Best Construction Estimating Classes in Chicago

What is Construction Estimating?

Constructing new buildings, such as homes, businesses, schools, or industrial facilities, requires a significant financial investment. As a result, customers deserve an in-depth and accurate estimate from a construction estimating expert. This process includes analyzing material expenses, labor costs, and insurance fees to provide clients with a comprehensive analysis of their project’s final value. Before the 1980s, most estimation was done by pencil and paper. 

With the advent of affordable personal computers, spreadsheets, printers, the internet, and cloud-based processing, construction estimating has become even more advanced and exciting. As a result, Chicago builders and contractors may need specialized tech-related skills to estimate their projects successfully. Thankfully, the Windy City offers multiple high-quality construction estimating educational facilities and programs to get them easily prepared.

Construction Estimating Classes Near Me

By now, Chicago readers should know whether construction estimating sounds like an exciting skill to learn. Those ready to jump into their education may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of available programs. With dozens of schools and courses throughout the city and online, it’s hard to narrow down the best options! Thankfully, serious learners can read through the following information to find a program that makes the most sense for their needs.

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VDCI 

VDCI is a popular training team that offers online education nationwide. Its unique learning platform offers self-directed courses that blend the live online world of hands-on teachers with the personalized approach of on-demand sessions. In this way, students get the best opportunity to craft their studies and should feel comfortable transitioning to better courses.

Construction Estimator Course

Construction Estimator Course offers 20 hours of hands-on instruction that costs just $330, a steal for people serious about mastering this skill. They’ll work in project-based studies, take quizzes to reinforce their skills, and earn a digital certificate of completion highlighting their abilities. They even get 1-on-1 sessions with mentors to further enhance their knowledge. 

Construction Management II

Construction Management II offers intensive training for contractors that includes 20 hours of instruction for just $330. It builds on what learners study in Construction Management I, including expanding their estimation skills. When done, attendees should have a firm grasp of the techniques needed to transition into a high-earning construction management career. 

Illinois Tech 

Illinois Tech offers on-campus courses on a variety of subjects right in downtown Chicago. It focuses heavily on quickly preparing serious learners for tech and labor jobs, including computer, construction, contracting, electrical, and HVAC fields. Windy City residents can apply for financial aid to streamline their education and avoid spending too much on their learning. 

Construction Management (Certificate)

Construction Management (Certificate) is a non-degree career training course that covers topics like cost estimation, construction site operations, and contract administration. Provided by the Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering department, this on-campus program includes 12 credit hours that are applicable toward a bachelor’s degree in construction fields.

What Can You Do with Construction Estimating Training?

Chitown residents learning construction estimating typically study this subject to bolster their careers. Some might already work as contractors and simply want to become more expert-level estimators. Others may labor in other fields and feel like changing things up a little. That said, even people uninterested in these markets may use construction estimating skills in their day-to-day lives. Here are three unique ways anyone can use construction estimating.

Home Renovations 

Amateur builders and homeowners can easily use construction estimating skills to determine how much their projects will cost. When used effectively, these skills help Chicago residents cut back thousands of dollars on building expenses. For example, they can identify lower-cost but still high-quality materials, find ways to minimize labor costs, gauge the accuracy of professional estimates, and decide whether to do the project themselves and save even more.

Landscaping Projects

Construction estimating isn’t limited to just home or commercial renovation projects. For example, landscaping a yard requires carefully analyzing material expenses and labor costs to ensure Chicago residents can afford their projects. Taking a construction estimating class helps learners improve their skills and makes it easier for them to budget their projects. Even better, these skills can help them gauge whether their landscaping contractors offer fair prices.

Personal Budgeting

Mastering construction estimating can help learners build even better budgeting skills. For example, they’ll master analyzing their expenses and earnings, create in-depth spreadsheets tracking these elements, and find ways to cut back on unnecessary costs. Even people who never use construction estimating later in life when planning their building or landscaping projects are likely to find these financial skills a boon for their budgeting processes. 

What Will I Learn in a Construction Estimating Class?

Chicago residents taking a construction estimating class will jump head first into an exciting and rewarding field, one that may include high-earning jobs with lots of room for advancement. The great thing about these concepts is their adaptability to multiple fields. For example, they’re helpful for residential building projects and industrial construction. As a result, it’s essential for serious students to read through the topics below to see what they’ll master in their classes:

• Construction Methods: All construction estimating courses cover some basic building processes, as well as differences in material expenses. Knowing how much steel or wood items cost and when to use them is critical for successful estimation.

