Learn about construction estimating, a process that determines the total cost of a project by assessing expenses related to materials, labor, equipment, and overhead. Discover the various courses available in New Jersey for professionals who want to master this essential skill and explore the career paths open to those with construction estimating training.
Key Insights
- Construction estimating involves using data-driven techniques and software to create detailed cost forecasts for construction projects of any scale.
- VDCI's Blueprint Reading and Construction Estimating Course Online offers 50 hours of practical training with hands-on projects, equipping professionals with skills such as blueprint organization, materials takeoffs, drawing scales, and pricing strategies.
- Construction Professional Course Online from VDCI provides a broad overview of construction fundamentals along with teaching construction estimating, project management, task scheduling, job site organization, and more.
- The Construction Estimating Course Online from VDCI trains professionals in creating accurate estimates, understanding the relationship between quantity takeoffs and construction drawings, and using various types of estimates and pricing strategies.
- Construction estimating training can lead to roles in residential construction, commercial construction, infrastructure projects, and historical preservation, where professionals are needed to ensure projects remain within budget and meet industry standards.
- Construction estimating classes focus on technical skills, including using specialized software for quantity takeoffs and cost estimates, while also developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for optimizing costs and ensuring project success.
What is Construction Estimating?
Construction estimating is the process of determining the total costs of a project by assessing expenses related to materials, labor, equipment, and overhead. While basic estimating practices have been practiced since ancient times, the discipline has grown more complex to meet the demands of modern construction. Today’s estimators use powerful software and data-driven techniques to produce highly accurate cost predictions for detailed cost forecasts for projects of any scale, from single-family homes to expansive public infrastructure.
Construction Estimating Classes in New Jersey
VDCI’s Blueprint Reading & Construction Estimating Course Online is a self-driven, nationally accredited course designed for professionals who want to master both blueprint reading and estimation for construction projects. Taught by a licensed architect and a certified estimator, it covers blueprint organization, materials takeoffs, drawing scales, and pricing strategies for commercial and residential projects.
Students complete 50 hours of practical training with hands-on projects using industry-standard software and receive one-on-one bonus training to review any material or exercises desired. Graduates earn a verified digital certificate that can be used to showcase their skills on social media profiles and resumes.
Learn Construction Estimating
- Nationally accredited
- Create your own portfolio
- Free student software
- Learn at your convenience
- Authorized Autodesk training center
VDCI’s Construction Professional Course Online is a self-paced, nationally accredited course that provides a broad overview of construction fundamentals, starting with site preparation and moving through structural work, interior design, and finishing details. It also focuses on construction estimating, project management, and teaching students how to schedule tasks, manage logistics, handle contracts, and organize job sites.
Students learn to analyze blueprints and calculate costs for both residential and commercial projects while gaining hands-on experience with systems like mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection. The training culminates in a comprehensive final project that allows graduates to demonstrate their readiness for leadership roles in the construction industry, along with their verified digital certificate of completion.
VDCI’s Construction Estimating Course Online is a self-driven program that trains professionals in the relationship between quantity takeoffs and construction drawings and creating accurate estimates every time. Over 20 hours in three weeks, an experienced estimator guides students through various types of estimates, pricing strategies, and cost proposals. Students benefit from real-world projects, industry software access, and one-on-one bonus training, and they earn a verified digital certificate upon completion.
Designed for intermediate students, VDCI’s Construction Management II Course is a self-driven, nationally accredited course that offers 20 hours of training covering construction estimating, earthwork volume calculations, scheduling using the Activity on Node method, and contract fundamentals. The curriculum also covers practical aspects like safety plans, site logistics, quality control, phasing, and document management. Industry expert instructors provide hands-on exercises, quizzes, and one-on-one bonus training, and students earn a verified digital certificate to validate their skills.
What Can You Do with Construction Estimating Training?
Construction estimating professionals play an essential role in ensuring the financial viability of projects without sacrificing safety or structural soundness. In residential construction, they assess costs for housing developments, renovations, and custom-built homes and account for materials, labor, and site conditions in project budgets. Construction estimating training covers the skills to perform these tasks and others that help builders control expenses and make informed financial decisions through the entire construction process. Meanwhile, commercial construction estimating training prepares estimators to work on large-scale projects such as corporate offices, manufacturing plants, and mixed-use developments, creating cost breakdowns that guide contractors through every phase of construction.
