Oscar Medina says he likes his job because it is varied. "Being a cost estimator has a very broad scope," he says.
Medina is a mechanical designer and project coordinator. "I do a variety of jobs, from cost estimating of oil and gas production, equipment...and piping to estimating work activities, which includes materials and labor costs."
There are also rules that must be followed. "I have to know the regulations and guidelines that must be followed when preparing and submitting proposals for a variety of customers."
Beyond the challenges of the job, Medina also finds the competition in the field exhilarating. "I get nervous when bid openings start. I want to have the lowest bid, and at the same time, there are other estimators there, examining my bid. It's the moment of truth when I find out how well I have done my job."
Medina finds the work to be uplifting in some ways. "This job has taken me behind the scenes on a number of projects which change people's lives for the better. My work has helped public clients as well as private clients. And it's good to know I had a hand in it," he says.
Of course, every job has a downside. "There are mountains of paperwork that have to be done," he explains. "Half of my time is spent writing the bids and proposals. It requires a lot of work, and I spend a lot of time behind a desk."
Medina says the career of cost estimating is an interesting one. "This field has a lot to offer those interested. But I would suggest that anyone interested ask a lot of questions first, and define the field in which they want to be an estimator. There are many fields besides construction where an estimator can work."
Cindy Crawley of Indiana says being an estimator has changed her life. "My responsibilities are always changing and my leadership roles are always changing. I have matured in the way I understand people and in my understanding of businesses."
Change is a constant in this field. The business changes every day. "You have to maintain your flexibility and be very accommodating to your customers. I have found it serves no purpose for me to plan at the end of the day what I am going to do the next day, because our schedule is changing constantly. But that's what keeps it exciting!" she says.
"The most exciting moment I have had yet was being given the opportunity to buy part of this company and become a business owner. But I also get excited every time I find out I made the lowest bid, and my company is awarded the project."
The decision to become part owner was a tough one for Crawley. "But so was deciding to quit working with the contract I had been employed with for 11 years so I could complete my schooling. I was scared to not work for a while, but in the end I finished school and got my bachelor's degree. That led me to where I am now."
Now, she is enjoying her career choice. "Of course, it's not all easy," Crawley notes. "Analyzing your final numbers and evaluating where you have to be in order to make your bid the lowest is the hardest part of the job. And the research it takes to understand the scope of a project can be time-consuming and frustrating."
However, she sees an easier road ahead. "As technology is developed and implemented, the job will get nothing but easier. Technology won't replace human instincts and the way an estimator gets a feel for a project, the market or the competition, but it will make other portions of the job less time-consuming," she explains.
"Estimating is very detailed, time-consuming work that never ends," says Crawley. "You must always be willing to get into a project, try to picture how it can and will be built, and be willing to work that night shift if that is what it takes to get a bid done."