Building Cost Estimator Job | Construction Cost Estimator Careers
Cost Estimation Career - What is the Job of a Building Cost Estimator?
Cost estimators figure out how much a construction project will cost, so the business owners know the right amount to bid in order to turn a maximum amount of profit.
No matter what kind of industry they work in, estimators put together data on all the factors that concern cost, such as materials and manpower, as well as any special considerations that may add to the cost of the job.
Usually a project begins with an open bid process, where general construction companies offer job projects to numerous smaller contractors, and then these subcontractors offer a bid to complete the job based on their cost estimation.
The cost estimator job involves using ones vast knowledge of costs in their construction field, in order to guesstimate how much the project will cost. A cost estimator will work with engineers reviewing blueprints and then prepare a part list, using computer software to arrive at a grand total for the estimated expenses of a project.
Working Conditions for Cost Estimators - How Is the Working Environment of Professional Estimators?
Unlike construction workers, cost estimators deal primarily in blueprints, which means they work in a comfortable office. A construction engineer may have to get down and dirty in order to correctly as to make a project.
Normally the job of cost estimation involves a standard 40 hour work week, with plenty of opportunities for overtime, especially in peak construction seasons and during boom times. As well, there often time constraints to building projects so cost estimators may have to work under tremendous stress, when faced with many bid deadlines.
Building Cost Estimator Education - Train to Become a Construction Estimator - How to Receive Your Education at a Construction Estimator Job
Usually, persons who have degrees in construction management or construction science are preferred in cost estimation jobs. Typically, construction estimators will also have on the job experience as a result of internships. Cost estimation involves having an extensive knowledge of construction material cost, as well as labor issues, in order to provide an accurate estimate of the construction project.
If a cost estimator is considering entering a manufacturing industry, employers prefer to hire those with an engineering degree. Knowing how to crunch numbers and estimate projects is crucial to the profitability of the business.
The are numerous organizations which represent cost estimators, including the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering, and the Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis, both of which offer cost estimation training programs. In addition, these cost analysis societies offer booster courses for those who were out of touch with the industry or want to keep up to date with the latest advances.
Much cost estimator training is offered on the job, because each company has a different set of protocols. Under the tutelage of an estimator with experience, a newly hired cost estimator will watch the work being done and perform many of the routine tasks in cost estimation. As their knowledge increases, a construction cost estimator will gain more and more responsibility until they become a professional cost estimator themselves.
Cost Estimating Certification - How to Become Certified as a Cost Estimator
Construction cost estimators should be very good at math, as well as having the ability to quickly analyze detailed information. The ability to focus on details is essential as the one cost estimation mistake can cause a company with a razor thin margin to lose money on the entire construction job. Both the AACE and SCEA administer cost estimation programs that will certify cost estimators in the trade.
Outlook of Construction Estimating - What is the Future of Construction Estimation Jobs?
The growth of the work of the construction cost estimator will grow by 19% in the next 10 years, with new construction projects stimulating a high demand for professional cost estimators. Seeing as almost any commercial, residential, or governmental structure requires cost estimation, their work is always needed, although it will slow down in an era of housing contraction.
Electrical Estimator Pay Scale - How Much do Construction Cost Estimate Jobs Earn?
Cost estimators earn, on average, $52,940 according to a survey in 2006. The middle 50% make salaries between $40,320 and $69,460. According to a 2007 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average cost estimator with a college degree receive $46,930 annually.