractor bids using bid tally sheets, and lead negotiations on behalf of the client to secure fair, competitive pricing.

Post-Contract Duties

• Perform change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Produce monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience working in a construction cost estimating role.
• College and/or post-graduate degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a field related to construction.
• 5+ years of full-lifecycle cost management and/or estimating experience on private and public construction projects.
• Professional accreditation a plus. Saylor values the following credentials:
  • ASPE Certified Professional Estimator (CPE)
  • AACE International certification — Certified Cost Professional (CCP) or Certified Estimating Professional (CEP). Preferred, given our primarily U.S.-based client base.
  • Chartered Quantity Surveyor — RICS, CIQS, AIQS recognized as the international equivalent and welcomed from internationally trained candidates.
• Working knowledge of California unit costs and the factors that affect construction cost, with the ability to estimate across all scopes of work.
• Experience leading cost estimating efforts on medium to large, high-value building or infrastructure projects of medium to high complexity.
• Familiarity with California competitive bidding process — soliciting and evaluating subcontractor proposals, using bid tally sheets, and making award recommendations.
• Software proficiency in estimating and takeoff tools such as On-Screen Takeoff (OST), Bluebeam, WinEst, Sage Estimating (Timberline), or CostX required; Power BI, HCSS, Revit, and Assemble are value-adds.

Featured Benefits

Salary: The salary range for this full-time role is $110K–$175K per year.

401(k), Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, 100% employer-paid premiums.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Leland Saylor Associates is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at