a new estmator, just in time - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

HCECalaska · 04-05-2007, 11:25 PM

this week i hired a new estimator at my office. and i think it was in just the nick of time. i have been working on 4 bids over the last week and a half. when i agreed to bid the projects there was a few days between all of them. well typical bids with last minute addendums i have one bid tomarrow 2 more due on wendsday and 1 on thursday. so now in less then a weeks time i have about $8M worth of bids due out. one of these projects is a $4M scada project and will be very time consuming.. i guess that is why the made weekends for... (2 extra days to catch up)

MDShunk · 04-06-2007, 06:36 AM

SCADA? Do they use that style system in the oilfields? Or is this for overhead linework?

brian john · 04-06-2007, 07:04 AM

Definition - Estimation: My least favorite part of any job.

HCECalaska · 04-06-2007, 09:06 AM

although i would have to agree with you about it being my least favorite part of my job, (why do you think i hired a full time estimator) but with the current pile of prints i could have 4 estimators going.
they use some SCADA systems on the oil patches, but this one is being used by Anchorage to manage thier water systems. we are currently finishing the last of 14 well sites on this scada project, and im bidding on 20 lift stations now. only 365 pages in the prints, and im bidding as the prime.

HCECalaska · 04-06-2007, 09:07 AM

oh and yess, i did get up at 3am so i can get an early start on todays fun of estimating.

Recruit4Meisner · 04-06-2007, 09:48 AM

Good estimators are getting harder and harder to find.
Congrats on your new hire!

brian john · 04-07-2007, 08:57 AM

HCE:
The few aspects of this job I dislike are always the ones I have to do (like you) when the work load increases, plus me regular duties which means OT and like you (I assume) I am salaried.

Last week my partner was in Aspen, my assistant was in Florida, my office assistant was waiting for his wife to have a baby, secretary was sick. My family went to Florida without me, cause someone had to watch the fort. In addition had a major cut over which requires Saturday and Sunday (Easter) work, we were swamped with work and Friday the emergency calls started coming in, got home last night (Well today) at 12:30

HCECalaska · 04-07-2007, 01:41 PM

i have said manny times, if i didnt like what i do i would change professions long ago.
im just very glad that i had a good hire right in the nick of time. the way i found him was i called Visions Infosoft. they make the EBM estimating software i use. my idea was it would sure be nice to hire someone that i dont need to train on the estimating system i use. turned out that one of the companies in town was closing down (ownership problems) and they used EBM. no knowing anyone at that shop i started making some enquiries about thier managment/estimating staff who might be avaiable. a week later my sales rep from Visions called me asking if it would be ok if he passed my contact info to one of the guys from the company. and some negotiating later i had a new estimator. just in the nick of time.

HCECalaska · 04-07-2007, 01:47 PM

the day i hired him i also found out that i was put on the short list of invite only contractors to bid on a new middle school project.
the first of april was the start of my new fiscal year. and i won my first 2 bids. i know i hire a new estimator and they win thier first 2 bids, would be a scary thing to me. but these were bids i had finished before he started. so it looks like it may be a busy year. might need to look for another PM if any of you are interested in living in alaska. :-)

brian john · 04-07-2007, 02:54 PM

When I let the majority of bigger jobs go to an estimator I was scared. He messes up and I could be in deep doo doo. But this guy (hope he is not a member), is GREAT my profit margin has improved, he has a feel for how much we can get for a job I was more prone to be low.

HCECalaska · 04-07-2007, 05:50 PM

i have always mixed my time from PM to estimating, and it always took some time to get back to the zone as an estimator. this guy is a former contractor so he understands what im doing too, but he is my full time estimator. im very pleased after the first week. alot of people can speak a good story during an interview, but i have been working with him side by side estimating all week. i use the pro version of EBM which allows multiple estimators to work on the same estimate. so we would devide up lighting and power, distribution and special systems. the questions and coments he made while estimating were the same ones i had, and he knew where to find the answers with out my help in the specs.

brian john · 04-07-2007, 07:19 PM

I love to listen to electricians in an interview, the ones that say the least about the gift to the trade are usually the ones I like, compared to the guy that knows everything.

MDShunk · 04-07-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

I love to listen to electricians in an interview, the ones that say the least about the gift to the trade are usually the ones I like, compared to the guy that knows everything.

I go to interviews on a regular basis, "just in case". I've developed such a feel for interviewers over time, I can just about peg what it is they'll want to hear within a minute or so. There are only so many personality types. The best test of a candidate that passes the interview is a hand's on test.

brian john · 04-07-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

The best test of a candidate that passes the interview is a hand's on test.

Excuse me but if we touch the candidates for employment won't we be charged with harassment?

MDShunk · 04-07-2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

Excuse me but if we touch the candidates for employment won't we be charged with harassment?

I don't even know how to respond to that

I mean like troubleshoot a mocked up PLC problem or bend some pipe or whatever. Heck, I've even had to ascend a ladder for some tests, just to see if I was a chicken.

HCECalaska · 04-07-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

Excuse me but if we touch the candidates for employment won't we be charged with harassment?

now that is quick and funny

John Valdes · 05-19-2007, 02:04 PM

Estimating has always been difficult for me. How do you become an estimator? Since I have been disabled (can still work in office and some outside) I have considered training in this field. I have a masters and contactors card.

oldnslow · 05-20-2007, 05:33 PM

Estimating programs~

I have used Accubid and Vision Infosoft. Started with the Vision software. When asked what the difference is I tell them Accubid is like working in DOS and Vision like working on a Mac. Both are good programs but big difference in how intuitive they are.

~oldnslow

HCECalaska · 05-21-2007, 02:08 AM

you might be able to check with a local mid to large sized contractor, tell them your experience and what you would like to do. you should expect the pay wont be anywhere near what you would make as a wireman. atleast in the beginning. you are looking for training and it will cost you some to get it.

Mountain Electrician · 05-23-2007, 05:39 AM

Years ago, when I worked for a medium sized industrial contractor, we did all our estimating with a paper and pencil. Breaking each project into the smallest and most detailed possible segments, we then did our takeoff. We devoloped our own labor units based on our experience and the men we had working for us. We were a speciality contractor, (natural gas plants and refinery units) and by taking our own crews and traveling around the western US, we did pretty well. I worked for that company about 7 years and learned quite a lot. I have always felt more comfortable estimating without software, but I understand a large company that bids many projects can't take that kind of time to do their estimating. I would assume that any estimating software allows you to "fine tune" things such as overhead, profit, labor units, etc. to suit your individual needs.