Lead Estimator

Lead Electrical Estimator

Norlee Group

Company Overview

Norlee Group is a multi-trade building systems organization delivering integrated electrical, mechanical, and technology solutions across commercial, industrial, multi-family, and residential markets. As part of our continued growth under the One Norlee platform, we are seeking a Lead Electrical Estimator to join our team.

Position Summary

The Lead Electrical Estimator is responsible for leading and coordinating the estimating process for commercial electrical construction projects, from initial opportunity review and pre-bid planning through final proposal submission and project turnover. This position plays a key role in evaluating project opportunities, developing accurate and competitive estimates, managing bid schedules, and supporting the company's overall sales, revenue, and profitability objectives.

The Lead Electrical Estimator reviews construction documents, develops detailed material and labor takeoffs, solicits and evaluates vendor and subcontractor pricing, identifies project risks, and prepares comprehensive cost estimates and bid proposals. This role works closely with company leadership, Project Managers, field operations, Purchasing, vendors, general contractors, construction managers, and design teams to ensure estimates are accurate, competitive, and aligned with project requirements.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical knowledge of commercial electrical construction, sound financial judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to lead estimating activities while developing consistent estimating practices across the organization.

Experience estimating K–12 school construction projects is a plus, particularly projects involving new construction, renovations, additions, phased construction, and summer work schedules.

Key Measurables

The success of this role will be evaluated through the following metrics:

• Accuracy and completeness of estimates, including material quantities, labor hours, equipment, subcontractor costs, and project-specific requirements.
• Achievement of company bid volume, revenue, and gross profit objectives.
• Competitive bid performance and conversion of awarded projects.
• Timely completion and submission of estimates in accordance with established bid deadlines.
• Consistent use of estimating standards, cost databases, labor units, and bid review procedures.
• Accuracy of vendor and subcontractor pricing, quotations, and scope comparisons.
• Identification of scope gaps, exclusions, design conflicts, escalation risks, and potential change-order opportunities.
• Effective management of multiple estimates and competing bid priorities.
• Completion of documented bid reviews and estimate handoffs for awarded projects.
• Accuracy of estimated labor hours and material quantities compared with actual project performance.
• Development and maintenance of reliable historical cost data and estimating benchmarks.
• Effective collaboration with leadership, Project Managers, field operations, and business development.
• Continuous improvement of estimating processes, tools, and team performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Estimating Leadership and Bid Management

• Lead the estimating process for assigned commercial electrical construction opportunities from initial review through proposal submission.
• Review invitations to bid, project requirements, bid instructions, schedules, specifications, and contract documents to determine project suitability and estimating requirements.
• Establish bid priorities, estimating schedules, internal deadlines, and resource assignments.
• Coordinate estimating activities with company leadership, Estimators, Project Managers, Superintendents, Purchasing, and other relevant departments.
• Evaluate project size, complexity, schedule, contractual requirements, labor availability, and overall risk before committing resources to a bid.
• Participate in bid/no-bid decisions and provide recommendations based on project fit, competition, workload, and profitability.
• Lead pre-bid meetings, site visits, walkthroughs, and scope reviews.
• Ensure estimates and proposals are complete, accurate, properly documented, and submitted on time.
• Manage multiple bids simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and meeting critical deadlines.

Quantity Takeoffs and Cost Estimating

• Perform and oversee detailed electrical material and labor takeoffs using construction drawings, specifications, and digital estimating tools.
• Estimate quantities and costs for electrical distribution, feeders, branch circuits, conduit, wire, cable, switchgear, panelboards, transformers, lighting, lighting controls, grounding, and other electrical systems within the project scope.
• Review one-line diagrams, power plans, lighting plans, equipment schedules, panel schedules, and electrical details to establish accurate project quantities.
• Develop labor-hour estimates using established labor units, historical production data, project conditions, and installation complexity.
• Account for project-specific factors, including site access, working hours, phasing, occupied facilities, temporary power, material handling, equipment requirements, and schedule constraints.
• Evaluate material waste factors, installation methods, productivity assumptions, and other cost variables affecting the estimate.
• Identify discrepancies between drawings, specifications, bid documents, and the defined scope of work.
• Prepare detailed estimates that clearly identify direct costs, labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, indirect costs, and other applicable expenses.

