Hospitality Renovation Estimator
Quick Overview
My client is a growing hospitality renovation contractor doing $25M+ in annual revenue, running occupied hotel renovation projects across the country for upper-tier flag portfolios. Ownership-led, direct culture, no HR layer, clear growth trajectory. They are hiring a Hospitality Renovation Estimator to own the preconstruction pipeline, from conceptual budgets through hard bids, so the operations team can execute on solid numbers.
THE WHO
Two-owner shop run by lifelong hospitality construction operators. The owners split off from a bigger shop about 20 years ago, built this business from the ground up starting in FF&E install, mill work, and hospitality logistics, and moved into upper-tier hotel renovation about a decade ago. Estimating is treated as a discipline of its own here, not a stepping stone. If you love estimating and want to stay in the seat, this is a home. If you want a path into operations later, that door is open too. You report straight to ownership.
THE WHAT
You will own the estimating pipeline for occupied hotel renovation projects across the country. You take architectural, structural, MEP, and interior drawings, run the takeoffs, price out labor, materials, equipment, subs, and general conditions, and build the number that goes to the ownership group. You interpret Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Choice PIP requirements. You develop room-by-room pricing models and phased construction estimates. Then you hand off cleanly to Project Managers and Superintendents so the field can execute on what you priced.
THE WHY
In hospitality renovation, the estimate is the deal. Miss the number and the project loses money before the first sub shows up. Nail it and the ownership group calls you back for the next portfolio. This company runs on repeat business and brand relationships, and those relationships live or die on how accurate the estimate turns out to be. As Estimator, you own that number and you protect it through preconstruction, value engineering, and handoff to the field. There is real runway here. This shop is growing and there is a clear path to more scope and seniority for someone who wants it. If you love the takeoff-and-pricing craft, this is a real seat with real ownership over the outcome.
THE WHERE
Truly remote from anywhere in the US. Front-loaded on-site visits in the first few months so you can build relationships with the field team, the owners, and preferred subs. After that, occasional site walks and preconstruction meetings only. Not a travel-heavy role once you are ramped.
The Role
You own the estimating desk for occupied hotel renovation projects. Day to day, you are reviewing plans, specs, and PIP requirements, running quantity takeoffs on architectural, structural, MEP, and interior drawings, and building conceptual, budgetary, and hard-bid estimates. You solicit competitive bids from qualified subs, evaluate their proposals for scope completeness, and level the bids. You identify constructability issues and cost or schedule risks before they hit the field. You drive value engineering opportunities without breaking brand standards. You develop room-by-room pricing models and phased construction estimates that account for occupied-renovation logistics, temporary protection, guest-impact mitigation, and phased turnover. You prepare bid summaries, executive cost reviews, and client proposals. Then you sit in the project handoff meeting with the PM and Super so they can execute on what you priced. You maintain the historical cost database, refine estimating templates, and keep pricing current. The company is standardizing the full estimating and preconstruction stack on Procore: takeoffs, estimating, subcontractor bid management, and vendor coordination all in one place. Bluebeam is still in use. If you know the Procore ecosystem inside and out, that is a real advantage.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare conceptual, budgetary, and hard-bid estimates for occupied hotel renovation projects
- Run quantity takeoffs from architectural, structural, MEP, and interior drawings
- Interpret Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Choice PIP requirements
- Develop room-by-room pricing models and phased construction estimates
- Account for occupied-renovation logistics, temporary protection, and guest-impact mitigation
- Solicit and level competitive subcontractor bids
- Drive value engineering opportunities without compromising brand standards
- Participate in project handoff meetings with Project Managers and Superintendents
- Prepare bid summaries, executive cost reviews, and client proposals
- Support business development with conceptual pricing and budgeting
- Maintain historical cost data, estimating templates, and current pricing
Requirements
Must Haves
- 5+ years of commercial construction estimating experience
- 3+ years estimating hospitality renovation projects
- Experience preparing estimates for occupied hotel renovations
- Strong understanding of construction drawings, specifications, and project sequencing
- Excellent mathematical, analytical, and communication skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel
Preferred
- Experience with Procore, Bluebeam, STACK, or similar estimating software
- FF&E estimating experience
- PIP interpretation across multiple flag portfolios
- Deep Procore ecosystem experience (takeoffs, estimating, bid management, vendor coordination)
- Construction Management, Engineering, or related degree
Compensation
Benefits & Perks
- •Performance bonus tied to estimating accuracy and margin capture
- •Direct access to ownership, no HR layer
- •Truly remote from anywhere in the US, front-loaded on-site time early then minimal travel
- •Estimating treated as its own discipline, not a stepping stone
- •Family-first culture, 15 to 20 year tenures are common here
- •Never laid a team member off due to lack of work, kept everyone on payroll through COVID
- •Healthy annual Christmas bonus that reaches every seat when the year is strong
- •Long-term seat with a growing hospitality renovation shop
- •W-2 preferred, 1099 considered
About Flowstate
Flowstate Search is executive recruiting for construction, restoration, and property services. Founded by an operator, not a recruiter. We show up like it matters, because it does.
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