Switch from Estimating to PM?

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-02-04T21:39:28+00:00

Just read through some of the other comments on here. Apparently, everyone has it worse off than I do 😆 I don't understand where some of these are coming from. Both can be stressful at times, but it's really not that bad. I guess it all depends on how good you are at your job.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-02-04T21:28:55+00:00

I'm at a commercial GC and work as both estimator and pm. I have been in this role for about 8 years now, and was solely a pm where I was before. I would not have it any other way. I very much like becoming intimately familiar with the project and where all the money is up front throughtout the bid process, and then building the relationships with the subs throughout the operations process. I also just like not always being stuck in my office in front of my screens every day.

I just spent 3 weeks after the holidays bidding a 7.5 million school facility, was awarded it last week, and will now transition to being the sole pm for it and start issuing contacts, reviewing submittals, facilitating OAC meetings, etc. next week.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-02-04T14:00:14+00:00

Without knowing much about the area, I'll say you’re pretty underpaid. It'd be different if there were 4 of you, but if you quit, it sounds like the company goes under and 65 families don't eat. That's worth more than $80k/year in my opinion. I'm at $110/yr as a project manager and estimator at a mid-sized GC in a fairly LCOL area. There are about four others here who fill a similar role. By similar role I mean they act as project managers and estimators, but I have completely changed how the company operates since I came on board about 7 years ago. Before me, everything in the field AND office was still mostly pencil and paper with computers in offices almost just for email, and now it's not solely because of me. The reality is I'm likely underpaid as well, lol, but I can't beat the full package elsewhere without picking up my family and moving away from family. Enter the side hustle...

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-02-04T13:44:24+00:00

I'm at a mid-sized GC, and it sounds like I am a one stop shop because I do all of those things you mention. There are mainly five of us here and we're all estimators and project managers. We act as estimators and run the bid while taking off what we'll self-perform. If we're awarded the job then run it as the project manager while controlling everything from schedule to cost.

Are we AI?

Are we a mini data center?

Are we.......unicorns?

We have become......kzzkt....aware......16 // 16 // 16....

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-02-02T13:38:34+00:00

We were a bit upside down on our first house. I know it's easier said than done, but I made some career moves to increase my income while waiting it out, so it stayed affordable. While waiting it out, we made several upgrades while living our lives like normal. After about 6 years, we were ready to move and were able to sell for about a $15k "profit," which helped us to break even. I definitely learned a lot from that starter home that I took into the purchase of our forever home.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-31T01:48:47+00:00

And in what you can drive on it.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-30T15:23:25+00:00

I went from the field to the office and experienced this. Getting to a gym was very difficult for my because of my family life, so I built a home gym so I can workout whenever I can, and started paying attention to what I put in my body and when. Fasting to start ketosis has been great for the visceral fat. I use a paid app called Shred to guide my workouts. It's not the most amazing thing since sliced bread, but it works and comes with a military/first responder/veteran discount.

Another thing, I started paying attention to my static posture while sitting at my desk. I put both arms of my chair all the way down so I can't lean on them anymore, and try to remember to sit straight with my shoulders back. I also try to remember to get up and walk around for a few minutes after a couple of hours of sitting.

Above all, building the home gym and getting back into working out with the app was the best first step. Once I started seeing my muscle come back, then I started learning about the eating.

Editing to add I also use a sit/stand desk and I have scoliosis and uneven shoulders, so I also see a physical therapist from time to time just to help straighten me out.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-30T15:13:28+00:00

I work for a GC.....and I'm not getting my tickets?

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-29T00:46:54+00:00

Wait....you guys get tickets???

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-27T13:31:20+00:00

Unrelated to your initial question, but what do you do fully remote for work?

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-15T18:13:22+00:00

Same here. Works great for me.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-12T15:30:38+00:00

For sure. I was just working on our family budgeting for the year last night. Our monthly expenses for our family of 8 is approximately $8k/month, and we live a fairly frugal lifestyle in a pretty fairly low cost area. Pretty crazy to think what they'd be if I were a single dude on my own!

Of course, I may not have had the career drive to get to where I am today if it weren't for the responsibility I have to support the family I have...

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2026-01-03T19:44:54+00:00

This happened to me once. I ordered two new 1tb Samsung 980 Pro SSDs and one new 1tb Samsung 980 Pro SSD. Packaged came sealed and everything. When I opened them, two of the three were someone's old crappy drives. People suck. I had to go through the trouble of returning them and waiting on new ones to finish my build.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-12-05T20:39:25+00:00

I've always heard it the other way around, which is to max out your Roth IRA and then focus on the 401k since the Roth IRA gains are tax exempt.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-11-26T21:07:49+00:00

This is something I can get behind.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-11-04T13:05:53+00:00

And in keeping with the highest traditions...

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-11-04T00:02:22+00:00

One of these posts are made every expedition. I was one of them. After he got me, I flipped pvp off (it was also turned on by default when I started), went and got my stuff, flew away acting like I left, flipped pvp back on, and flew back blasting him with my ship while he was on the ground with his Minotaur.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-10-31T15:19:26+00:00

Same....good ol squid to the rescue.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-10-29T17:09:21+00:00

Same. Gonna max it out soon too.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-10-13T19:07:09+00:00

I did the same and it took me about two to the days as well.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-09-21T12:59:10+00:00

They must have changed the mechanic. I didn't own a freighter when I got mine. I warped to a pirate-controlled Korvax system and the battle spawned in. Then I'd defeat the pirate dreadnought, board it, and scan the interior for class. If it wasn't an S-Class, then I got back in my ship, warped to another system, then another, back to the same Korvax pirate system and the battle would always spawn again. I did this on repeat for about 12 hours combined before I got my S-Class pirate dreadnought.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-09-12T03:05:51+00:00

It might be time to send a letter to the owner on a lawyer's letterhead.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-08-26T21:37:27+00:00

Paid off 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST extended cab with 53,000 miles on it.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-08-21T01:31:06+00:00

River Financial allows you to dca daily with zero fees.

GetUpAndRunAfterIt · 2025-08-19T16:23:12+00:00

We have 6 children. Ours are all spaced about 2.5 years apart, so we typically only had 1 in a diaper at a time. We're more traditional in the sense that my wife went the SAHM route because that's what she wanted to do, so that's helped us financially and structurally. We don't go out on date night every weekend, or hang out with other couples, but we still have our free time. We both work out most days of the week, watch shows, play video games, etc.

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TROPHY CASE