• Technical Documents: Building and construction projects typically utilize a broad range of technical papework, including blueprints, plans, reports, and interior design documents that estimators must understand how to read correctly.

• Project Management: In construction estimating, it’s essential to understand project management skills deeply. For instance, knowing how to track a project’s tools and equipment, as well as on-site builders, can streamline the estimating process.

• Analytical Skills: When planning a project estimate, it’s critical to analyze material types and resources to gauge its scope accurately. Furthermore, estimators must also know how to cut down on expenses without affecting the quality of a completed facility.

• Software Tools: While estimators don’t need to know coding or networking concepts for their careers, understanding basic project management and estimating tools, like Plan Swift and Bluebeam, can ensure they create detailed and accurate results. 

What Kinds of Training Options are Available to Learn Construction Estimating?

Chicago-area construction estimating classes include in-person and online options that help learners build their skills in powerful ways. For example, in-person courses include hands-on activities led by skilled experts in a physical classroom. Students get the chance to sit down with their peers, learn about construction estimating, complete projects and quizzes, and build their skills. Typically, courses take place in downtown facilities or colleges throughout the city. 

Live online courses use a similar teaching style as in-person programs: students interact directly with their professors through activities, quizzes, and final exams that sharpen their skills. However, everything takes place entirely online. Learners must still attend education sessions at specific times, often several hours throughout their training period, to sharpen their skills. They’ll stream video directly from their professor to get the hands-on support they need to thrive.

By contrast, on-demand courses offer a suite of videos, exercises, quizzes, and projects that learners can complete at whatever pace they want. They usually work by themselves, though most programs offer forums where students can interact and build their skills together. People with busy lives often prefer this experience because it allows them to fit their learning into their schedule without worrying about setting aside hours of their lives to master a skill set. 

Finally, self-directed classes work similarly to on-demand programs but with a twist: teachers and mentors. Rather than learning entirely by themselves or through forum interaction with other students, learners get paired with a skilled professor who can make this process much more manageable. Mentors will correct student errors, help them understand construction estimating, and ensure that Chicago learners from all walks of life feel better about their education.

Choosing the Right Training Method for You

Each of these learning methods provides unique advantages that make them suitable for certain types of learners. For example, in-person courses usually work best for students who need a little more hands-on support from their teacher. They’re also suitable for those learners interested in a more traditional experience. However, these classes typically cost more because they provide learning materials and require fighting through Chicago traffic to attend. 

Live online sessions cut the need for direct attendance while emulating in-person classes very closely. As a result, students who want that kind of support typically thrive in these courses. Just as significantly, these programs usually cost less than in-person while offering a similar educational quality. Unfortunately, they may demand 3-8 hours of work daily, including training sessions and work exercises, which might be hard for busy Chicago residents to handle. 

On-demand classes cut out the need for specific attendance schedules and make it easier for learners to study at whatever pace feels right for them. For example, some people may complete multiple sessions daily and finish their program in just a few weeks. Others may prefer taking their time to master each lesson through in-depth extra work. Unfortunately, these classes may leave some students feeling confused without intensive professor support. 

Self-directed programs help alleviate some of that confusion by pairing students with a skilled mentor or teacher who can correct mistakes, reinforce their skills, and make it easier for learners to transition into rewarding careers. With hands-on exercises, self-directed videos, and a final portfolio of work, self-directed programs work well for many learning styles. However, they usually cost more than on-demand and typically demand more time and energy as well. 

How Hard is it to Learn Construction Estimating?

Mastering construction estimating is relatively challenging for most people, even those with experience in the contracting world. After all, students must know how to track material expenses and gauge labor costs within multiple industries. They must also understand each project's needs, including the best material options. Completing an estimating bootcamp in Chicago helps streamline this process and prepares learners for rewarding careers. 

What are the most challenging parts of learning Construction Estimating?

The trickiest part of mastering this subject is synthesizing all of its various related topics into a singular whole. In other words, most learners struggle to understand how material varieties, labor expenses, and project types influence the budgeting process. There’s simply so much to know that it can feel overwhelming to many learners at first. However, with time and regular practice, construction estimating should become far more manageable for learners to handle.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Construction Estimating?

Basic construction estimating skills should take no more than a few weeks to understand. That doesn’t mean someone is an expert or even skilled just yet. In fact, it might take a few months for many people to feel comfortable using construction estimating skills professionally. Others might take more than a year, depending on their experience and skills. As a result, learners need to stay patient, keep practicing, and use their educational resources wisely to succeed.

Can I Learn Construction Estimating Free Online?

