Commercial HVAC Estimator

About the job

Commercial HVAC Estimator

Marick Mechanical, an Orion Services Group company | Location: Omaha, NE | On-site

Department: Sales | Reports To: Vice President of Sales | FLSA: Exempt | Travel: As Needed

Position Summary

The Commercial HVAC Estimator is responsible for preparing accurate, competitive, and timely cost estimates for commercial HVAC construction and small-project opportunities while managing assigned awarded projects from turnover through closeout. The role evaluates project documents, develops labor and material estimates, solicits and analyzes vendor and subcontractor pricing, identifies project risks, and prepares complete proposals aligned with Marick's margin expectations and customer requirements.

For assigned smaller projects, this position maintains ownership of scope, budget, schedule, documentation, customer communication, change management, billing coordination, and closeout. The role works closely with Sales, Operations, Project Management, field leadership, suppliers, and subcontractors to convert opportunities into profitable work and ensure a disciplined transition from estimate to execution.

Mission of the Role

Win profitable commercial HVAC work through disciplined estimating and successfully execute assigned small projects by protecting scope, margin, schedule, quality, safety, and customer commitments from bid through final closeout.

Key Responsibilities

Estimating & Preconstruction

• Review project drawings, specifications, addenda, bid documents, and customer requirements to establish complete project scope and identify clarifications, exclusions, and assumptions.

• Perform quantity takeoffs and develop comprehensive labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, freight, permit, and miscellaneous cost estimates.

• Solicit, level, and evaluate vendor and subcontractor quotations to confirm scope coverage, pricing, lead times, and commercial terms.

• Prepare complete bid proposals, qualifications, alternates, exclusions, and supporting documentation in accordance with company standards.

• Participate in pre-bid meetings, customer discussions, site visits, and walkthroughs to validate scope, site conditions, constructability, and project requirements.

• Apply appropriate labor factors, material pricing, contingency, escalation, overhead, and margin assumptions to produce competitive estimates that meet company profitability objectives.

• Maintain organized estimating files, bid documentation, pricing history, and supporting cost data to ensure estimates are traceable and transferable to operations.

Project Ownership & Execution

• Assume full project ownership for awarded projects within assigned size and complexity, from internal turnover through final billing and closeout.

• Establish and maintain project scope, budget, schedule, procurement requirements, customer expectations, and internal responsibilities at project start.

• Coordinate with field leadership, operations, vendors, and subcontractors to ensure work is properly planned, resourced, and executed safely and efficiently.

• Monitor project progress, labor productivity, equipment costs, material costs, subcontractor expenses, commitments, and cost-to-complete throughout execution.

• Prepare, price, document, and negotiate change orders; ensure additional or revised work is authorized, captured, and billed in a timely manner.

• Maintain required project documentation, including RFIs, submittals, meeting notes, schedules, change documentation, customer correspondence, and cost records.

• Support timely project billing and cash flow by providing complete documentation and promptly resolving items that may delay invoicing or collection.

• Conduct project closeout activities, including punch-list completion, final billing, warranty documentation, turnover records, and lessons learned.

Project Analysis, Risk & Financial Management

• Analyze schedule requirements, constructability, labor availability, equipment needs, subcontractor strategy, site logistics, and other resource requirements during both estimating and execution.

• Identify scope gaps, contract risks, customer requirements, long-lead items, cost exposure, and execution constraints early and escalate material concerns as appropriate.

• Track project financial performance against the estimate and forecast expected final cost, gross margin, and cost-to-complete for assigned projects.

• Protect project margin through disciplined scope management, cost control, timely purchasing decisions, accurate change-order capture, and proactive issue resolution.

• Maintain awareness of labor trends, material pricing, equipment costs, market conditions, code requirements, and industry changes that may affect estimate accuracy or project execution.

Collaboration & Project Handoff

• Work closely with the Vice President of Sales, project managers, operations leaders, field personnel, and other stakeholders throughout the estimating and project lifecycle.

• Participate in project turnover meetings to ensure scope, pricing assumptions, risk items, procurement needs, schedule expectations, and customer commitments are clearly transferred.

• Provide estimating and cost-analysis support during project execution for scope revisions, value engineering, change orders, budget updates, and customer requests.

• Build and maintain productive relationships with customers, suppliers, subcontractors, design partners, and internal teams to support successful project outcomes and future opportunities.

