Lead Project Cost Estimator

The Tsui Group is seeking a candidate who is qualified and experienced in educational facility construction projects to serve as a Lead Project Cost Estimator for a large educational client within Los Angeles County with the below duties:

• Leads and supervises a team of Estimators, including designating daily assignments
• Plans and participates in the preparation of construction cost estimates of buildings or other structures from drawings, outlines, and specifications
• Prepares and reviews cost estimates and forms and other materials submitted to secure State and/or federal grants and loans from school aid programs and represents the district on matters pertinent to securing such funds
• Checks construction cost estimates submitted by commissioned architects and engineers for accuracy and completeness and compares them with District estimates
• Confers with commissioned architects and engineers to resolve differences in their cost estimates and District estimates for each project and negotiates agreements on preliminary estimates of construction costs
• Makes studies and prepares reports when contractors' bids vary widely from the agreed construction cost estimate
• Checks segregations of contract costs as estimated by building contractors and recommends acceptance or rejection as a basis for progress payments
• Analyzes change orders on construction work under contract and approves or rejects extras or credits submitted
• Prepares or reviews cost estimates for projects
• Establishes and maintains procedures for approval of plans and specifications for building projects and submission of approved projects to public bidding
• Develops methods for maintaining data used in records, charts, and graphs reflecting estimated construction costs compared with actual costs
• Conducts and participates in seminars and workshops with staff and minority contractors relative to school construction bidding procedures, contracts, and cost estimating
• Estimates costs of damages to District property caused by fire, natural disaster, and major acts of vandalism
• Establishes budgets for school building projects
• Assists other branches with related functions
• Prepares preliminary and final independent cost estimates of projects for comparison with designer or contractor for PM/CM to establish negotiating position
• Prepares change order estimates for Owner Authorized Representatives to establish negotiating position
• Provides support in price negotiations
• Prepares claim analyses and estimates
• Reviews contractor’s claims and proposals for merit and accountability
• Performs related duties as assigned

Required Experience:

• 14 years full time paid professional experience in the preparation of complete cost estimates for major/complex type I, II, or III, and V building construction as defined by the State building codes, including three years in a supervisory capacity.
• 3 years of full time paid experience in supervising estimators
• 5 years experience working for a construction cost consulting firm
• Extensive knowledge and experience in developing conceptual and preconstruction cost estimates for complex school building projects
• Ability to prepare cost estimates quickly in a fast- paced working environment
• Knowledge of current local construction labor and material costs
• Extensive experience in developing and estimating the scope of work for change orders
• Ability to compare the independent cost estimate with contractor proposal to quickly identify differences
• Ability to develop scope of work based on RFI/RFC answers and estimates the detailed costs of those scopes of work independent of the contractor proposal
• Good oral and written communications skills

Required Education:

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management

• Salary Range: $201,000-$206,000
• Medical, Vision, & Dental – 100% covered for the employee*
• Life and Disability Insurance
• 10.5 days of Vacation pay (Accrued)
• 6 days of Sick pay (Available Immediately)
• 13 days of Holiday pay
• 3% Employer Contribution 401k (After 1 year of service)
• Monthly Stipend for Cell Phone
• Laptop for work purposes