How to Become a Construction Estimator At Home

Construction Estimators support construction planning by reviewing building plans and generating cost estimates for bids and budgeting. Nearly all the tools Construction Estimators use can be accessed through computers, and their remaining tasks can managed largely by phone. Thus, some Construction Estimators can perform their work entirely from home. Most at-home Construction Estimators are self-employed, but some organizations also hire remote Estimators. Of course, some employers and projects will require on-site collaboration or surveying. Still, enough remote work is available to employ many at-home Construction Estimators. 

Interested candidates can even learn the skills required for construction estimation from home. Online courses can teach students the specific techniques and tools of construction estimation plus related knowledge and skills that inform Estimators’ work. Studying from home to become a Construction Estimator and working remotely as one pose several difficulties, but motivated, creative individuals can navigate these challenges and gain the benefits of at-home work.

What Construction Estimator Training Method is Right for Me?

Studying from home excludes in-person classes, but remote learners have access to multiple other learning formats. Live online instruction can be structured in several ways, including certificate courses, bootcamps, and short classes on individual topics. 

Prospective Construction Estimators who are uncertain about this career might start with a short introductory class, which will explain the field, teach its core concepts and skills, and provide groundwork for further training. Similarly, students who want to proceed more gradually could take individual short classes on the skills used in construction planning and estimation. This approach spreads out the cost of training while gaining the benefits of formal, live instruction. However, the total cost of multiple short classes is likely higher than for a single comprehensive training program, and this approach will certainly take longer. Plus, separate classes are unlikely to be as well-coordinated as the units in a comprehensive course.

A certificate course, or professional training program, is a complete educational program usually sufficient to qualify graduates for entry-level employment in a particular career. Graduates receive a certificate of completion for the full course, representing the content of multiple shorter classes plus additional career preparation. For example, a certificate course in construction estimation includes units on core estimation skills; reading construction plans; using drafting, modeling, and estimation software; and preparing reports. In addition to their organized presentation of multiple topics, certificate courses typically also provide career assistance such as portfolio creation, advice on job markets and interviewing, and early networking help. Students who want to work remotely, particularly those intending to work as freelancers, can especially benefit from this guidance. Certificate courses can seem expensive but still cost less than their component topics taken separately, plus their added value for career preparation and credentials.

Certificate programs are quicker than multiple short courses but are not always the fastest way to acquire work-ready skills. Bootcamps can cover similar material more rapidly by focusing on essential topics — often skipping what enrollees already know — and setting a faster pace. This approach significantly reduces bootcamps’ time and cost compared to certificate courses, while still delivering critical training. Some shorter bootcamps, rather than attempting complete career training, combine several related classes. These bootcamps are beneficial for students who need to gain specific skills rapidly, such as workers transitioning to construction estimation from another construction role. The main drawbacks of bootcamps are their reduced detail and intense pace; students must complete readings and exercises outside of class to keep up with the course’s schedule.

All forms of live instruction share the challenge of a fixed schedule. Even when working from home, students may have demands that limit or vary their availability, such as an existing job or family needs. Certificate courses and bootcamps sometimes offer part-time scheduling, with shorter class sessions and/or evening or weekend hours, to reduce these time conflicts, although this approach lengthens course durations.

Some students need even greater flexibility in their study times, pace, or organization. On-demand courses, sometimes called self-paced or asynchronous study, are presented through pre-recorded video lessons, texts, and interactive websites. These formats allow students to study as available and even add or remove class units. On-demand courses are considerably cheaper than live ones, but their economy and flexibility come from the absence of a live instructor. This limitation can delay students’ progress or reduce their quality of study. Not only do on-demand students receive less expert feedback, being limited to periodic email, phone, or chat contacts, but they also receive less career guidance. Lacking any specific schedule or a mentor to hold them accountable, students must also maintain their attention and discipline to avoid slower progress.

A final option for online study is the least expensive but also the most challenging: self-guided study using free resources like video and text tutorials. Free lessons are available from multiple sources, including social media, general training schools, construction industry websites, and software publishers. While these sources are inexpensive, and students can study whatever and whenever they want, free resources have multiple drawbacks. Instructional quality varies, especially on social media, and separate lessons may not be organized into a structured training program. Host sites often limit their available lessons, particularly for training schools that provide free classes as demonstrations to sell longer or better-supported courses, or software sites that teach only their product. Even for reputable sites with well-organized, thorough training courses, students will still lack an instructor’s guidance and progress slower and with less certainty. Last, only a rare few free tutorials offer any proof of completion or career guidance.