Business Development Support

• Assist Sales and leadership with conceptual budgets, preliminary estimates, value-engineering alternatives, and early project planning.

• Support customer presentations, proposal reviews, scope discussions, and pricing conversations when technical estimating expertise is needed.

• Provide responsive estimating support that strengthens customer confidence, improves proposal quality, and contributes to repeat and negotiated business.

Cost Management & Continuous Improvement

• Compare estimated costs to actual project performance and use completed-project data to improve labor factors, material assumptions, pricing accuracy, and estimating practices.

• Assist with developing and maintaining estimating standards, templates, historical cost information, bid checklists, and best practices.

• Identify opportunities to improve estimating speed, consistency, project handoff, documentation quality, and overall workflow efficiency.

• Participate in post-project reviews and share lessons learned that improve future estimating, planning, and project execution.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate combines strong commercial HVAC estimating knowledge with a project-owner mindset. This individual is detail-oriented, financially disciplined, comfortable making informed decisions under deadline pressure, and able to move seamlessly between technical estimating work, customer interaction, and hands-on management of smaller awarded projects.

• Highly analytical and accurate, with the ability to translate drawings, specifications, field conditions, and vendor information into a complete project cost model.

• Commercially minded and attentive to margin, scope control, risk, change management, billing, and cash performance.

• Organized and responsive, with the ability to manage multiple bids and active project priorities without sacrificing quality or follow-through.

• Collaborative, credible, and accountable with customers, field teams, suppliers, subcontractors, and internal leaders; willing to take ownership from initial estimate through project closeout.

Required Experience

• Demonstrated experience estimating commercial HVAC or mechanical construction work, including labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, and related project costs.

• Ability to read and interpret commercial construction drawings, specifications, schedules, bid documents, and contract requirements.

• Strong understanding of commercial HVAC systems, construction methods, project costing, labor productivity, and contract administration.

• Experience coordinating or managing commercial construction projects, including scope, schedule, cost, documentation, change orders, and closeout.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn and effectively use estimating, project-management, and related construction software.

• Strong mathematical, analytical, organizational, written communication, and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to prioritize multiple deadlines, work independently, and collaborate effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Experience

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related field; equivalent field, estimating, or project-management experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Five or more years of commercial HVAC or mechanical estimating experience.

• Experience managing commercial HVAC or mechanical projects from award through final closeout using estimating, takeoff, project-management, or field-service software common to the mechanical contracting industry.

Core Competencies

• Estimating, Cost Analysis & Financial Acumen

• Project Planning, Execution & Time Management

• Customer Focus & Commercial Awareness

• Communication, Collaboration, Negotiation & Scope Management

• Problem Solving, Accountability & Ownership

• Continuous Improvement, Safety & Quality Mindset

Success Measures

• Accuracy, completeness, competitiveness, and turnaround time of estimates.

• Bid win rate and volume of profitable awarded work.

• Gross-margin performance and estimate-to-actual cost accuracy.

• Assigned-project completion within approved budget, scope, and schedule.

• Timely identification, documentation, approval, and billing of change orders, with strong project billing and cash-flow support.

• Quality and completeness of project documentation and handoff to operations.

• Customer satisfaction, repeat business, responsiveness, and effective collaboration with operations, field teams, suppliers, subcontractors, and Sales.

• Safety, quality, and compliance performance on assigned projects, along with demonstrated improvement in estimating standards, cost data, and process consistency.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Primarily office-based with periodic travel to customer sites, project locations, pre-bid meetings, and jobsite walkthroughs.

• Jobsite visits may require use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and the ability to safely navigate active construction environments.

• May require additional hours or schedule flexibility to meet bid deadlines or project requirements. Ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods; occasionally lift up to 25 pounds; and safely access construction sites as required.

Reporting Relationship

This role reports directly to the Vice President of Sales and works cross-functionally with Operations, Project Management, field leadership, Finance, customers, vendors, and subcontractors. The position coordinates project activities and resources for assigned smaller projects but is not necessarily a direct people-management role.

Location & Travel

Location: Omaha, Nebraska. This is an on-site position with local and regional travel as needed for customer meetings, pre-bid walkthroughs, project coordination, and jobsite visits.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications required. Responsibilities may change based on business needs. Marick Mechanical is an equal opportunity employer.