Senior Roofing Commercial Estimator
stevendouglasChicago (IL)
About the role
This is a Senior estimating role, not project management or outside sales. You will handle public and private commercial roofing and architectural sheet metal bids, including revisions, budgets, project setup, and clean handoffs to operations. Direct experience with public bids, prevailing-wage work, bid bonds, addenda, and hard deadlines is required. You know the work, catch risk early, and can manage a full desk without a long ramp-up.
Key responsibilities: Estimate preparation:
- Review project plans, specifications, addenda, and bid documents to develop accurate, competitive estimates for commercial roofing and sheet metal projects.
- Perform takeoffs and quantity surveys from drawings and specifications.
- Build itemized labor, material, and equipment costs in STACK, The EDGE, Bluebeam, or comparable commercial roofing estimating software.
- Analyze completed jobs against estimated costs to refine future accuracy.
- Bid management:
- Manage the full bid cycle: plan review, RFI submission, addenda tracking, and bid-day submission.
- Track public bid opportunities (DFD, CDB, municipal, and similar) and prepare compliant, on-time submissions, including bonding and prequalification requirements.
- Coordinate with the preconstruction/contract team on bonding, insurance, and compliance documentation.
- Keep the active bid calendar and every bid file current, including budgets, Technical and market knowledge:
- Maintain current knowledge of commercial roofing systems: TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen, built-up, and metal.
- Interpret blueprints, specifications, and construction documents with precision.
- Stay current on material costs, labor rates, and market conditions affecting bid accuracy.
- Collaboration:
- Work from priorities set by the Estimating Director and share technical knowledge with the rest of the estimating team.
- Set up won projects and give operations a complete job packet, clear scope, and risk notes.
- Raise workload, schedule, scope, or capacity problems early. If you commit to a bid, take it through submission or escalate before the deadline.
- At least five years of commercial roofing estimating experience, including direct responsibility for public bids, prevailing-wage requirements, bid bonds, addenda, alternates, and deadline-controlled submissions.
- Strong understanding of commercial roofing systems: TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen, built-up, and metal.
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints, specifications, and construction documents.
- Hands-on experience with STACK, The EDGE, Bluebeam, or comparable commercial roofing estimating software. STACK experience is preferred.
- Can manage several live bids and hard deadlines without losing track of the details.
- Valid driver's license; able to travel to job sites for site visits as needed.
Before you apply
Applying takes about a minute. These four things decide how fast it moves after that.
Your profile is current
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Two examples you can talk through
Not a portfolio — just two pieces of work where you can explain the decisions and what you'd change.
A number in mind
What you're on now and what would make you move. We negotiate better when we know both.
Your notice period
Employers plan around it, and it's the question that stalls offers most often.
Once you apply, someone reads it and calls you before anything reaches the employer — usually within two working days.
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