The Art of Construction Estimating

Skilled estimators seem to have disappeared from the industry. But there is one big problem: Skilled estimators are still very much needed in industry.Estimators are among the highest paid professionals in the industry, from £22k for a trainee up to £85k for a seasoned professional, as of the time of writing in 2023. This reflects their level of responsibility, scarcity and value to the market. This is as much or more than a quantity surveyor who has probably spent years studying at university.Estimating is one of, if not the, most important jobs in the construction industry, and estimators are in very high demand. If you train as an estimator today, within a year you could be earning good money and find it very easy to find secure employment.There has long been a shortage of estimators in our industry, giving building companies major issues getting work priced. And making the ones that are available, very valuable to the market.The other problem facing building firms is that there are very few estimators being trained. Currently, no college or university course exists that I could find that covers the skills required to become an estimator. I could only find one book on Amazon that was anywhere near relevant. I couldn’t find any written by a builder, who would be best placed to offer the most relevant training.So, not only does it pay well, there is scarcity and no training exists, which means skilled estimators will always be highly sought after; this is why you should train as an estimator. Wherever you are in life right now, you can train to be an estimator and within a few years you will be earning enough money to easily provide your family with a good standard of living, just as it has done for my family.This is my reason for writing the book: to raise awareness of estimating and to capture more than 35 years of pricing knowledge; to fill the training gap and help aspiring estimators. I have been pricing building projects for more than 35 years, having taken over the business from my father. I have tendered some 2500 jobs, ranging from £20,000 to £5m in value. My win/lose ratio was around two in five, which is very good in the industry. This success has enabled me, along with my sons, to build a substantial construction and property development business. So, I feel very confident that mine and my sons’ skills and experience shared in this book will stand you in good stead for your career as an estimator.This book is a practical training manual with very in-depth information, which I believe you will not find anywhere else. It includes everything you need to know to become a building estimator, peppered with deep gems of wisdom and insider tips built up over a lifetime in the industry.It represents mine and my sons’ opinions only, and is based entirely on our lives of successfully pricing building projects in our main contracting business. It contains all the skills you will need to be a competent estimator for any company in the UK and much of the world.