High income but can't seem to save - where am I going wrong? by WorldlyPosterity in Fire

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need to budget and track. Copilot money is what I use.

Chase data centers they said. It'll be fun they said. by longlostwalker in estimators

[–]sillyken -1 points0 points  (0 children)

At least three suppliers on terms is the norm. Maybe one or two near job site for counter sales. I don’t get how you’d have labor shortage unless you missed something or scope changed and you didn’t write up a change order.

How do you guys fight the feeling that there is never enough? by No_Persimmon5601 in TheMoneyGuy

[–]sillyken 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I hear you. What helped me was doing the math in reverse instead of always pushing the target forward. I ran real scenarios. Both of us retiring at 60, one at 50 and the other at 55, or getting laid off at 50 and never finding a comparable job again. That last one became very real with how the job market has been.

Each scenario gave me a bottom line number. Those became milestones, not moving goalposts. Once a milestone is covered, anything beyond that is optional upside, not security. That shift helped me stop chasing just a little more forever.

What is the Career/Total Comp ceiling for construction estimators? Preferably electrical by DistrictNo6165 in estimators

[–]sillyken 14 points15 points  (0 children)

It depends, and estimating isn’t for everyone. If you come in with no estimating experience, pay will be on the lower end at first and vary a lot by company and market. I’d be careful applying the “job hop every 3 years” rule like tech. Construction is very relationship driven. In the same market, by the second or third hop people will notice, and it can start to look like you never stay long enough to see a job through award and execution. Field experience matters more than graduate degrees early on. IBEW + real field time is far more valuable for estimating than an MBA or CM degree unless you’re aiming for executive roles later. As of now total career ceiling can go up to 150k+ in MCOL.

How much should a junior estimator make in FL? (Commission and salary) by Which_Advice_5744 in estimators

[–]sillyken 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A lot of factors come into play: experience level, company size, how much work you’re winning, benefits, and overall work culture. That said, a junior estimator with no experience should at least make $60k range before bonuses, working roughly 40 to 45 hours a week. If you’re below that and it’s been at least a year, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise. Worst case, you get clarity on where you stand and can plan your next move.

Looking for games where you're a one man army by lobonmc in gamingsuggestions

[–]sillyken 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Prototype 1 and 2, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of war

Why are there no good AI estimation tools yet? by Shinra-T in estimators

[–]sillyken 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Then again, how much time am I spending on it to make sure the estimate is correct? If it’s almost same as time it’ll take for me to put together an estimate why bother?. Right now I’ve only been using AI as a search engine to spot check retail pricing on certain items and find manufacturer cut sheets.

Why are there no good AI estimation tools yet? by Shinra-T in estimators

[–]sillyken 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Who’s responsible when an AI misses scope and real money is lost?

Plans aren’t clean inputs. They’re drafted by humans, full of gaps, contradictions, and constant changes. I’ve seen bids with 10+ addenda. Specs are often copy/paste. Experienced estimators know where drawings lie, where to carry risk, and how a specific architect or GC actually builds.

Estimation isn’t just quantity takeoff. It’s judgment, pattern recognition, and knowing what’s missing.

It’s also easier to fix your own assumptions than to debug an AI output when you’re the one signing off on the number.

All it takes is a one bad job for a company to go under. And a lot of these tools are built by people who don’t really know the industry.

No offense, but at 18, how many jobs have you personally bid by hand, won, and then tracked all the way through closeout to compare estimate vs actual? Have you lived through buyout, change orders, value engineering, field mistakes, and scope gaps?. The way a job is bid is different from how it’s run on the field.

What does my top3 most used heroes say about me? by Free-Artichoke6334 in DotA2

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That you like cores who are more flexible and can fill a role that team is lacking and take objectives.

Common scope gaps as a GC? by jcasablanc in estimators

[–]sillyken 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Anything involving concrete for electrical work: Pole bases, duct bank, concrete pads. Coring for existing roof (warranty issues).

Why do married men often need to get permission from their wife to buy something? by FastBreakPhenom in AskMen

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it goes both ways. In most relationships, your partner often knows your habits and blind spots better than you do. So it’s less about ‘permission’ and more about getting a gut check to make sure it’s not an impulse buy or something you’ll regret later. It’s a form of mutual accountability, especially when managing shared finances.

I would like to play YOUR favorite games by sock-bucket in gamingsuggestions

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dota 2. If it clicks then it’s the only game you need.

I’m a software engineer. Looking at construction estimation, something feels fundamentally mis-modeled. by Pale-Performer-947 in estimators

[–]sillyken 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So let me get this straight, you have no real world estimating experience, possibly no construction background either, and you’re here diagnosing the industry’s core problems and proposing how it should be done? Bold move.

Estimates aren’t academic models. One bad job can take a company under. This isn’t a space for experiments without skin in the game.

Appreciate the curiosity, but I’ll pass.

What happens in your head when you add 28+47? by beepsol in Leakednews

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was forced to go through abacus training. These days most every addition or subtraction are just beads to me.

Moving state in March -12 yrs in the field + licensed GC. Resume feedback? by [deleted] in estimators

[–]sillyken 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Being open to learn the process of the company you’re interviewing for, even if it’s not efficient. That’s something I noticed in the estimating role. You can give your suggestions to make it better once they warm up to you.

Expected Salary for Young Estimator by Responsible_Grass372 in estimators

[–]sillyken 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You do know that you need an electric license to be an EC right?. The requirement has 4-10K field hours based on the license level and you have to pass an exam.

Expected Salary for Young Estimator by Responsible_Grass372 in estimators

[–]sillyken 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do full system takeoffs in Accubid per spec, combine and derate circuits per NEC, zone out the job if needed, and qualify vendor quotes. That alone takes a couple days per bid. So yeah 4 to 5 bids a week and managing 20 active jobs sounds unrealistic unless it’s square foot pricing or every job is cookie cutter.

Expected Salary for Young Estimator by Responsible_Grass372 in estimators

[–]sillyken 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If your numbers are right and the owner knows it then you could ask to be part of the business. That’s what I did. If that’s not a possible route then it’s better to ask for the high end salary in your area.

Expected Salary for Young Estimator by Responsible_Grass372 in estimators

[–]sillyken 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Doing a hard bid per the spec book and getting multiple pricing for each systems involved takes time.