Two of the primary industries that employ estimators are manufacturing and construction as they are important in creating cost-monitoring processes to allow the company to track their profit or loss in every project. A bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, or mathematics is required for you to qualify for the estimator jobs and you must be proficient in computer software as previous experience as a labor supervisor or an estimator will give you an edge over other applicants. Excellent customer service skills are also required as well as good timing and scheduling management. The salary range of manufacturing estimators is between $34,000 to $95,000 depending on experience while construction estimators earn from $30,500 to $90,500 per year and they will only reach the top level income after 30 years of working experience in this field.
Here is the different estimator job description and opportunities and how to find them:
- Junior estimator - assist the contractor to win the bid and reviews documents and data like analysis reports, purchase orders as well as subcontractors. He also prepares project estimates and updates and file documents and receipts, gather information used for project estimate, calculates construction costs, forecasts how long a project a takes to complete, and come up with all the construction project cost information to help the contractor make competitive bids. He may be required to spend long hours in the office or do overtime work and travel when necessary and work under pressure when they are making a new bid for the project. A junior estimator earns $43,000 per year put their salary is dependent upon their experience and the industry they are working with. A bachelor’s degree in construction management or engineering is required and he must be certified to increase his job prospect. He should also be knowledgeable in electronics and computer and conversant in economics and accounting.
- Cost estimator - is involved in estimating and assessing various aspects within the company and their job is expected to grow by 30% until 2018 because of the increase in the construction of streets, highways, subway systems and airports.
- Senior estimator - are also called as chief estimator and their job is generally overseeing all estimations in every division or department within the company and they require a college degree to qualify for this job as they are also responsible in building supplies, equipment and labor costs.
- Mechanical estimator - requires a bachelor degree as well as engineering skills because their job requires a great deal of knowledge in heating, septic systems, and plumbing and they work alongside of subcontractors.
- Collision estimator or insurance estimator jobs - involves in cost estimates of automobiles involved in a traffic accident and requires an experience in technician work with auto body repair and knowledge of mechanical tools and motor parts used in an automobile repair.
- Sales estimator - conducts surveys and generates leads in wholesale and retail selling while estimating sales percentage.
- Marketing estimator - work is similar to a sales estimator where they focus in strategic marketing management as they are involved in planning distribution approach and provides distribution costs.
- Manufacturing estimator - refers to real labor and material costs to create estimate for a product they are making and they maintain relationships with suppliers and equipment vendors to keep track with the current pricing and negotiate better rates to establish wholesale and retail pricing of their products.
- Construction estimator - is involved in a project by maintaining current labor rates, profit margin, job plans and they visit job sites, interview supervisors and present bids as well as make changes in the current rate and determine where the error happened during the negotiation.
- Landscape estimators - are involved in working with landscaping designs for personal and commercial properties and they are skilled in the installation process but expertise in horticulture is required to qualify for the job.
