Senior Estimator

Chandos

$85K — $100K *
Real Estate & Construction
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Eight or more years of experience in commercial construction estimating
  • Five years estimating for a general contractor, excluding self-performing developers
  • Experience in ICI, residential, recreational, and healthcare sectors
  • Ability to clearly present complex cost data
  • Post-secondary degree or diploma in construction/engineering or related field
  • CEC designation required; PQS designation preferred
  • Strong organizational skills and proficiency in Excel and cost estimating software
  • Detail-oriented and able to thrive under tight deadlines
  • Analytical skills for interpreting drawings/specs and cost modeling
  • Collaborative approach to team consensus building
  • Strong communication skills for presenting cost recommendations
  • In-depth understanding of market conditions and sector complexities

Responsibilities

  • Determine bid strategies to ensure success for projects
  • Prepare and coordinate cost estimates for all project phases with a collaborative focus
  • Lead estimating workshops to ensure alignment on costs and project goals
  • Perform detailed take-offs for materials, labour, equipment, and subcontractor needs
  • Establish and maintain current unit costs, labour rates, and allowances
  • Solicit bids, negotiate with subcontractors, and conduct value-engineering reviews
  • Provide constructability advice during pre-construction phases
  • Track and report on estimated versus actual costs, supporting continuous improvement initiatives
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with subtrades, consultants, and clients

Benefits

  • Competitive wages
  • Comprehensive employer-paid benefits including health, dental, and vision care
  • RRSP matching program for long-term financial security
  • Educational assistance for professional development
  • Recognition and annual salary review program
  • Leadership conferences for networking and collaboration
  • Regular company-wide engagement opportunities
Full Job Description
Job Description

We are seeking an Senior Estimator with a passion for collaborative delivery models to join our team. You'll be at the heart of collaborative, multi-stakeholder projects, delivering cost certainty and value from project conception through to construction start on site.

You'll join a company that's pioneering the collaborative superstar: Integrative Project Delivery (IPD) in Canada, with projects that truly move the needle on collaboration and innovation in construction.

Project sectors: ICI (Commercial, Institutional), recreation centres, and healthcare or ideally long-term care.
  • Effectively determine the bid strategies required for Chandos to be successful
  • Prepare and coordinate full-cost estimates for all project phases, concept to tender, with a focus on collaborative methodology
  • Lead estimating workshops to align costs with project goals and foster transparent decision-making
  • Perform detailed material, labour, equipment, and subcontractor take-offs
  • Establish and maintain unit costs, labour rates, escalation, and contingency allowances
  • Solicit competitive bids, negotiate with subcontractors/suppliers, and conduct value-engineering reviews
  • Provide constructability advice during pre-construction, coordinating with operations teams on procurement, schedule, and logistics
  • Track estimated vs. actual costs, report variances, and support lessons learned for continuous improvement
  • Build and maintain exceptionally strong relationships with subtrades, consultants, suppliers, and all of our valued clients


Qualifications

Minimum requirements:
  • Eight or more years of experience in commercial construction estimating
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience estimating for a general contractor not self performing developer
  • ICI, residential, recreational, healthcare experience
  • Able to clearly present complex cost data and influence decisions
  • Post-secondary degree or diploma in construction/engineering or an appropriate field
  • CEC designation (CIQS); Preferred: PQS designation
  • Strong organizational, prioritization, and process discipline; advanced Excel and cost-estimating software proficiency
  • Organized & Detail-Oriented: thrives under tight deadlines, balancing multiple priorities
  • Analytical & Technically Strong: proficient in reading drawings/specs and in cost modelling
  • Collaborative: excels in consensus-building within diverse project teams
  • Communicative: confident in presenting and defending cost recommendations
  • Industry-Savvy: understands market conditions, supply chains, and sector-specific complexities


Additional Information

  • Competitive wages
  • Well rounded employer paid benefits program including health, dental, vision care and employee assistance program
  • RRSP matching program to aid and prepare employees for long-term financial security
  • Educational assistance for employees who wish to pursue job-performance enhancing education
  • Recognition and annual salary reviews program
  • Leadership conferences that allow employees to connect and collaborate
  • Regular company-wide engagement opportunities

Vacancy Status: We are actively recruiting for this position.

AI Disclosure Statement: Chandos is committed to transparent recruitment. Our internal team does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants, although we do use AI tools for administrative interview transcription and AI tools may be integrated or embedded in third-party platforms and software. Some of Chandos' external staffing partners may use AI to screen, assess, or select candidates during their initial workflows. All final hiring decisions at Chandos are made personally by our hiring team.

Compensation Transparency:

The base salary range for this role is listed above and may vary based on your experience. This position also includes a competitive bonus program. Throughout the interview process, we'll discuss your background to determine the best alignment for your experience level.

Videos To Watch
https://youtu.be/DaEoYLKjNI0?si=IoQb_YsEyEzoO--J
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https://youtu.be/f9FJWjg1laA?si=kTJygLM_omrH6mTv
https://youtu.be/VDbh-DR151w?si=K4RsbINNS3QaDg73
https://youtu.be/-xHyjWZfclg?si=gzynn2H4QYQ1bJqN

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