Obsidian Point

About the Role

Indiana Earth is an established Northern Indiana excavation and sitework contractor performing public, municipal and private projects throughout the region. Our work includes site preparation, earthwork, excavation, demolition, underground/site utilities, trucking and related sitework. We bid projects both as a prime contractor and as a subcontractor to general contractors. Indiana Earth is a union contractor, and we are looking for an experienced Estimator who understands how labor classifications, union rates, fringes, crew makeup and production affect job costs.

Responsibilities

• Review plans, specifications, geotechnical reports, addenda and other bid documents.
• Perform quantity takeoffs and prepare complete estimates for:

- Site preparation and grading

- Excavation and earthwork

- Demolition and site clearing

- Building pads and subgrade

- Storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water services

- Pipe, structures, manholes, inlets, hydrants and related utility work

- Stone, aggregate and backfill, including materials such as #53 limestone

- Trucking, spoils, import/export and disposal

- Erosion control and related sitework

• Develop estimates using realistic crew production, labor hours, equipment, materials, trucking and subcontractor pricing.
• Apply the correct union labor classifications, wage rates, fringes, burdens and overtime assumptions to each estimate.
• Understand cut/fill, dirt balance, stripping, undercut, unsuitable soils, haul distances and disposal requirements.
• Solicit and review supplier and subcontractor quotes and make sure all scopes are covered.
• Prepare public and municipal bids, including unit-price schedules, bid forms, alternates, addenda and bonding requirements.
• Prepare sitework proposals for general contractors and private customers.
• Participate in bid reviews and final pricing discussions before submission.
• Track bid results and follow up with owners, GCs and other customers after bid day.
• Help identify new opportunities through ConstructConnect, BuildingConnected, public bid sites, plan rooms and contractor invitations.
• Maintain an organized electronic bid log and supporting estimate files. - Break estimates into appropriate labor, equipment, material, trucking and subcontractor cost codes.
• Turn awarded jobs over to operations with the quantities, production assumptions, vendor pricing, exclusions and other information used to build the estimate.
• Review estimated versus actual job costs and production so future bids reflect what we are seeing in the field.

What We're Looking For

• 3–5+ years of estimating experience with an excavation, sitework, underground utility or similar contractor.
• Experience estimating self-performed sitework.
• Strong understanding of excavation, grading, earthwork and site construction.
• Working knowledge of underground utility and pipe work.
• Experience with union construction and/or prevailing-wage work strongly preferred.
• Understanding of union labor classifications, wage rates, fringes and crew costing.
• Experience with public and municipal bidding strongly preferred.
• Experience bidding as both a prime contractor and subcontractor is a plus.
• Ability to read civil plans and specifications independently.
• Strong understanding of labor, equipment, material, trucking and subcontractor costs.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Organized and able to manage multiple bid deadlines.
• Comfortable working directly with suppliers, subcontractors, GCs, engineers and owners.

A Construction Management or Civil Engineering degree is helpful but not required. Relevant estimating and field experience are more important.

Software

Strong Excel skills are required. Experience with construction estimating, takeoff and bidding platforms such as HCSS HeavyBid, ConstructConnect, BuildingConnected, Procore, RocTek, AGTEK, Bluebeam, B2W or similar systems is preferred.

Compensation

$75,000–$95,000 base salary, depending on experience, plus eligibility for a discretionary performance bonus tied to individual performance, work won or brought into the company, and overall company results. Indiana Earth may consider compensation outside the stated range for a candidate with particularly strong and directly relevant estimating experience.

Obsidian Point Partners is a long-term investment and operating entity focused on building strong, enduring businesses.

We own and support three established Midwest businesses: a commercial vehicle maintenance company in Chicago, an excavation and underground utility contractor in Missouri, and a heavy civil and site development contractor in Northern Indiana.

We are hiring an Estimator to join our Northern Indiana business and help support its continued growth, strengthen the finance function, and work closely with local leadership and ownership.