Why is it so hard to find Construction Estimators?

Why it’s so hard finding Construction Estimators

Estimators have always been notoriously difficult to find.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s for a construction company from the UK, USA or Australia.

The difficulty is the same.

So what does an Estimator do?

According to Indeed “An Estimator, or Cost Engineer, is responsible for cost calculations to determine how much it will cost a company to complete a project or provide products and services to its clients. They do this by researching the costs of the materials, transport, labour and equipment.”

This ensures that clients, contractors, and even project managers make informed decisions, minimize risks, and enhance profitability.

Despite the huge role they play in the integrity of the construction process. Estimating often can be a thankless task and therefore many experienced Estimators are choosing to ditch the industry, retire early or take a leave of absence due to burn out amongst a pyramid of other reasons.

In this blog, we will examine a number of reasons why it’s so difficult to find estimators and what we need to understand when searching for people with this specialist skill set.

5 Reasons Why It's Difficult to Find a Construction Estimator

Lack of a Dedicated Pathway

There isn't a dedicated pathway for estimators. Estimating has no clearly defined or specialized educational or career track that is specifically designed for people wishing to pursue a career in it. Individuals in this role often come from different backgrounds or acquire skills through various routes, like obtaining a college or university degree in quantity surveying, civil engineering, or construction management, completing an apprenticeship or internship with a construction company, or through on-the-tools experience in a construction firm. So, there's no definitive requirement for becoming an estimator, as anybody from diverse backgrounds can pursue a career in it. This has it’s benefits i.e. a lack of barriers to entry however with no formal qualification within the profession, many young people decide to pursue a career that offers credibility and this leaves an incredible skill shortage within the sector.

Skill Gap

Over a number of decades the skill gap has grown exponentially within the industry. For sub contract industries such as Electrical, Mechanical, Steel, Utilities etc. It’s virtually impossible to find good estimators without having to commit to the process of “procuring” them as a construction company would any asset. The process of bidding for estimators is all too common which is one of the reasons why salaries have grown so much in the last few years.

Due to the fact that estimators come from different backgrounds, there's a huge skill gap in the profession. For example, even though estimators can hone their skills over time, they should generally possess some requisite skills, namely organizational, technical, analytical, critical thinking, communication, time management, and writing skills, as well as being detail-oriented. When estimators come from a range of backgrounds, it’s difficult to offer dedicated training as not everyone is starting from the same point.

Lack of Recognition

There's a lack of recognition for estimators, especially due to the lack of a good understanding of their all-important role in the construction industry. Estimating is a very difficult job that involves not only creating accurate cost estimates in line with the prevailing conditions and market rates but also predicting the potential costs of projects in the future, sometimes spanning six to 18 months or even more after the estimate is complete. Despite these huge roles, estimators, who are among the most crucial players in the construction process, are often the least recognized. This leads to those within the industry wanting to move away from traditional estimating into other areas such as Project Management or Commercial Management.

Competition from Other Areas

It's always been difficult to find a construction estimator because estimating doesn't have the same pull of project management.
When students go to University, they dream of of delivering the big, sexy and attractive construction projects around the globe. Not many ponder off in the middle of Construction Management class and dream about “pricing” such a project.

There is also the reality that in many cases, Project Managers are paid significantly better than Estimators.

In Australia, for example, a project manager can earn AUD$200,000 per year on average, but a senior project manager can earn significantly higher, up to AUD$250,000. In the U.S., a project manager can earn $120,00 to $180,872 per year on average, depending on their years of experience. Some companies, will pay significantly more than the average depending on project complexity, demand throughout the project and the stakeholders involved.

Search for Flexibility & Freedom

Gen Z is who we will rely on as an industry to continue developing our streets, building our roads and developing our homes and hospitals. However GEN Z are abondinign the construfction industry and moving towards high paid job in Technology, Finance and Artificial Intelligence more so than ever before.

Potentially witnessing their parents struggle through major global events like the GFC and the Covid Pandemic of 2020 and 2021, there is more demand for doing work that they genuinely enjoy, that allows for travel, flexibility and freedom.

This is something the estimating industry could offer. But it will require more construction companies to shake up their expectations and begin offering true flexibility for their team members.

Luckily, estimating is a job that in theory can be done from anywhere and this is something that needs to be embraced in order to attract the next phase of estimators in the industry. If we don’t have estimators tendering on projects, we won’t have any projects to deliver. And that’s a scary thing.

So we must do something, and do it quick.

How GEDON Executive Recruitment Can Help

GEDON Executive Recruitment is a niche staffing and recruiting business in the hyper-niche pre-construction and cost management segments of the construction sector throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. With over a decade of recruiting experience at a global level, we’ve built an amazing ecosystem of experienced candidates across the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. With the talent shortage so severe in the pre-construction, cost, and project advisory industries, our network of renowned and respected professionals will benefit every company in these areas and beyond. We help job seekers in the construction industry brush up their resumes, connect with prospective employers, and land their dream jobs. For more information, pleasecontact us.