What is a Construction Estimator?

Construction estimation, also called quantity surveying, is a specialized type of cost estimation. Construction Estimators predict, as accurately as possible, what a building project will cost, considering the project's full scope to produce detailed cost breakdowns and summarized estimates. Construction Estimators may produce multiple estimates for the same project, starting with a general conceptual estimate and then generating progressively more detailed estimates as information becomes available.

To perform this work accurately, Construction Estimators must have a detailed understanding of construction work, including:

• Reading building plans;
• Listing the materials, labor, and equipment needed for a project;
• Knowing the prices for these needs;
• Anticipating other possible costs like insurance and fees; and
• Anticipating factors that could alter those costs. 

Some of this knowledge comes from formal studies, some from construction experience, and some from active research. Construction Estimators must be good communicators, able to discuss projects with anyone involved: clients, supervisors, government agencies, tradespersons, subcontractors, vendors, and financial officers. These discussions elicit information and clarify a project’s requirements and limitations so that the Estimator can fully calculate its details. Attention to detail is another crucial skill for a Construction Estimator. The success of their work relies on their ability to spell out every possible aspect of construction projects and correctly anticipate their costs or influence on costs. 

Construction Estimators frequently work for building contractors, creating their bids for proposals or helping them decide what jobs are worth bidding on. Construction Estimators also assist in budgeting for construction projects at building companies, real estate developers, or government agencies like transportation, urban planning, or civil engineering. Some Construction Estimators are direct employees of these industries, often advising an administrator or supervisor or else contributing to a construction planning team. Other Construction Estimators are self-employed, working as freelancers whenever and wherever their services are needed. Freelance Construction Estimators often assist smaller businesses that only need occasional estimation work, but such independent Estimators may also be hired to produce estimates for comparison against contractor bids or internal budgeting, to make sure those estimates are reasonable.

Some Construction Estimators work remotely, collecting information from local clients and contacts and then building their estimates from these reports. Other Estimators travel as necessary, examining construction sites, talking to local contacts, and meeting with clients. Additionally, depending on their position, a Construction Estimator’s work might not be done after preconstruction. Some Estimators monitor jobs in progress to watch for potential savings, cost overruns, inventory and labor problems, and other concerns that could alter a project’s final cost. 

Can I Learn to be a Construction Estimator from Home?

All the required skills for construction estimation can be learned through online classes. Online study, whether through live, on-demand, or free classes, has certain drawbacks, but a determined student can overcome these. What is more difficult to replace is construction work experience, which often involves on-site and hands-on learning. If remote learners do not already have previous related work experience, they will need an even broader educational program and more practice to achieve a similar degree of expertise. Still, online schools now offer courses covering a diverse array of topics in an equally wide range of formats. Students can build their skills steadily, studying as available, until they are fully prepared to start work. Ideally, online schools also offer resources to aid career planning, including help for at-home workers.

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What are the Advantages of Learning from Home?

The primary benefit of remote learning is removing the need for physical attendance. Travel to a school site adds costs beyond the time spent in class and the expense of tuition. Some students cannot attend in-person classes at all due to disability or at-home responsibilities. Others find the classroom environment limiting and are more productive when studying from home. Students who also plan to work remotely get an added benefit from studying online: by using their familiar computer and studying in the same environment they will use for work, they improve the transfer of their learned skills.

Students also have more class options when not restricted to local classes, including more topics, instructors, class formats, schedules, and prices. Because online schools do not need to maintain classroom sites and can offer more courses, these classes are usually less expensive than in-person instruction. One online option, on-demand study, is even less costly and allows students to study as available, avoiding the inconvenience of a fixed schedule. 

What are the Disadvantages of Learning from Home?

As much as studying from home can be convenient and comfortable, it can introduce distractions. Some students need an in-person classroom environment to maintain their attention and motivation. This problem is increased for self-paced study like on-demand classes and free tutorials, which lack a class schedule or live instructor to keep students on task. The streaming video format used for online classes can sometimes be delayed or difficult to see or hear, especially for slower Internet connections, and video conferencing is rarely as efficient and productive as in-person conversation. Students at home must also maintain their personal computer, Internet connection, software installations, and project files; while many online schools offer free or reduced-price software subscriptions and downloadable files, online students must still handle technical support and forfeit the convenience of lab computers. 

