Employee‑owned Northwest general contractor building innovative commercial, institutional and industrial projects.
Estimating and budgeting for commercial construction projects
5 days ago ago
Intermediate (4-7 years), Junior (1-3 years)
Full Time
Portland, OR
Hybrid
Company Size
600 Employees
Service Specialisms
Fire Suppression
Electrical
Design and Engineering
Project Management and Coordination
Landscaping
Masonry
Demolition
Electronic Security
Sector Specialisms
Private-sector work
Institutional entities
Office buildings
Production plants
Residential
Commercial
STEM educational buildings
Habitat and zoological facilities
Role
Description
budget pricing
cost analysis
sub pricing
tool automation
data collection
client liaison
Participate in budget kick-off and review meetings, including superintendent peer reviews
Periodically visit job sites to strengthen relationships within Lewis, obtain estimating feedback, and expand construction knowledge
Develop relationships with key design teams and clients through over-the-shoulder, collaborative estimating. Represent Lewis as a trusted advisor to our clients and influencers
Train various personnel within the Operations group on Lewis’ estimating tools, templates, and standards
Develop relationships throughout Lewis Operations staff to partner on the generation of budgets that can be achieved during the execution of actual project parameters and constraints
Connect with actual project costs to ensure future work is budgeted with the benefit of current performance
Participate in collection, discussion, and communication of internal data on current market trends and escalation
Collect, synthesize and compare Lewis historical costs, self-performed work productivities, project crew mix and overtime performance, etc.
Team with the Preconstruction group to innovate, automate, and improve estimating and preconstruction tools
Tabulate project cost summaries and comparisons for completed projects
Identify, plan, and complete special departmental assignments for lean process development and standardization
Build expertise in pricing self-performed work, general conditions, and construction work support
Enter subcontractor pricing into final estimates
Collaborate with Sr. Estimators, Pre-con Managers, and project operations leads to complete estimate work plans for each effort
Enter surveyed quantities into final estimates
Develop relationships with our subcontractors to obtain timely, responsive, accurate quotes, and further understand their means and methods
Develop and update budget comparisons of similar systems, summarized and with detail
Extract and catalog unit pricing from subcontractor budgets for useful reference by others
Team with project operations to assist in RFP development
Extract unit pricing information from subcontractors’ budgets and bids to ensure we maintain connection to current market pricing
Procure subcontractor pricing consistent with estimating work plans. Use invitation to bid software to host project budget documents, communicate budget/bid requirements, and solicit pricing from subcontractors
Liaise with Sr. Estimators, Pre-con Managers, and project operations leads as estimates progress toward completion.
Follow up with solicited subcontractors during budget timeframes to ensure adequate scope coverage and timely receipts of responsive pricing
Partner with both the Preconstruction and Operations groups to integrate detailed safety planning early into our budgeting and preconstruction efforts
Review budgets/bids for scope alignment. Follow-up with subcontractors if budgets/bids don’t align with our expectations, or if more information is required
Partner with operations teams, including field resources, to ensure budgets incorporate thoughtful phasing, scheduling, sequencing, hoisting, and safety considerations
Use Sage and Excel to price budgets in detail and then summarize for communication and variance tracking
Requirements
sage
bluebeam
revit
bim
bachelor's
estimating
Proficiency with estimating software. Lewis primarily uses Sage software for detailed estimates, Bluebeam for onscreen takeoff, and Excel for budget summaries, variances, and comparisons
Familiarity with all major elements of commercial building construction and a working knowledge of high-level pricing metrics for major systems, including site/civil, structure, exterior closure, interiors, vertical transportation, and MEP elements
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management or equivalent years of work experience can apply
Proven hands on estimating and budget/bid preparation experience with ability to produce estimate work products either independently or collaboratively with other teammates
Solid understanding of utilization of Revit models for scope review, communication and quantity generation and extraction
Possess thorough understanding of how VDC/BIM integrates into the estimating process
Excellent communication skills, and able to clarify and present budgets both internally to project operations leads and externally to clients and design teams
Benefits
Information not given or found
Training + Development
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Interview process
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Visa Sponsorship
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Security clearance
Information not given or found
Company
Overview
Founded 1886
Year Established
Operates since 1886, with a significant move to Seattle in 1939.
Employee-Owned 2008
Year of Ownership Change
Transitioned to employee ownership, fostering entrepreneurial spirit.
Projects $20M-$200M
Project Value Range
Engages in major builds with in-house concrete and steel capabilities.
Serves a wide range of sectors—from healthcare and education to biotech, office, hospitality, and industrial facilities.
Pioneers in lean construction and BIM, their teams employ pull-planning and virtual design to streamline schedules and reduce risk.
Has delivered notable projects like high-rise residential towers, research labs, hospitals, and cultural venues across the Pacific Northwest.
A reputation for innovation shows in adopting new technologies—cutting-edge shoring methods, global material procurement, and predictive safety platforms.
Culture + Values
Since 1886
Year of Establishment
The company has been locally owned and committed to making a positive impact for clients and the community every day.
Every employee is an owner.
People are personally invested in the success of our clients and empowered to take swift action.
Teams are tenacious when it comes to getting it right, day in and day out, to deliver quality buildings that stand the test of time.
Environment + Sustainability
By 2029
Fleet Electrification Target
Aim to transition to a fully electric truck fleet by 2029, significantly reducing emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
80 tons
CO2 Reduction from Fleet Improvements
Scaled fleet improvements are expected to save over 80 tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to removing 52 cars from the road.
127k board-feet
Lumber Reclamation
Reclaimed 127,000 board-feet of lumber during office renovations, promoting sustainable building practices.
Piloting fully electric F-150 Lightning trucks with plans to retrofit jobsite infrastructure for on-site charging.
Operational tactics include employee transit subsidies, no-idling policies, paperless projects, green housekeeping, low-VOC materials, and energy-/water-efficient offices.
Inclusion & Diversity
welcomes people of all races, ethnicities, genders and backgrounds
corporate giving and employee volunteer programs support Pride NW, ACE Mentor Program and other diversity initiatives
DEI efforts feature 'active listening' and continuing conversations within the company and industry