Vendor and Subcontractor Coordination

• Solicit, receive, review, and evaluate supplier and subcontractor quotations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with electrical distributors, manufacturers, equipment suppliers, and specialty subcontractors.
• Compare quotations for scope coverage, exclusions, lead times, pricing, freight, taxes, and compliance with project requirements.
• Obtain competitive pricing for major electrical equipment, including switchgear, panelboards, transformers, lighting fixtures, and related components.
• Identify material availability concerns, long-lead equipment, potential substitutions, and procurement risks.
• Coordinate with Purchasing and Project Management to validate pricing assumptions and procurement strategies.
• Maintain organized records of vendor quotations, bid clarifications, pricing assumptions, and supplier communications.

Bid Strategy and Proposal Development

• Develop competitive bid strategies that balance market conditions, project risk, resource availability, and company profitability objectives.
• Review subcontractor scopes, supplier quotations, labor assumptions, and estimate summaries before bid submission.
• Prepare detailed bid summaries, pricing breakdowns, scope narratives, clarifications, exclusions, and proposals as required.
• Identify opportunities to improve competitiveness through alternative installation methods, value engineering, material substitutions, and scope optimization.
• Evaluate addenda, drawing revisions, and bid clarifications and incorporate changes into the estimate.
• Coordinate with company leadership on final pricing, contingency, overhead, markup, and gross profit targets.
• Ensure all proposals clearly communicate scope assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, and pricing validity.
• Participate in post-bid reviews, negotiations, scope clarification meetings, and value engineering discussions.
• Support business development efforts by identifying prospective projects, maintaining relationships with general contractors, and responding to bid opportunities.

Preconstruction and Technical Review

• Review construction documents for completeness, constructability, coordination issues, and potential scope gaps.
• Identify design discrepancies, incomplete specifications, conflicting requirements, and other issues that may affect cost or schedule.
• Prepare RFIs and bid clarifications to resolve uncertainties before proposal submission.
• Evaluate electrical installation requirements in coordination with mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, and other trades.
• Participate in preconstruction meetings with owners, general contractors, construction managers, engineers, and consultants.
• Identify potential schedule constraints, material lead times, labor requirements, and site logistics concerns.
• Evaluate applicable electrical codes, permitting requirements, testing requirements, commissioning needs, and project-specific quality standards.
• Support value engineering efforts that improve cost efficiency without compromising safety, quality, performance, or contractual requirements.

K–12 Educational Construction

• Estimate electrical construction projects involving K–12 schools, educational campuses, additions, renovations, and modernization programs as applicable.
• Evaluate project phasing, summer construction windows, school occupancy dates, after-hours work, and restricted access requirements.
• Account for site-specific safety measures, temporary power, existing electrical system modifications, and coordination within occupied facilities.
• Review school district standards, project specifications, and applicable procurement or bid requirements.
• Coordinate with general contractors, construction managers, engineers, and vendors to develop accurate and competitive proposals for educational facilities.
• Identify scheduling, labor productivity, and material procurement considerations associated with completing work within limited school construction periods.

Cost Analysis and Financial Management

• Develop and maintain estimating templates, labor units, cost databases, material pricing records, and historical project cost information.
• Analyze actual project costs against original estimates to identify variances and improve future estimating accuracy.
• Review labor productivity, material usage, equipment costs, subcontractor costs, and project-specific conditions with Project Managers and field leadership.
• Establish appropriate allowances and contingencies based on documented project risks and company estimating standards.
• Monitor material price changes, labor market conditions, supplier trends, and other factors affecting project costs.
• Provide cost comparisons, pricing analyses, and budget estimates to support early project planning and design development.
• Support leadership with bid pipeline reporting, anticipated revenue, backlog projections, and estimating performance metrics.
• Recommend process improvements that strengthen cost control, estimating consistency, and profitability.

Project Turnover and Cross-Department Collaboration

• Conduct formal turnover meetings for awarded projects with Project Managers, Superintendents, Purchasing, and other relevant personnel.
• Review the final estimate, scope of work, labor assumptions, material takeoffs, subcontractor quotations, clarifications, exclusions, and project-specific risks.
• Identify long-lead materials, procurement priorities, schedule constraints, and critical cost assumptions.
• Ensure the project team understands the original estimate, contractual scope, allowances, and anticipated challenges.
• Remain available to support Project Managers during early project execution when clarification of the estimate or bid assumptions is required.
• Participate in post-project reviews to compare estimated costs with actual performance and capture lessons learned.