Infrastructure and restoration projects also depend on accurate cost estimating. Public works projects, including highways, bridges, and urban transit systems, require estimators to balance cost control with long-term durability. In historical preservation, estimators determine the financial investment required to maintain or restore aging buildings while incorporating necessary modern upgrades. Whether working on contemporary construction or heritage conversation, construction estimating professionals use their training to ensure that projects remain within budget while meeting industry standards.
What Will I Learn in a Construction Estimating Class?
Construction estimating classes focus heavily on technical skills, including the use of specialized software like Bluebeam Revu for performing quantity takeoffs and developing detailed cost estimates. Students learn how to break down project costs by considering labor, materials, and equipment while incorporating site conditions and local codes into their estimates.
In addition to these technical competencies, soft skills like critical thinking and clear communication are also developed in construction estimating classes. Estimators must use problem-solving abilities to optimize costs and then clearly present their findings to project managers and clients, ensuring the success of the project from start to finish.
What Kinds of Training Options Are Available to Learn Construction Estimating?
In-person
In-person construction estimating training gives students the advantage of immediate, personalized feedback from both their instructor and peers. While ideal for those who benefit from face-to-face instruction, the format may require extra time and effort to commute, which can be inconvenient for some students.
Live Online
Live online courses offer the same interactive learning experience as in-person classes but in a virtual environment. Students can ask questions, collaborate, and receive feedback without the inconvenience of commuting, making the format ideal for those who value real-time guidance and feedback but have no in-person class options within a convenient, commutable distance from their homes.
Self-Directed
Self-directed courses give students the flexibility to study at their own pace while still having access to mentors or instructors for support. This option is best for students who need to balance multiple priorities but still want to ensure that expert guidance is available when needed.
On-Demand
On-demand construction estimating courses offer flexibility by allowing students to access course content whenever it fits their schedule. While this format can work for self-driven students, the lack of immediate instructor feedback makes navigating challenging material notoriously frustrating.
Choosing the Right Training Method for You
The right construction estimating training method varies from individual to individual, depending on personal preferences, learning styles, and professional objectives. Traditional in-person training is a highly effective way to absorb information and retain key concepts. Many students benefit from the structured classroom environment and face-to-face interactions. However, commuting adds time constraints, and availability to in-person classes is, by nature, limited to those living close to programs that fit their needs and goals.
Live online training offers a similar experience to in-person classes, with regularly scheduled classes meeting in a teleconferencing classroom. The format allows students to meet with instructors and classmates in real-time while removing the necessity of a commute. Meanwhile, self-directed courses allow students to move at their own speed while still receiving occasional instructor support. Finally, a third virtual learning option is on-demand training, which, while the most independent and flexible option, has a reputation for being challenging and full of frustrations due to their lack of access to an instructor to assist students with questions that arise while completing the fully pre-packaged curriculum.
How Hard is It to Learn Construction Estimating?
Construction estimating is generally considered a moderately challenging skill to learn, especially for those with limited experience in the industry. While grasping the basics of cost estimation and learning to use estimation software can take a few months, developing a deep understanding of the field requires years of practice. The field requires a combination of mathematical skills, technical drawing knowledge, and familiarity with industry software. Estimators must also develop the ability to make quick, informed decisions in response to fluctuating costs, unforeseen changes in scope, and other project complexities.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Construction Estimating?
One of the main challenges of construction estimating is the high level of precision required. Even small mistakes in quantity takeoffs or cost calculations can lead to significant budget overruns. Estimators need to be highly detail-oriented when reading blueprints and ensuring that material quantities are accurate. The field also demands adaptability in response to fluctuating material prices, labor costs, and unexpected changes in project scope. Staying current with new building technologies, regulations, and industry standards is also a key challenge, as estimators must continue to evolve their skills to remain effective.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Construction Estimating?
The time it takes to learn construction estimating varies by individual, but beginners can usually learn fundamental concepts like reading blueprints and performing quantity takeoffs within three to six months. However, developing the depth of expertise needed for complex projects and high-level decision-making generally requires one to two years of hands-on practice and continuous learning.
Can I Learn Construction Estimating Free Online?
