Chief Estimator
An established family-owned General Contractor with a growing Southeast operation, is seeking a Chief Estimator to join its Charlotte, NC team. This is a hands-on opportunity for an experienced GC estimator to take ownership of estimating and preconstruction in the region today, then build and lead a Charlotte-based estimating team as the business continues to expand.
What You'll Do as the Chief Estimator:
- Own estimating and preconstruction for projects throughout Charlotte and the broader Southeast
- Develop conceptual estimates, budgets, GMPs, and competitive bids from early design through final construction documents
- Perform and oversee quantity takeoffs, cost analysis, bid leveling, and scope development
- Review drawings and specifications to identify scope gaps, constructability concerns, and value-engineering opportunities
- Solicit, evaluate, level, and negotiate subcontractor and supplier proposals
- Maintain strong subcontractor coverage and current knowledge of Charlotte and Southeast market pricing
- Develop clear scopes, assumptions, exclusions, and clarifications
- Collaborate closely with Project Management, field operations, ownership, and regional leadership
- Participate in pre-bid meetings, site walks, and client meetings
- Build and maintain relationships with subcontractors, developers, owners, and other construction partners
- Support efforts to generate, estimate, and win additional work throughout the Southeast
- Operate independently while leveraging established estimating resources elsewhere in the organization when useful
- Establish estimating workflows, standards, and infrastructure for the Charlotte office
- Help improve estimating consistency, historical pricing, and preconstruction processes
- Recruit, develop, and eventually lead a Charlotte-based estimating team as the regional operation grows
- Help create a scalable estimating function that can support continued Southeast expansion
Must-Haves as the Chief Estimator:
- Approximately 10+ years of construction estimating or preconstruction experience
- Strong General Contractor background
- Career primarily focused on estimating and preconstruction
- Proven ability to independently develop complete GC estimates and bids
- Strong understanding of construction means and methods
- Strong knowledge of subcontractor trades, materials, sequencing, and market pricing
- Experience with conceptual estimating, budgeting, value engineering, and preconstruction
- Ability to read and interpret drawings, specifications, and construction documents
- Experience soliciting, leveling, and negotiating subcontractor proposals
- Ability to work independently without significant day-to-day oversight
- Strong communication, organization, and analytical skills
- Leadership ability and interest in eventually building and managing an estimating team
- Ability to work onsite five days per week in Charlotte
- Willingness to travel occasionally throughout the Southeast
Nice-to-Haves as the Chief Estimator:
- Charlotte-area estimating experience
- Established Charlotte or Southeast subcontractor relationships
- Existing developer, owner, or client relationships
- Ground-up commercial construction experience
- Retail construction experience
- Multifamily construction experience
- Industrial construction experience
- Institutional construction experience
- Experience estimating projects in the $5 million-$50 million+ range
- Experience building or improving estimating systems and processes
- Experience mentoring or developing estimators
- Prior Lead Estimator, Estimating Manager, or Preconstruction Manager experience
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field
- Bluebeam experience
The Company Offers:
- Target base salary of approximately $170,000-$190,000
- Potential flexibility toward $200,000 for an exceptional candidate
- Annual performance and company bonus opportunity
- Bonus has historically ranged approximately $10,000-$25,000 depending on company and individual performance
- Auto allowance
- Phone allowance
- Medical insurance with approximately 65% of premium paid by the company
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Employer-paid disability insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid business travel expenses
- Significant autonomy
- Limited micromanagement
- Direct visibility with ownership and senior leadership
- Opportunity to become the primary estimating leader for the Southeast operation
- Opportunity to build a future Charlotte estimating team of approximately 3-5 people
- Long-term regional or Director-level leadership potential
- Established and growing Southeast business
- Close-knit environment compared with larger national contractors
- Manageable workload and emphasis on work-life balance
- Opportunity to directly influence regional growth and revenue