Senior Estimator

Chandos

$125K — $163K *
Real Estate & Construction
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in commercial construction estimating
  • 5+ years estimating for a general contractor
  • Experience in ICI, residential, recreational, and healthcare sectors
  • Post-secondary degree/diploma in construction/engineering or similar field
  • CEC designation (CIQS); PQS preferred
  • Proficient in Excel and cost-estimating software
  • Strong organizational and analytical skills

Responsibilities

  • Determine effective bid strategies for project success
  • Prepare full-cost estimates from concept to tender
  • Lead estimating workshops to align costs with project goals
  • Perform detailed take-offs for materials, labor, and equipment
  • Establish and maintain unit costs and contingencies
  • Negotiate competitive bids with subcontractors and suppliers
  • Provide constructability advice and coordinate with operations teams
  • Track and report estimated vs. actual costs for continuous improvement

Benefits

  • 100% employee-owned structure with equal ownership
  • Comprehensive employer-paid benefits including health and dental
  • RRSP matching program for financial security
  • Educational assistance for professional development
  • Recognition and annual salary review programs
  • 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 (Industrial, Commercial, Institutional), residential, 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:
  • Ten 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

  • We are 100% employee owned. Every person who works for Chandos can become an owner. There is only one class of units at Chandos, because we believe everyone should be treated equal. We talk about being an entrepreneurial-minded organization and you can be sure we mean it!
  • 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 (though we do use AI tools for administrative interview transcription). However, some of our external staffing partners may utilize 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: Expected salary band for this role is (depending on experience): $125,000 - $163,000

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
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