Team Leadership and Process Improvement

• Provide technical guidance, training, and support to Estimators and other team members.
• Establish consistent estimating standards, review procedures, documentation practices, and quality-control checkpoints.
• Review estimates prepared by other team members for completeness, accuracy, risk, and compliance with company standards.
• Develop and maintain estimating tools, templates, checklists, and reference materials.
• Encourage collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the estimating function.
• Assist with workload planning, training, and development of estimating personnel.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Manages Complexity: Evaluates complex construction documents, project requirements, cost variables, and competing priorities to identify risks and develop accurate estimates.

Ensures Accountability: Takes ownership of estimate accuracy, bid deadlines, pricing assumptions, documentation, and follow-through. Maintains consistent quality-control practices and meets commitments.

Plans and Aligns: Organizes bid schedules, assigns resources, establishes estimating milestones, and prioritizes opportunities according to company objectives.

Financial Acumen: Understands construction costs, labor productivity, material pricing, subcontractor quotations, overhead, markup, gross profit, and risk allowances.

Technical Expertise: Demonstrates a strong understanding of commercial electrical construction methods, materials, systems, drawings, specifications, and installation requirements.

Collaborates: Builds productive relationships with company leadership, Estimators, Project Managers, field teams, vendors, subcontractors, and general contractors.

Drives Results: Develops accurate, competitive bids that meet deadlines, support revenue objectives, and protect project profitability.

Develops Talent: Provides guidance, constructive feedback, and technical support to improve team capability, consistency, and performance.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Construction, or a related field preferred.
• Five or more years of electrical estimating experience, preferably in commercial electrical construction.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and reviewing detailed electrical estimates for commercial construction projects.
• Experience leading bid preparation, coordinating vendor pricing, reviewing subcontractor quotations, and managing bid deadlines.
• Strong understanding of electrical construction drawings, specifications, one-line diagrams, panel schedules, lighting plans, and equipment schedules.
• Demonstrated ability to perform detailed material takeoffs, calculate labor hours, develop cost estimates, and prepare bid proposals.
• Experience estimating electrical distribution, conduit and wiring, switchgear, panelboards, transformers, lighting, lighting controls, and related commercial electrical systems.
• Experience with project cost analysis, labor productivity, historical cost data, and estimate-to-actual comparisons.
• Familiarity with applicable National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements, local codes, permitting requirements, and commercial construction practices.
• Experience coordinating with general contractors, construction managers, engineers, suppliers, and subcontractors.
• Experience estimating K–12 school construction projects is a plus, including new construction, renovations, additions, phased projects, and summer construction schedules.
• Prior experience mentoring Estimators or leading an estimating team preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education, technical training, and relevant experience will be considered.

Software and Computer Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with electrical estimating and digital takeoff software.
• Familiarity with Accubid, ConEst, McCormick, Trimble Estimation, or comparable estimating platforms preferred.
• Experience with Bluebeam Revu or similar tools for reviewing drawings, performing digital takeoffs, and managing construction documents.
• Familiarity with Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or comparable construction management platforms preferred.
• Ability to develop spreadsheets, cost summaries, pricing analyses, and estimating reports.

Language, Interpersonal, and Leadership Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interpret technical documents and communicate estimating assumptions clearly.
• Ability to lead estimate reviews, coordinate multiple contributors, and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.
• Demonstrated professionalism, attention to detail, and sound business judgment.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to perform calculations involving whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, and units of measure.
• Ability to calculate material quantities, labor hours, installation rates, equipment costs, markups, and gross profit.
• Ability to analyze cost data, compare quotations, and evaluate pricing alternatives.
• Strong attention to numerical accuracy and estimate reconciliation.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee is frequently required to sit and work at a computer and may periodically stand, walk, and visit construction sites. Site visits may require navigating stairs, uneven surfaces, and active construction areas. The employee must have the manual dexterity required to operate a computer, keyboard, mouse, and standard business equipment. Occasional lifting or moving of materials and equipment may be required.

Work Environment

The work environment primarily consists of an office setting, with periodic visits to active commercial construction sites, vendor facilities, and pre-bid walkthroughs. Jobsite conditions may include noise, dust, debris, varying temperatures, ladders, lifts, and other typical construction hazards.

The employee may be required to attend meetings and walkthroughs at multiple project locations. Travel requirements will depend on estimating assignments, customer meetings, and project opportunities.