The Evolving Role of Estimators in Construction

Estimators are the real MVPs behind bidding competitively. But right now, they’re stuck poring over plans instead of perfecting bids or focusing on pricing jobs better. 

Here’s the brutal truth: The average estimator wastes 1,040 hours a year on manual takeoffs . 

This needs to change. Why? So that estimators can evolve into strategic powerhouses who drive growth and profitability for construction companies. 

With AI tools reshaping most industries, construction is no exception. AI-based takeoff solutions are changing the game - cutting down manual effort, speeding up bid submissions, and allowing estimators to focus on strategy instead of spreadsheets. In concise words - AI is here to move estimators to higher value tasks.

Let’s dive into how this transformation is reshaping the role of estimators and why it’s essential for companies to keep up.

The Current Reality:

Estimators as Overburdened Number Crunchers (And It’s Costing You Bids & Customers)

1. The Time Drain of Manual Takeoffs

30-50% of the bid cycle is currently spent on taking off quantities manually. Grinding through takeoffs can eat days of your team’s time. Meanwhile, your deadlines tick closer. This delays bid submissions and project approvals. For larger projects, this takeoff process can stretch across weeks. 

2. The Ripple Effect of a Manual-Heavy Process

This inefficient process delays bids. 60% of the time the bid that reaches your prospect first wins. So half the battle is lost there.  

Besides, estimators caught in reactive workflows, miss opportunities to:

• Negotiate early with suppliers.
• Conduct thorough risk assessments.
• Propose smarter design decisions that could save costs.

3. The Industry Status Quo

Despite advancements, most companies rely on semi-automated tools requiring significant manual intervention. These tools allow users to draw polygons on site plans to take off quantities.

The result? Hours spent on doing takeoffs - leading to a slower bidding process further bringing down your bidding velocity. And you end up passing up opportunities that you could have bid on

The Potential: Estimators as Strategic Powerhouses

 What Estimators Could Be Doing Instead

1. Refining Estimates for Competitive Bids. Historical cost data offers insights into labor productivity, material usage, and cost fluctuations over time, enabling estimators to refine their estimates and enhance accuracy.
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2. Value Engineering: They can identify cost-saving opportunities, optimize materials, and refine designs without compromising quality. For instance, proposing alternative materials or methods allows you to deliver bids that balance cost efficiency and value.
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3. Collaborating with General Contractors and Vendors: Proactive alignment with GCs and vendors ensures clear project scopes, reducing costly revisions and fostering smoother workflows.
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4. Preemptive Problem-Solving: Insights from the preconstruction phase can help flag potential bottlenecks, enabling estimators to suggest solutions before issues escalate.

The Competitive Advantage

In a recent conversation with Irana Perez, Estimator, Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors Inc., we understood in great detail how automating takeoffs with Beam AI has changed a couple of significant things for their team:

1. Expanded their opportunity pipeline - so no more passing up bids
2. Estimators are spending more time on client outreach and reviewing estimates further boosting competitiveness

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The Role of Automation in Unlocking Estimators’ Potential

Automation can reclaim 70–80% of an estimator’s time. This opens a host of  possibilities:

• Engage with suppliers early for better pricing  
• Conduct in-depth market analyses
• Tailor bids with value engineering strategies
• Collaborate more effectively with GCs and vendors on scope planning

The result? Bids that are accurate, competitive, and on time. 

Take the Next Step Toward Transformation

If your estimators are still bogged down by manual takeoffs, it’s time to reconsider your approach. Ask yourself: 

• How many hours are you losing to manual takeoffs?
• Could your estimators be more strategic if they had more time?
• Are you leaving money on the table by not bidding on more jobs?

With Beam AI, we’ve seen firsthand how automated takeoffs can redefine the estimator's role. No more endless drawing polygons. Instead, your team can focus on optimizing bids, winning more jobs, and driving profitability. 

Don’t let your estimators waste another hour on manual takeoffs. 

Talk to us and get your first plan taken off for free today.