Senior Preconstruction Manager (Austin, TX)

Senior Preconstruction Manager

Position Summary

The Senior Preconstruction Manager will lead the estimating and preconstruction process for multifamily construction projects, with a focus on wood framing, cornice, and siding. This individual will be responsible for developing accurate, competitive, and profitable project estimates from initial plan review through bid submission, project award, and handoff to operations.

Working closely with general contractors, developers, internal material estimators, suppliers, and project teams, this role requires strong technical estimating skills, a practical understanding of field construction, and the ability to identify risks, develop pricing strategies, and build lasting customer relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the estimating and preconstruction process for multifamily projects, including garden-style, podium, wrap, student housing, and senior living developments.
• Review construction plans, specifications, and bid documents; perform and validate quantity takeoffs.
• Develop comprehensive estimates for wood-framing labor, cornice, soffit and fascia, siding, equipment, site logistics, and related scopes.
• Coordinate with internal material estimators to incorporate lumber, trusses, engineered wood products, sheathing, hardware, and siding into complete project bids.
• Build labor budgets using production rates, historical costs, project complexity, and site-specific conditions.
• Prepare proposals, scope breakdowns, qualifications, exclusions, alternates, and bid clarifications.
• Identify value-engineering opportunities, scope gaps, and contractual or scheduling risks while protecting project profitability.
• Work directly with general contractors and developers, follow up on submitted bids, address scope questions, and support negotiations and project awards.
• Review subcontract agreements and contract documents to identify risk exposure and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Lead project handoffs to operations, communicating estimate assumptions, labor budgets, production targets, scope details, and project risks.
• Support project teams with buyout, change-order pricing, and estimating questions during project startup and execution.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of estimating or preconstruction experience in commercial or multifamily construction.
• Demonstrated experience estimating wood framing, cornice, siding, or related multifamily construction scopes.
• Strong understanding of multifamily construction methods, sequencing, labor productivity, and installation costs.
• Experience developing labor and equipment budgets, performing quantity takeoffs, and preparing complete project proposals.
• Ability to interpret architectural drawings, structural plans, specifications, and construction documents.
• Experience with contract review, scope clarification, risk assessment, and gross margin management.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with general contractors, developers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and estimating software.

Preferred: Experience with multifamily wood-framed projects exceeding $5 million; familiarity with Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, OST, Procore, or BuildingConnected; knowledge of building codes, fire-rated assemblies, and fiber cement siding systems. A degree in Construction Management or a related field is a plus.

Success Measures

Success will be measured by estimate accuracy, bid turnaround time, bid-hit ratio, gross margin performance, quality of proposals, customer relationships, identification of profitable opportunities, and effective handoff of awarded projects to operations.