Estimator - Residential Construction

DC Builders•Damascus, OR

About The Position

DC Builders is seeking a strategic, detail-driven Estimator to lead projects from sales handoff through construction kickoff. The Estimator owns the preconstruction lifecycle, coordinating internal teams, clients, and external partners so projects are fully scoped, permitted, and ready to build on time and within budget. DC Builders and DC Structures are Pacific Northwest-headquartered companies specializing in custom heavy timber homes, barns, event venues, commercial buildings, and pre-engineered building kits. DC Builders provides full-service design and general contracting, while DC Structures provides building kits to clients and builders nationwide. The role involves estimating and budgeting, developing scopes and bid packages, coordinating design and constructability reviews, managing permitting, evaluating bids, and preparing comprehensive buyout packages for handoff to construction management and field operations. The Estimator also leads project review meetings, communicates progress to stakeholders, and improves preconstruction processes, digital tools, and workflows.

Requirements

7–15 years of experience in estimating, ideally involving high-end residential, custom homes, or light commercial projects.
Comfort navigating complex permitting processes and jurisdictional requirements.
Deep understanding of construction methods, material selection, and cost impacts.
Ability to balance design intent with budget, code, and schedule constraints.
Strong communication skills, including leading meetings, writing scopes, and translating ideas into actionable plans.
Process-improvement mindset.
Ability to align internal teams, external partners, and clients around a shared vision.

Nice To Haves

Design-build background.

Responsibilities

Oversee the preconstruction lifecycle from sales handoff to construction start.
Serve as the primary client contact during preconstruction and communicate scope, timelines, and expectations.
Prepare estimates and preliminary budgets.
Develop project scopes and bid packages.
Solicit and evaluate subcontractor and vendor bids.
Coordinate design and conduct constructability reviews.
Develop value-engineering and design-to-budget solutions.
Manage permitting and communication with jurisdictions.
Coordinate with in-house design teams and external consultants to support project feasibility, code compliance, budget, and schedule alignment.
Maintain permit tracking, submission timelines, and jurisdictional correspondence.
Lead internal project review meetings and provide timely, transparent updates to internal and external stakeholders.
Prepare comprehensive buyout packages and ensure a smooth handoff to construction management and field operations.
Evaluate and improve preconstruction processes, digital tools, and workflows.