What does a production cost estimator do?
Production cost estimator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real production cost estimator resumes:
- Achieve and maintain high CSI ratings measure by an independent consumer rating firm.
- Create RFQ packages for parts and services which need to be subcontract.
- Analyze blueprints, specifications, proposals and any pertinent documentation for RFQ.
- Obtain measurements, photos and documentation to process remotely Xactimate estimates to submit for insurance and customer approval.
- Estimate new and retrofit construction measures for roofing and insulation in both commercial and residential construction.
Production cost estimator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 48% of Production Cost Estimators are proficient in Cost Estimates, Cost Effectiveness, and Repair Process. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Production Cost Estimators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Cost Estimates, 48%
Performed cost estimates for the production of fabric shelters for commercial and military use.
- Cost Effectiveness, 41%
Assessed cost effectiveness of products, projects and services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project developed.
- Repair Process, 6%
Negotiate and purchase all supplies for the repair process.
- CNC, 5%
Set up, operated, and maintained CNC machinery.
Most production cost estimators use their skills in "cost estimates," "cost effectiveness," and "repair process" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential production cost estimator responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a production cost estimator to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what production cost estimators do because "cost estimators must review and evaluate different construction and manufacturing methods to find cost-effective options." Additionally, a production cost estimator resume shows how production cost estimators use analytical skills: "analyzed blueprints, specifications, proposals and any pertinent documentation for rfq. "
Detail oriented. production cost estimators are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to production cost estimator responsibilities, because "cost estimators must be precise, because minor changes may greatly affect the overall expense of a project or product." A production cost estimator resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "assist in the repair process (paint, prep, detail) as needed. "
Math skills. A big part of what production cost estimators do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to production cost estimator responsibilities because "cost estimators need excellent math skills to calculate labor, material, and equipment estimates for construction projects." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical production cost estimator tasks: "developed detailed schedules and quantitative cost projection models for large, complex construction projects. "
Time-management skills. A commonly-found skill in production cost estimator job descriptions, "time-management skills" is essential to what production cost estimators do. Production cost estimator responsibilities rely on this skill because "cost estimators must plan in advance and work efficiently to meet their deadlines." You can also see how production cost estimator duties rely on time-management skills in this resume example: "managed bid process to ensure all bids were completed by deadlines. "
The three companies that hire the most production cost estimators are:
Compare different production cost estimators
Production cost estimator vs. Estimating assistant
An estimator project manager is responsible for analyzing cost estimates by gathering cost information from suppliers and other third-party vendors. An estimator project manager must have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills, especially with measurement accuracy and evaluating important project metrics. Estimator project managers research the general market pricing of materials and labor costs, estimate production times, and follow the project timetable without compromising the quality and the client's specifications. They create estimate reports and risk analyses to discuss with the client and the project team.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a production cost estimator are more likely to require skills like "cost effectiveness," "repair process," "cnc," and "account executives." On the other hand, a job as an estimating assistant requires skills like "bid proposals," "purchase orders," "worksheets," and "subcontractor database." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
On average, estimating assistants reach similar levels of education than production cost estimators. Estimating assistants are 2.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Production cost estimator vs. Estimator/project coordinator
An estimating manager will oversee the day-to-day activities of the estimating department. Your duties typically include implementing technical estimating procedures and standards and overseeing the project estimator's work. As an estimating manager, you will be responsible for soliciting proposals and bids for labor, equipment, and material from different suppliers. Aside from these, you will be the one responsible for coordinating bid inputs from other departments. You are also responsible for reviewing and evaluating the performance of junior and senior estimators.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real production cost estimator resumes. While production cost estimator responsibilities can utilize skills like "cost effectiveness," "repair process," "cnc," and "account executives," estimator/project coordinators use skills like "general contractors," "bid proposals," "shop drawings," and "cad."
In general, estimator/project coordinators achieve similar levels of education than production cost estimators. They're 1.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Production cost estimator vs. Estimator project manager
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a production cost estimator is likely to be skilled in "cost effectiveness," "repair process," "cnc," and "account executives," while a typical estimator project manager is skilled in "general contractors," "construction projects," "sub contractors," and "construction management."
When it comes to education, estimator project managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to production cost estimators. In fact, they're 0.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Production cost estimator vs. Estimating manager
Even though a few skill sets overlap between production cost estimators and estimating managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a production cost estimator might have more use for skills like "cost effectiveness," "cnc," "account executives," and "material planning." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of estimating managers require skills like "construction management," "project management," "phone calls," and "business development. "
The average resume of estimating managers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to production cost estimators. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 2.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.6%.Types of production cost estimator
Updated January 8, 2025
