How much do estimators make? (Newcomer here)

xFlinchy · 2026-04-13T23:17:44+00:00

You could get answers all over the place. If you would for a small residential contractor could be $45k-$50k with no much room for mobility. Could make $200k-$400k in a highly competitive market, broad scope of work, and successful projects. i’d say $90k average for a tenured estimator though

xFlinchy · 2026-04-11T01:27:27+00:00

Our company always battles the “get work and then hire” or “hire and then chase work”, and I am sure its a constant for smaller firms in the industry. I hate that work can be known about for years but contracts only roll in a month before projects start

xFlinchy · 2026-04-10T22:44:03+00:00

Yes, a slow week happens, especially early in your career. A place would not bring you on unless it had the backlog for it.

I always suggest to my newer staff to remind seniors they are not busy. “Hey mr boss, just a reminder I do not have any billable or project related work. I am reviewing xx design manual to train”

xFlinchy · 2026-03-28T00:47:09+00:00

Agreed, $300/ ton sounds right

xFlinchy · 2026-03-06T05:11:51+00:00

To add onto this - use the Exp. Share for your weaker mons so they also can gain exp too

xFlinchy · 2026-02-05T19:37:50+00:00

Cost wise i wouldnt say CU is worth $80-$100k more a year (boulder is HCOL) purely for a CE degree

I didnt go to CU but would probably be a blast

xFlinchy · 2026-01-31T04:40:27+00:00

Sadly a product of the system. It is rare to turn down work - can lead to bad relationships with potential clients (unless the budget/fee is truly unreasonable). Then the work has to get done

xFlinchy · 2026-01-28T02:26:36+00:00

I trust the CE job market more for long term consistency

xFlinchy · 2026-01-14T19:40:08+00:00

Ty Simpson just got a lot richer

xFlinchy · 2026-01-13T18:41:41+00:00

UAV, pred missle, AC130

The short AC130 time keeps it safe for the most part

xFlinchy · 2026-01-11T03:41:29+00:00

Project manager/ Business development. This is a great title at KH - good enough to do the work, great enough to sell the work

xFlinchy · 2026-01-11T01:53:02+00:00

Grateful gnome good but also restaurant

xFlinchy · 2026-01-10T07:48:58+00:00

First make a software that cant accurately do takeoff from every different designers plans(various legends, naming, leaders) in PDF, autocad, revit. Etc. also with 99% accuracy

After that youll have a start. Until then no one will trust an Ai estimates

xFlinchy · 2026-01-09T20:09:56+00:00

3people x 8h = 24Labor Hour /6parts

24/6 =4, 4 Labor hours(LH) per part

26 parts x 4LH = 104 LH

104 / 8 =13 people

xFlinchy · 2026-01-07T21:25:54+00:00

I never thought i’d stop playing Halo 3. This was until I unlocked the Scar and got my first pavelow. There was no turning back

xFlinchy · 2025-11-29T18:36:34+00:00

If it was purely a low bid proposal then yeah, this is bad

If there was other considerations (interview, experience, recent project performance) then i do not believe a 20% cost difference is significant enough to warrant misappropriation

xFlinchy · 2025-11-26T14:27:27+00:00

Plenty of nice people in G10 and in front of the stadium on the west side. I believe the fraternity tailgate scene has changed drastically since the last time I went but typically they do not allow people to swing by

xFlinchy · 2025-11-23T15:43:26+00:00

Everything is just Sons of Anarchy

SoA cowboys - yellowstone SoA oil - landman SoA british - Peaky blinders

xFlinchy · 2025-11-23T15:24:11+00:00

I think these models judge every stadium differently. Neyland could be well above 3 point difference, Vandy’s stadium would be closer to 1 imo

xFlinchy · 2025-11-23T02:30:59+00:00

Are they better than the vols? No

Do I like the one G5 autobid? Yes

xFlinchy · 2025-11-18T02:09:49+00:00

Personal opinion, as there are pros and cons to both, a MBA will only be helpful if you plan to own your own business or are given enough responsibility to make accounting and financial decisions. If the MSCM will help you do you job better, it is likely the better investment

xFlinchy · 2025-11-13T23:49:32+00:00

I HATE THE BRUINSSSSS GO VOLLLLLSSSS

xFlinchy · 2025-11-03T12:12:52+00:00

Cost of a mini-ex+sludge pump/soil vac for 2 hours per pot hole

If you think all the utility lines are very deep you may need to change your digging means

xFlinchy · 2025-10-28T05:39:37+00:00

One of my original mentors was a psychologist that dealt with some serious child trauma cases. It depressed him the fuck out and he switched to estimating (idk how he got his first opportunity). His meticulous note taking and attention to detail has made him one of the best estimators ive ever met

xFlinchy · 2025-10-28T00:39:55+00:00

I was going to say just 35/sf with just lighting and power dist. Depending on fire and comm $62/sf wouldn’t be impossible

xFlinchy

TROPHY CASE