Estimator/Project Procurement

Job Description: Landscape Estimator & Procurement Specialist

Position Title: Landscape Estimator & Procurement Specialist

Department: Operations / Pre-Construction

Reports To: Operations Director / General Manager

FLSA Status: Full-Time / Exempt

Position Overview

The Landscape Estimator & Procurement Specialist plays a pivotal bridge role between sales, design, and field operations. This dual-function position is responsible for delivering precise, profitable cost estimates for high-end residential and commercial hardscaping and landscape projects, as well as orchestrating the end-to-end purchasing and vendor coordination required to bring those designs to life.

By working closely with Landscape Designers, Project Managers, and supplier networks, you ensure that every project is accurately priced, materials are acquired at optimal margins, and all hardscaping, masonry, softscaping, and specialized site supplies arrive on-site on schedule and within budget.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities1. Estimating & Pre-Construction Analysis

• Design & Blueprint Takeoffs: Review landscape design drawings, 3D renderings, and civil site plans to perform accurate quantity takeoffs for hardscape materials (pavers, wall blocks, natural stone, aggregates, concrete, drainage systems) and softscapes.
• Cost Modeling & Pricing: Build comprehensive cost estimates including labor hours, heavy equipment usage, subcontractor fees, materials, freight, and site setup. Apply appropriate profit margins, contingencies, and overhead allowances.
• Design Team Collaboration: Partner directly with Landscape Designers during the initial concept phase to evaluate constructability, recommend alternative material options (value engineering), and verify target budget alignment.
• Proposal Development: Draft clear, itemized job scopes, exclusions, payment schedules, and proposal documents for client presentation.
• Site Evaluation: Conduct pre-bid job site visits to evaluate access constraints, site elevation changes, soil conditions, utility locations, and staging areas that impact labor and equipment requirements.

2. Procurement & Vendor Relations

• Vendor Sourcing & Negotiation: Establish and manage relationships with stone quarries, hardscape distributors, nurseries, aggregate suppliers, and specialty manufacturers to secure competitive trade pricing, volume discounts, and optimal credit terms.
• Material Procurement & Purchase Orders: Issue formal Purchase Orders (POs) for all project materials, ensuring exact specifications, quantities, color variations, and delivery schedules match project requirements.
• Hardscaping & Specialty Supply Logistics: Direct line coordination for hardscape supply pipelines, including custom stone fabrication, pavers, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, bulk aggregates, soil, geotextiles, and drainage components.
• Inventory & Lead-Time Tracking: Monitor material lead times and track active purchase orders to eliminate job-site downtime. Proactively identify material shortages or supply chain bottlenecks and coordinate acceptable substitutions with designers and clients.

3. Job Costing & Operations Handoff

• Pre-Con Handoff Meetings: Conduct formal project kickoff meetings with Operations Managers and Field Lead Hands to hand over detailed bill of materials (BOM), estimate assumptions, labor hour budgets, and delivery schedules.
• Job Cost Auditing: Continuously compare estimated costs against actual material spend and labor tracking upon project completion. Conduct post-job variance analysis to continuously refine estimating formulas and labor production rates.
• Change Order Pricing: Price and document change orders resulting from site condition variations, design modifications, or client requests promptly during construction.

Qualifications & Skill RequirementsExperience & Education

• Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of hands-on experience in landscape/hardscape estimating, purchasing, or project management in the green industry.
• Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Construction Management, Horticulture, Civil Engineering, or equivalent trade experience.
• Hardscape Knowledge: installation standards, base preparation, retaining wall engineering, and natural stone specifications.

Technical & Software Proficiency

• Estimating Software: Proficiency with landscape estimating and field management software (e.g., LMN, Aspire, SingleOps, Include Software, or custom Excel models).
• Takeoff & Design Tools: Competency with CAD/takeoff tools (e.g., DynaSCAPE, Auto-CAD) to interpret scale drawings and extract accurate area/volume measurements.
• Office & ERP Systems: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (formulas, pivot tables, cost models) and inventory/procurement systems.

Core Competencies

• Negotiation Skills: Strong commercial acumen and ability to negotiate pricing, terms, and delivery schedules with vendor networks.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous accuracy when reviewing measurements, unit prices, supplier quotes, and contracts.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to articulate trade details effectively between creative designers, field crews, and commercial vendors.
• Bid Accuracy: Maintaining an average variance of estimated project costs and actual final costs.
• Gross Profit Margin Maintenance: Achieving or exceeding targeted gross profit margins across all estimated hardscape and landscape projects.
• On-Time Material Delivery: Manage project material deliveries arriving on site in accordance with field production schedules.
• Purchase Order Accuracy: Zero job delays resulting from inaccurate material counts or incorrect product specifications.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Environment: Split between a professional office environment (70–80%) and active outdoor job sites/quarries/distributor yards (20–30%).
• Physical Requirements: Ability to navigate rough terrain on active construction sites, lift up to 30 lbs (sample materials/stone), and sit/stand for extended periods in front of digital plan workstations.

Join us if you’re ready to bring your estimation expertise into a vibrant environment where your skills will directly impact the success of major projects!

Pay: From $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person