What Resources are Available to Help Me Become a Construction Estimator at Home?

Many schools offer fully online instruction, including live online classes, on-demand video courses, and/or self-guided, interactive web tutorials. In addition, students can access free resources like video lessons and virtual textbooks, although these sources have significant limitations compared to paid instruction. One advantage of a formal school is career guidance, and most online schools anticipate and can guide students intending to work remotely. These schools can help with initial networking, point to job boards and other ways to find work, and advise students on setting up a freelance practice. 

Free Resources

In addition to the consistent demand for Construction Estimators, estimation skills are necessary for several other construction careers. This interest generates a variety of free informational resources like video lessons, web-based tutorials, and textbooks. Some lessons are posted on social media sites like YouTube, but while these are easy to view, they do not assure quality or accuracy. 

Other free resources are hosted on general education sites like Udemy and Coursera. While these sources are more reputable, free content is still less likely to equal a paid course. Free lessons on school sites are also likely to be limited to introductions and shortened demonstrations, meant to attract students and encourage them to purchase longer paid content or additional services.

Another source of free tutorials comes from software publishers, particularly the makers of construction estimation, planning, and modeling programs. Publishers create free content to promote their products, incidentally helping students learn the construction planning skills they support. As a result, their courses are likely to be accurate and well-taught but will focus on the product they are selling. 

Other reputable sources of free content are universities and colleges, particularly through their adult education departments. These classes are largely intended to help current workers transition to a career in construction estimation; new students will likely need many supplemental classes to meet their prerequisites. Still, these classes tend to be thorough and of good quality. Similarly, professional organizations for construction estimation and general cost estimation, like ASPE and AACE, offer free courses and even certification training to encourage more workers to enter these professions. 

No matter their quality, free resources are free because they include no direct instruction or support. Students must seek answers, check work, and maintain motivation and discipline on their own. For a complex subject like construction estimation, these challenges can multiply and greatly slow progress. Students also have no confirmation of their progress nor, in most cases, any validation of their achievements. Finally, free lessons are less frequently refreshed to reflect newer information.

On-Demand Classes

On-demand classes, also called self-paced or asynchronous learning, are presented through pre-recorded videos and text but are paid instruction with a school’s support. Like free resources, on-demand classes can be completed at a student’s convenience, studied at their preferred pace and schedule. Students can often customize their studies, skipping unnecessary lessons and adding topics. Although paid, on-demand classes are much less costly than live instruction. Much of this savings comes from their lack of live instruction. To help reduce this problem, on-demand schools offer limited email, phone, or chat contact with advisors. Still, more infrequent feedback slows progress, and self-paced students must be careful not to fall behind deadlines, especially for courses with limited time frames or subscription renewal costs. Finally, while on-demand schools may offer some career guidance and placement assistance, they rarely provide the same career support as live training.

Live Online Classes and Bootcamps

Live online instruction provides multiple benefits that help students finish their studies faster and with greater confidence. A live instructor can respond quickly to students’ concerns, providing alternate explanations and examples, answering questions, critiquing work, and providing advice. This feedback improves the quality of instruction and avoids delays due to uncertainty. Live instruction also holds many students’ attention better, keeping them focused, and live, scheduled classes provide a sense of urgency. This efficiency is increased for bootcamps, which cover a greater amount of material in a reduced time frame through expert instruction and a streamlined curriculum. 

Live courses keep their material current through regular course revisions and instructors’ expertise. Beyond their technical lessons, students studying in live formats build skills like communication, organization, and collaboration. Additionally, compared to self-paced models, live courses include more practice work and projects, completed out of class but reviewed with the instructor. For construction estimation courses, these projects are often real problems and can be featured in students’ portfolios.

Live courses tend to provide more career guidance and resources overall, both as in-class content and additional services. For example, some schools include private, 1-on-1 mentoring sessions with their courses. Students can use these sessions to address difficult topics, discuss career planning, or start building a business plan. Schools may also aid networking by providing contacts or hosting social events and seminars.

Live courses do have drawbacks, particularly for certain students. Their set schedule and faster pace can pose problems for students with limited free time or existing obligations, especially those already working full-time. Part-time scheduling options, where available, can help, but live courses still require students to keep up with readings and exercises. Additionally, the streaming format of live online classes can cause difficulties for students with attentional or sensory limitations who need a slower, more controlled presentation. Finally, live courses are more costly than self-paced options. A student must decide if the faster pace, increased quality, and greater support of live instruction balances against their greater expense.

