Electrical construction estimating

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vilasman

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How much do electrical construction estimators/ who have some project oversight responsibility to make sure that the project comes in on time and with in budget make in a major metro area? Like the D.C. metro area. Someone got wind of my name and asked for my resume and while i dont know who the company is yet, the third party has fielded the question, "what salary range do you want?"

I have little estimating expierence but i am really good with a blueprint and i have some construction expierence. I am willing to take the job at the low end of the scale if there is oppritunity for advancement. This would be the job that I do from 9-5, and do side work as well.
 
vilasman said:
This would be the job that I do from 9-5, and do side work as well.
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Sure..it will be 9-5, weekends off...:rolleyes:


vilasman said:
"what salary range do you want?"
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Keep in mind, it won't be 9-5, you won't have every weekend off...
 
vilasman said:
How much do electrical construction estimators/ who have some project oversight responsibility to make sure that the project comes in on time and with in budget make in a major metro area?
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This is often two separate jobs. Mostly what I've seen is there is an estimator, and then a project manager that is supposed to bring it in on budget. I suggest you get a detailed job description before you consider the answer to the money question.
 
so is being an estimator a thankless,high pressure, take all the blame if it doesn't go well, get no credit if it dosen't cause that's what you get paid for...
type job?
 
vilasman said:
so you are saying that there will be that take home work from my day job???
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See below:
hardworkingstiff said:
You don't have to take it home, they will let you stay at the office longer. :smile:
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That's EXACTLY what I am saying.

When a project that needs estimating falls on your desk and it HAS to submitted by next Thursday....good luck!

Depending on the outfit your with...a SFH would no problem, but get into some gov't work or large scale project - that you may/may not have prior experience on....oh, boy!

PITA factor is high in estimating (especially if it's just you)....come in too low, the firm loses money - come in too high the firm also loses money (because you haven't made them any to justify your salary ;) ).

Here's a magazine you can subscribe to (real magaizne with pictures and everything! not an e-zine)
http://www.ecmag.com/about/?fa=subscription
2007.01_EC%20Cover.jpg


There is an article (or part of an ongoing series) on estimating in every issue.

If you don't need it/already subscribe...maybe someone else does?

As far as your price is concerned...have you checked monster.com to see what other company's are offering as far as salary, benefit packages and bonus money, etc?
 
vilasman said:
so is being an estimator a thankless,high pressure, take all the blame if it doesn't go well, get no credit if it dosen't cause that's what you get paid for...
type job?
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Well look at it this way....
You create an estimate for a job...
The job loses money..

Who is everyone going to look at?

Understand that many things can effect the bottom line of a job:
- Were enough men, tools and materials sent to the job (Not your job)
- Did the men "produce" (Not your job)
- Could the foreman read a print (Not your job)
- Were the other trades "agreeable" (Not your job)
- Did it rain or snow...was it too cold or too hot? (Not your job)
- and the list goes on and on....

But someone has to create these estimates.
 
ok.... so it takes a certain amount of talent or voodoo to create a spot on estimate most of the time.

And i see a little better why they are looking for someone. The job would be great training, but not nesacarily a place to spend a career. Unless you just like it.
Thanks for the link to the magazine. I will use it
 
vilasman said:
ok.... so it takes a certain amount of talent or voodoo to create a spot on estimate most of the time.
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It might seem like voodoo, but what is amazing is the accuracy this forum has in creating numbers from afar.

Here are 3 examples from when I first joined this forum (2 years ago):
Just for fun...(bid)

Just for fun....(another bid)

Just for fun (another bid)....

I asked the members for their numbers (ballparking) on various jobs I was bidding on (I don't think I got any of them ...LOL)...the numbers were all pretty much in-line with each other (considering general demographics and geographic locations).

Voodoo

A few others members posted their own "just for fun" bid requests.
Again, the numbers were all pretty much in-line.

Once you work out the kinks in the voodoo, it becomes talent :D




vilasman said:
And i see a little better why they are looking for someone. The job would be great training, but not nesacarily a place to spend a career. Unless you just like it.
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Some people thrive on the pressure - kind of like adrenelin(sp?) junkies.
Some people like the pressure from a jobsite - but crumble like a cracker under office pressures...and the reverse is true also.
It all depends on your thresholds.

Like I said....people need estimates and someone's gotta do it.
 
As an estimator, you primary funtion is to,
1)do the takoff
2)price and labor the takeoff
3)determine COST (material $+labor hrs+job expense)

This gives the person you work for reliable data to determine how much markup to apply and come up with the final bid price. The only pressure on you is getting 1,2,an 3 done in a timely manner prior to the bid deadline. Then if you win the job, you will usually have a turnover meeting to someone who will run the job, to explain how you bid it and what's in your bid.
From there, there's tons of ways to blow your budgets. Crappy GC, lazy or just crappy electricians, no management system in place, etc.
Yes you have to work "whatever it takes" to meet your deadlines. God knows I've spent many nights and weekends working. With today's computer estimating, at least I'm not up late looking up prices and labor units and pounding a calculator till the wee hours. All your time is spent doing actual takeoff.
 
est. & pm

est. & pm

I did exactly that type of job, estimator and then PM the job. Both are thankless positions. If job comes in under budget the working crew gets the thata-boy, if it doesn't "you stiff". To many variables when it comes to public work jobs.:roll:
 
est. & pm

est. & pm

hardworkingstiff said:
Maybe so, but those are probably two of the three best jobs to be good at if you decide to be a contractor.
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Its very true but after 22 years in my own business, I had had enough. Now I've had the great fortune to now become the town which i live in, full time elec inspector. I even sleep nights.:grin: :grin:
 
lowryder88h said:
Its very true but after 22 years in my own business, I had had enough. Now I've had the great fortune to now become the town which i live in, full time elec inspector. I even sleep nights.:grin: :grin:
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I understand. I seriously considered applying for a local position that opened up here. The problem for me was I'm not ready to take the pay cut just yet, and I obtained my GC license (on a challenge) and if I take the electrical inspection job, I won't be able to do any building. I still want to try my hand at this.
 
est. & pm

est. & pm

hardworkingstiff said:
I understand. I seriously considered applying for a local position that opened up here. The problem for me was I'm not ready to take the pay cut just yet, and I obtained my GC license (on a challenge) and if I take the electrical inspection job, I won't be able to do any building. I still want to try my hand at this.
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Lou,
I took a real deep hit $$$$, but sleep and my sanity was well worth it, plan on retiring in approx. 4 yrs, and moving to your state, my daughter lives in Charlotte.:D :D :D
 
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I plan on going for my EI credentials this year or next. The State will not allow me to inspect my own work....so if I do take an EI position, I simply won't do ECing in that particular town ;)
 
In Washington DC Metro area, low end 72,000.00 Lower end should include holidays, 2 weeks vacation and bonus based upon performance. Also depends if extended hours are expected 50 hours in lieu of 40 hours. This always assumes you can take the job and run with it without impacting your new employeer's operation in a negative way.

Shoot high you can always negotiate down, hard to go up once you set a base price.
 
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