There are around 111,438 construction estimators in the US. Today, estimators are playing a fabulous role in the construction industry. They are helping contractors, builders, engineers, and architects optimize the project budgets. Actually, the estimators provide contractors with construction estimates that help them increase the efficiency of their building projects.
It should be remembered that not all estimators can provide you with valuable and profitable estimates. The professional you hire must be experienced and expert in estimating construction costs. Otherwise, your investment will not give beneficial results.
But how to hire a construction estimator? This blog post will explore a detailed guide discussing the steps to hire a professional estimator for your construction project. Let’s explore it together!
Who is a Construction Estimator?
Before moving towards this blog post’s core topic, we must understand who the construction estimator is and his role.
Firstly, a construction estimator is a professional who calculates the budget required for a construction project. The experts deal with a thorough analysis ranging from project analysis to executing construction confidently.
Suppose you are planning to construct a tree house in your backyard. What quantity of lumber, decking material, screws, washers, joist hangers, rafter ties, nails, pulleys, and other materials? How many laborers would you require for tree house construction? What would be the cost of particular materials used in treehouse construction? How much would labor charge? The answer to all questions is hidden in the pockets of estimators.
Furthermore, a professional estimator can efficiently find the answer to all these questions using their expertise and industry knowledge. But what is the actual role of a construction estimator? Explore the next session!
What Does a Construction Estimator Do?
Actually, an estimator calculates the cost or the budget required for a particular construction project. He performs the following tasks on duty:
- Measure material quantities
- Negotiate rates with suppliers
- Calculate project budget estimates
- Check varying prices in the market
- Understand the client’s requirements
- Design high-quality bids for their clients
- Keep an eye on inflation and fluctuating rates
- Monitor processing throughout the project lifecycle
- Get quotes from different suppliers and contractors
- Identify risks and mitigate them with reliable solutions
How to Hire a Construction Estimator?
When discussing how to hire an estimator, it is beneficial to break the process into different steps.
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First, Decide When to Hire a Professional Estimator
Scan your schedules to identify which time is suitable to hire an estimator. While doing so, you must consider the following factors to make the right decision:
- Where are you spending your days and nights? (Field, office, home)
- How much time are you investing in estimation? (Less or more)
- Are you efficient in hitting preciseness and accuracy? (Yes or No)
- What is your future business plan? (Fast or slow growth)
If your routine is packed, you are investing significant time in estimation, you cannot calculate accurate and precise estimates, and you want fast business growth, it is time to get assistance from a professional building estimator. Moreover, when situations are tricky, you should take advantage of a beat and start processing to hire an estimator for your construction projects.
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Second, Choose a Method to Hire an Expert Estimator
Once you have decided to involve an estimator in your business, you must decide what hiring method suits you. Do you want assistance from recruiting agencies, job boards, or word of mouth?
According to experts, you must start with word of mouth. In this method, one discusses his requirements with his partners and colleagues. When someone refers an estimator, he is considered due to solid reference. Also, it is a cost-effective way of finding a professional estimator.
The other two techniques require money. In the remaining methods, you hire an agency to find an experienced estimator for your construction project. Besides these, you can explore different job-promoting platforms such as Indeed and LinkedIn to hit an experienced estimator.
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Search Multiple Estimators Near You
Once you have decided what method to use, search for a professional, experienced, and expert estimator. Never go with the single option. List top estimators and then judge who would best suit your construction project.
Scan Their Qualification
How can you identify which estimator is the best for your project? Consider the following factors to choose the best estimator for your building budget evaluation project.
| Qualification | Experience | Expertise | Apprenticeships | Estimating techniques |
| Master in related Degree
Bachelors in related Degrees Diploma Holder |
10-15 Years | Mathematical skills
Problem-solving skills Highly organized Technical expertise Detailed oriented Critical thinking Software familiarity |
Apparentchip holder | Bottom-up estimation
Top-down estimation Three-point estimation Analogous estimation Parametric estimation |
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Call For Interview
Based on the abovementioned tactics, choose an estimator and give him an interview call. Ask all the questions below to understand if the candidate can satisfy your needs.
- What is your efficiency rate?
- Have you ever lost a bid, and why?
- What is your takeoff estimating process?
- How much do you charge for estimation?
- How long will it take to estimate my project?
- What do your clients say about your services?
- Which working environment is feasible for you?
- How can you deliver the most accurate estimates?
- How do you manage multiple things simultaneously?
- What about your thinking about technology and innovation in the construction industry?
