estimator

Regarding wages by industry, automotive repair and maintenance estimators earn a median wage of $60,420 per year. Specialty trade estimators have a median wage of $69,200, and civil and heavy engineering construction estimators earn over $80,000 a year.

Miami, Florida has the lowest median salary for estimators at $69,329 per year. Austin, Texas sits in the middle with a median salary of $73,557 per year. San Diego, California has a median salary of $100,511 annually. However, the state that offers the highest salary for estimators is New Hampshire. Its salary is more than 42% higher than the national average.

Wondering what you can earn as an estimator? Find out immediately with the Randstad salary checker! You can quickly and easily see what the average salary of an estimator is.

The specific estimator duties depend on your company, but the standard tasks include the following:

• inspecting blueprints: As an estimator, you evaluate a project site and determine if it suits the size of the building and the budget. You gauge soil stability and drainage using your construction and building design knowledge. Inspecting blueprints helps you decide if the site requires additional groundwork to improve stability. In manufacturing, an estimator reviews the blueprints of a product design and determines the specifications and costs for producing the item.
• material and time estimation: Your job as an estimator is to determine the materials needed for a construction project or product design. For instance, knowing the roofing materials required for a building is essential. You also work with suppliers to come up with cost estimates. When planning the costs, you should determine the timeframe for the project. Calculate the timeframe and factor in shipping delays, holidays, weather and work stoppages.
• determining labor costs: Since you know the project size and needs, you estimate the workers required to complete the building's interior and exterior. You work with construction managers and union representatives to determine a cost-effective wage for each role. In the manufacturing industry, you prepare time charts to determine the work hours and the number of shifts before setting the hourly wages.
• presenting the cost summary: After factoring in all the project costs, you should prepare a detailed report to deliver to your employer. When the circumstances change, you must adjust the estimate to avoid stretching the project's budget.

You work in the manufacturing industry or a construction company as an estimator. Sometimes, you visit the factory or construction site to evaluate project progress, but you usually work in office environments. You also research materials and vet suppliers, spending hours at your desk. To avoid accidents, you wear protective equipment when visiting construction sites or manufacturing plants.

Depending on your employer, your colleagues include project managers and quality assurance specialists. In construction, you work closely with architects, painters and joiners. In manufacturing, your colleagues could include, but not be limited to machine operators, engineers and warehouse workers.

The typical work hours for full-time positions are 37 to 40 hours a week. Some companies also offer part-time opportunities. You will work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. office hours unless you have deadlines or urgent work. If you have to be at the construction site, you need to work overtime hours and weekends that the construction crew works. The job also involves occasional traveling from the construction site to the office or meeting clients at off-site locations.

A career as an estimator gives you plenty of opportunities to grow in the field or to move to related roles. With your qualifications and experience as an estimator, you can become a project manager, contracts manager or quality assurance manager. Alternatively, you may progress to related careers like quantity surveyor or supply chain manager. As an estimator, opportunities for freelance work are available. With high levels of experience in the field, you may achieve becoming a consultant.

Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:

• being paid weekly
• flexibility
• always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
• many training opportunities
• a range of jobs in your area

Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company? A temporary job as an estimator is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!

Even if you work as a low-profile estimator, the job is always in demand. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that you can expect a 9% growth in employment for estimators from 2018 to 2028. The construction industry is projected to experience significant growth, leading to many new job openings for estimators, particularly in specialty trade contractors industries.

While you perform financial and analytical functions to support a company's financial well-being, as an estimator, your focus lies on specific projects. On the other hand, an accountant plays a broader role in supporting the overall financial aspects of the company. Having a background in accounting principles can broaden your career options as an estimator and provide valuable insights into financial management.

Even though you are broadly known as an estimator, each industry assigns specific titles to the position, with unique nuances for each role. While you perform nearly identical job functions, some of the job titles you encounter include construction estimator, mechanical and electrical estimator or structural estimator.

As an estimator, you have the opportunity to work from home with the right support and resources. Ensure you have access to essential tools, such as a connected database, that allow you to retrieve necessary information from any location and at any time. Establishing a clear understanding of what hybrid work means for you and your team is crucial. Set expectations and guidelines for remote work. Trusting yourself and avoiding the temptation to micromanage is essential in creating a productive and efficient remote working environment. Provide yourself with the necessary resources and maintain a healthy level of autonomy. As such, you can effectively carry out your responsibilities as an estimator while enjoying the advantages of working from home.

As an estimator, you typically divide your time between virtual or in-person offices and construction or project sites. Conducting site visits enables you to contribute to efficient project management, assess financial risk and ensure the proper allocation of labor, financial and personnel resources. Although there may be occasions when you need to work overtime to meet time-sensitive project deadlines. Estimators usually work 40 hours per week, with additional compensation for any overtime hours. Physical labor is not required for this role, but you must pay attention to safety protocols and navigate work sites appropriately as essential requirements.

Applying for an estimator job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our estimator jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state of the art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!