What are the responsibilities and job description for the Estimator COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION position at Trueline?
a growing general contractor focused on multifamily housing projects across California, is seeking a Preconstruction / Estimator to join their team in San Diego, CA. This role will support early project planning, subcontractor pricing, bid leveling, and budget development, with a clear path toward a Preconstruction Manager role.
What You'll Do as the Preconstruction / Estimator:
- Lead bid outreach by sharing plans, specs, and scope documents with subcontractors
- Gather, organize, and compare subcontractor pricing across key trades
- Identify scope gaps, exclusions, and inconsistencies before bids are finalized
- Build and maintain bid leveling sheets, cost comparisons, and pricing summaries
- Support pricing through DD, CD, GMP, and other preconstruction milestones
- Partner with project managers, leadership, and operations teams during early project planning
- Prepare clean handoffs so awarded projects move smoothly into construction
Must-Haves as the Preconstruction / Estimator:
- 2-5 years of estimating, preconstruction, or related construction experience
- Experience reading drawings, specs, and trade scopes
- Strong Excel skills and comfort organizing detailed pricing data
- Ability to compare subcontractor bids and spot missing or unclear scope
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and deadline-conscious
- Strong communication skills with subcontractors and internal teams
Nice-to-Haves as the Preconstruction / Estimator:
- Multifamily construction experience
- Commercial GC experience
- Experience supporting DD, CD, and GMP pricing rounds
- Familiarity with construction management or estimating software
- Interest in growing into a Preconstruction Manager role
Our Client Offers:
- Base compensation targeting approximately $110K-$130K, plus bonus, depending on experience
- A strong project pipeline across California
- High visibility with leadership and project teams
- Clear growth path into preconstruction leadership
- Collaborative, team-oriented environment
- Opportunity to make a direct impact on project setup and delivery
Trueline and its clients are unabashed equal-opportunity employers committed to a diverse workforce. We welcome smart and ambitious applicants and recruit, refer, hire, place, and promote without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.
Salary : $110,000 - $130,000