From the course: Learning Construction Estimating

What is an estimator? - Accubid Tutorial

From the course: Learning Construction Estimating

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What is an estimator?

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- [Instructor] To begin with, we should discuss exactly what a construction estimator does and why they do it. Imagine this. A company or a group of people who are very good at building things. They may be carpenters, electricians, plumbers, or even roofers. This group of people wants to build projects for customers, but they're not very keen on how to come up with a price for all the work that they're so good at doing. It's a different skillset than installing a toilet, hanging a ceiling, or painting a wall. But, without coming up with an accurate price for the project, the company will struggle trying to get work, and that's where the construction estimator is needed. Usually, an estimator works for a construction contractor and tries to win work for their construction firm by submitting a priced proposal on a particular job to the owner or prime contractor and having the lowest responsible bid. This process is commonly known as bidding. Not all projects are awarded based on lowest cost. However, some project awards use other criteria for contractor selection. Owners and construction managers may ask for contractor references, past project experience, financial capability statements, all to aid in choosing the right firm. But not all estimators are trying to win work. Some estimators work for design teams, like engineers and architects. These estimators help cost the project before it becomes a reality. They create a budget estimate and assist with cost engineering, so the team, and ultimately the owner, can make important planning decisions about the project before it begins about the scale, complexity, schedule, and many other elements of construction. Also, some owners, especially municipalities, have estimators on staff to assist with costing large and small projects just like design firm estimators. These people are sometimes referred to as cost estimators. Regardless of whom the estimator is creating an estimate for, the principles of estimating remain the same. Construction is a business that involves a great deal of risk. The more risk your company is involved in, the greater detail an estimate should have. Consequently, the estimator should have an equal amount of understanding of the trade and project they are estimating.

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