Those interested in learning the vocabulary and other basics of construction estimating can find several free resources online to help them get started. Free options like tutorials hosted by industry websites and YouTube channels run by experienced professionals in the field can provide an invaluable foundation, especially for those who are uncertain whether the skill set is one that would be helpful for them or are debating between a career in construction estimating and another path. However, these resources have their limits, and developing professional skills is well worth the investment it requires in paid training. Training programs like those offered by VDCI provide a structured curriculum and access to seasoned professional mentors and instructors, both must when learning construction estimating to a level that can be used practically on the job.
What Should I Learn Alongside Construction Estimating?
Construction professionals learn estimating to advance in several different career paths in the field, with some aspiring to work in Estimator roles, others hoping the skill can level their work in their current role, and many mid-career individuals growing the breadth of their expertise to qualify for Construction Manager and other senior positions. The student’s specific goals will ultimately determine which adjacent skills are the most valuable to learn alongside construction estimating, but several of these include CAD, BIM, and other software tools of the trade. CAD knowledge makes it easier for Estimators to interpret blueprints, while BIM is more and more widely used across construction teams for collaboration in sharing data and 3D models that make the estimation process more streamlined. Project management tools like Adobe Workfront are also invaluable for professionals who will be regularly performing estimation tasks. The value of soft skills like analytical thinking and communication should also not be overlooked, as the former is important when assessing any project’s costs and the latter important when communicating estimations to contractors and clients alike.
New Jersey Industries That Use Construction Estimating
Architecture and Design
New Jersey’s architectural firms offer extensive opportunities for Estimators to collaborate with Architects to provide accurate cost projections for materials, labor, and equipment. The architecture and design industry relies heavily on professionals with construction estimating skills to make sure their projects are feasible and cost-effective in the preconstruction phase while also supporting informed design decisions that balance budget constraints with aesthetic goals.
Construction
The construction industry, of course, offers ample opportunities for those with construction estimating skills, as these professionals are vital team members throughout various project phases. From residential developments in suburbs like Princeton to commercial buildings in Newark and Jersey City, accurate cost breakdowns and estimates are essential for winning bids and maintaining profitability in construction projects.
Engineering
Construction estimating is vital for the success of engineering projects across the state of New Jersey, especially those involved in the many infrastructure development and maintenance projects necessitated by the region’s close proximity to major cities like New York City and Philadelphia. Estimators working in this field must be well-versed in the costs associated with building and upgrading the roads, bridges, and public transportation systems that keep New Jerseyans safe and mobile throughout the state.
Urban Planning and Public Works
New Jersey’s urban planning agencies and public works departments depend upon construction estimating professionals to provide cost data for many kinds of large-scale city development initiatives. These professionals’ estimates are essential for allocating funds correctly and quickly, as well as in guaranteeing that this sector’s projects are financially viable.
Construction Estimating Job Titles and Salaries
New Jersey’s thriving AEC sector offers numerous opportunities for those interested in construction estimating, including a number of different roles and career paths. Those at the beginning of their careers are likely to find entry-level positions like Estimating Assistant and Junior Estimator, where they can expect salaries between $52,000 and $95,000. Construction Estimator and Commercial Construction Estimator roles will open to those with a few years of experience, with annual wages averaging between $77,000 and $130,000.
Meanwhile, senior estimator positions in New Jersey make even higher salaries, as may be expected, with numbers ranging between $97,000 and $211,000 for roles like Estimating Manager and Senior Preconstruction Manager. While these roles feature responsibilities like managing large projects and supervising teams, an alternative pathway to a similarly high salary is pursuing an estimating career in a highly specialized field like structural engineering.
Construction Estimating Corporate Training
If you’re looking to train or upskill multiple team members in construction estimating skills, the Virtual Design & Construction Institute’s corporate training solutions give you options to help you meet your company’s specific goals. VDCI offers a wide range of AEC training in the form of self-driven online classes for individuals, though the perfect solution for your team may be purchasing VDCI’s convenient group class vouchers that allow your team to enroll in these classes and complete them on their own time in the office or at home.
If you’re looking for a more customized group training experience, VDCI provides in-person corporate training sessions in their computer labs in San Diego or onsite at your office or location of choice. Expert instructors lead these sessions, which may feature the curriculum of one of VDCI’s regularly offered classes or a fully custom approach tailored to your team’s needs. Simply send an email to VDCI when you’re ready to begin planning your organization’s construction estimating corporate training.