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Compare Candidates and Select an Estimator
Once you have completed all the steps mentioned above, compare the professional qualities of all candidates. Judge them on their expertise, knowledge, qualifications, and the answer they gave to your question. Finalize your selection and decide when you are both ready to start estimating a construction project.
Benefits of Hiring a Construction Estimator
A contractor finds it challenging to manage project budget estimation while scheduling, executing, monitoring, and inspecting a building project. But, as a contractor, you can hire professional cost estimators. They can give you relief from multiple edges. Let’s explore how assistance from an experienced estimator can benefit you and your construction project!
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Increased Win-bid Ratio:
Around 80% of the contractors experience a low win-bid ratio. There are various reasons behind this failure.
- Low-quality bid
- Late submissions
- Inaccuracies
- Non-realistic assessments
But, with the assistance of an expert estimator, you can solve all these issues and increase your win-bid ratio. According to a study, hiring an estimating specialist can increase your win-bid ratio to 98%.
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Avoid Cost Overruns
During construction, many factors cause a significant cost overrun in a project budget. These factors may include:
- Changes in project scope.
- Unfavorable weather conditions.
- Major design errors.
- Project mismanagement
- Inaccurate estimation
- Labor issues
However, considering all these factors during budget estimation, there remains no chance of cost overruns. Thus, hiring a professional cost estimator can help avoid budget overruns during construction.
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Expanded Profit Margins
Estimators streamline your processing while considering all the major and minor factors associated with a construction project. Furthermore, they help you increase your profit margins using the following techniques:
- Managing all activities perfectly.
- Clearing goals and clients’ expectations.
- Value engineering a construction project.
- Estimating project budget precisely and accurately.
- Clearing the difference between project budget and bid.
- Considering all factors connected to a construction project.
- Using cost-effective techniques, materials, and equipment.
- Promoting smooth communication among all stakeholders.
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Efficient Time Management
Many contractors lose bids due to time mismanagement. The construction industry is very complex, demanding everything be done on time. A little delay can lead to significant losses.
For instance, you can lose the project and your reputation and can experience a decrease in your revenue. Therefore, effective time management is crucial in a construction business.
Managing time ideally is challenging for a contractor as he has to deal with different projects simultaneously. But thanks to construction estimators. They can efficiently manage time for you.
Thus, one of the significant benefits of hiring a construction estimator is good time management. They use tools and software to track building activities and update budgets according to current plans.
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Significant Business Growth
When everything moves on the right track, it leads to ultimate business growth. Business growth covers:
- Increased win-bid ratio.
- Multiple projects simultaneously
- Perfect time management
- Significant increase in revenue
- Boosted reputation
So, if you want to increase the worth of your construction business, you must get assistance from professional budget estimators. They pave the path leading towards your business success.
Final Words
Construction estimators are gaining significant attention in this era of technology and innovation. It is all because of their central role in the construction project. Construction estimators calculate the budget required for the flawless completion of a project. They consider all the factors, including labor, material equipment, contingencies, overhead expenses, transport expenses, etc. It means that their assistance can benefit you in different ways.
But how to hire a construction estimator? Consider the following steps:
- Decide when you need assistance from cost estimators.
- Pick a suitable and valuable method to hit potential candidates.
- Search estimators and consider multiple ones to select the best near you.
- Call candidates for face-to-face interviews.
- Make a judgment and select the most suitable for your construction projects.
So consider these steps and hire an experienced and professional estimator for the ultimate success of your construction projects. They will enable you to win more projects simultaneously, increase your revenue, and ultimately boost the worth of your business in the construction market. Get started today!
FAQs:
How do I find a good construction estimator?
Consider the following steps to find a professional construction estimator:
- Decide when to hire a professional estimator.
- Choose a Method to Hire an Expert Estimator
- Search Multiple Estimators Near You
- Call For Interview
- Select an Estimator and Get Started with Him
When should you hire an estimator?
Hire an estimator in the following situations:
- Need more time to focus on your core duties.
- Investing many hours in project estimation.
- Unable to calculate precise and accurate estimates.
- Wanting fast growth of your business.
Should I hire an estimator with no experience?
Not at all. You should never hire an estimator with no experience. He can make common mistakes like ignoring labor costs, improperly using software, bypassing project contingencies, etc. These little mistakes can lead to significant changes in the overall project budget. Thus, you must go with a professional and experienced estimator for cost estimation of your construction budget.
How much does it cost to hire a construction estimating freelancer?
Depending on the scope of your construction project, you can hire a construction estimating freelancer for the cost between $50 to $750.
