Extras · 1 of 4

A typical day

Plans open on two screens. You measure quantities off the drawings, room by room and system by system, and put them into the estimate. Half the day is chasing subcontractors who promised a quote and have not sent it. There is a site walk to see the access, the dirt and the things the drawings never show. Then you build the number: labor hours, material, equipment, overhead, markup, and the risk you are quietly carrying. The last day before a bid is due is long, loud and finishes with somebody hitting send at four minutes to deadline.