Life in Chicago is definitely expensive, and many learners may find it challenging to justify taking a construction estimating course. As a result, they may try to learn through low-cost or even free resources, like seminars and YouTube videos. These tools offer a great supplement to a focused learning experience but can’t replace one. Instead, students must take a guided course that reinforces previously learned concepts and techniques in a logical and stimulating way. 

What Should I Learn Alongside Construction Estimating?

Beyond taking an intensive construction estimating class in Chicago, learners should also study multiple interconnected subjects to deepen their skills further. After all, contracting is a broad and exciting market with many related industries. Often, these various fields require mastering different topics and concepts to cement an individual’s comprehension. Just a few different extra skills that students should study when taking a construction estimating course include:

• General Contracting: Understanding general contracting concepts, such as building processes, tools, and material types, can help Chicago residents transition more readily into a rewarding estimating career. These skills lay the foundation for their success.

• CAD Software: It’s a good idea for estimators to master CAD software, such as AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp, while studying this subject. After all, knowing how to design or at least read blueprints is critical for estimating project expenses. 

• Building Information Modeling: BIM, or Building Information Modeling, is a holistic process that helps designers craft high-quality and functional facilities. Knowing the theories behind this concept gives estimators a better insight into construction. 

• Estimation Software: Tools like Microsoft Project, HCSS Heavy Bid, and Procore help construction estimators produce streamlined and reasonable bids. They also make it easier for people in this industry to transition to other related markets in their field. 

Industries that Use Construction Estimating

Chitown’s intensive economic expansion has rarely, if ever, flagged and has become more intense in recent years. As a result, Chicago’s diverse industrial market includes many high-quality contracting fields that need construction estimating experts. These include building, engineering, landscaping, and renovation firms that bid regularly for their customers and require accurate estimates. Here are a few potential industries that need construction estimating pros:

• Residential Builders: Residential builders in Chicago, such as SeBern Custom Homes, Gander Builders, FB Construction, Harpe Development, Kathcon Development, and Icon Building Group often hire high-quality construction estimators for their teams. 

• Civil Engineering Businesses: Chicago’s diverse civil engineering market includes companies like Land Strategies, Kaan Engineering, Structure Designs, VFC Engineering, and Actalent. Most will need construction estimating professionals.

• Landscaping Firms: Throughout Chicago, landscaping teams like Bringas Landscaping, Edgar’s Lawn Care, 606 Land & Snow, Do Good Gardens, and GOT2 Lawn Care may hire construction estimating experts for their intensive teams. 

• Renovation Companies: The renovation market in the Windy City includes firms like Tranquility Builders, Chi Renovation & Design, WellBilt Corp, and 123 Remodeling Inc. These firms all need construction estimating experts for their many projects. 

Construction Estimating Job Titles and Salaries

Within the industries mentioned above, there are dozens of potential careers that might engage Chicago residents. These include high-earning jobs with over six-figure salaries. Most positions also include interesting duties and advancement possibilities that might catch the eye of just about any serious learner. Most of these positions also offer benefits, such as healthcare, that make them even more tempting. Here are a few options that serious students should check out:

• Architectural Designer: As an Architectural Designer, construction estimation specialists will use their skills when crafting blueprints, floor plans, and other layout elements. They earn around $71,000 on average in America and a little less in Chicago.

• Construction Estimator: A Construction Estimator uses their specialized skills to gauge the estimated price of a project, including all material and labor expenses. People in this market earn a US media salary of $81,000 and around $91,000 in Chicago, on average.

• Civil 3D Coordinator: A job as a Civil 3D Coordinator includes using design software to plan various projects and construction estimating skills to gauge their pricing. This high-earning career path provides multiple opportunities for fulfilling advancement.

• Construction Project Manager: Becoming a Construction Project Manager immerses learners in a diverse and exciting field that includes planning and budgeting building projects. Chicago residents earn a median of $107,000, with a US average of $94,000.

Construction Estimating Corporate Training

Contractors interested in training multiple employees in construction estimating should consider VDCI’s corporate courses. These unique educational opportunities include online sessions led by a skilled professor. This specialist will lead students through each session logically, building on previously mastered concepts to help learners feel more comfortable with their knowledge. VDCI also offers discounted bulk vouchers to reduce training expenses for employers. 

These benefits make VDCI an excellent learning opportunity for facilities throughout Chicago. Regardless of their needs, VDCI is more than capable of offering high-quality courses, powerful experiences, and the chance to build a career. Even better, their specialized learning programs provide hands-on support that reinforces a student’s knowledge as they progress through their sessions. Interested parties can email VDCI at partnerships@vdci.com to get started.