How to Find Construction Estimator Work at Home

Construction Estimators who want (or need) to work from home face a greater challenge when seeking employment. Fewer employers support remote-only positions, and these tend to offer lower salaries. Freelance Construction Estimators must seek out clients and convince them to hire them as remote contractors. In either case, at-home Construction Estimators need to ensure that their skills are strong and well-attested through educational certificates, portfolio work, and references. Professional contacts are also valuable, to vouch for a worker’s quality and dedication, to put workers in contact with potential employers, or even to offer novices early work. In addition to their training, at-home Construction Estimators must be prepared with all the resources they will need to start work: reliable computer hardware, software packages for drafting and cost estimation, and informational resources like contact and price lists. A quiet, distraction-free workspace is also a good idea. From there, the particulars of a worker’s job search differ depending on whether they intend to work freelance or as a direct employee.

Freelance Opportunities

While employers may be reluctant to hire remote workers, freelancers are more independent and require less commitment than direct hires. In fact, most freelance Construction Estimators work as well from home as anywhere else. For estimating jobs that do not require an on-site presence, remote freelancers are often a simpler and more cost-effective hire, especially for small contractors. Some remote freelance jobs are overflowing from overwhelmed companies and especially large projects. Others come from developers or government agencies seeking external, unbiased reviewers for bids and budgeting. Freelance Construction Estimators typically work on a contract basis, either charging an hourly rate for their services or setting a flat or proportional rate for a complete project. Clients could request a variety of services, from bid proposals and project budgets to independent bid/budget review, ongoing cost monitoring, or evaluation of post-construction expenses.

Freelancers’ first concern is finding steady work, particularly since they must cover most operating expenses upfront. Fortunately, freelance Construction Estimators have many ways to find clients and projects, most of which work equally well for at-home Estimators:

• List services on general freelance platforms like Upwork and Freelancer
• Register and submit bids on construction project bidding websites
• Create a website showcasing their services and portfolio
• Advertise on social media
• Post vlogs or blogs demonstrating their expertise
• Advertise on industry websites and in publications
• Join professional associations for the construction and cost estimation industries to request help finding clients
• Build a network of contacts like contractors, architects, and government officers, checking with them for available work
• Contact potential clients by email or phone (i.e. ‘cold calling’)

Regardless of the methods used, freelance Construction Estimators need a strong portfolio, good references, and a convincing pitch to reassure potential clients that they are qualified professionals. Prospective Construction Estimators should start building their credentials and business plans even as they complete their training.

Finding Remote Jobs as a Construction Estimator

Remote Construction Estimators pursuing direct employment must also research appropriate positions and demonstrate their capability. A strong portfolio and good references help here, alongside proof of training and professional certifications. Candidates for remote positions particularly need to prove their independence and professional focus to offset any concerns about discipline and productivity. Fortunately, remote work is common in this field and some employers even prefer remote Estimators to expand their potential talent pool and reduce costs.

Some of the places that Construction Estimators can find remote jobs include:

• Job listing websites like Indeed or Monster
• Networking sites like LinkedIn
• Online networking events or seminars
• Professional associations for the construction and cost estimation industries
• Professional and industry contacts, either from personal or working relationships or suggestions from training schools or professional associations

Remote Construction Estimators largely work for the same kinds of employers and perform the same duties as non-remote positions. These can include bid/budget generation for contractors or trade subcontractors, bid/budget review for developers and government agencies, and The major exclusion, of course, is that they cannot perform on-site surveys or evaluations. Instead, they must rely on provided information to understand a site’s layout. Remote Estimators also cannot meet in person with colleagues or third parties nor present bids or other reports in person. As such, these positions will rarely include management, negotiation, or senior supervisory roles. Instead, remote Construction Estimators primarily create the estimates, bid proposals, and budgets local workers will use, sometimes working on multiple projects simultaneously. Still, remote Estimators may use phone or video to research cost information, negotiate with third parties, and deliver presentations. Some remote Construction Estimators additionally act as sales, purchasing, or customer support staff for their employers.

How Will Remote Work as a Construction Estimator Differ from On-site Work?

To a significant extent, the work done by remote Construction Estimators does not differ greatly from their in-office counterparts. Most tasks involved in construction estimation can be done with any sufficiently modern computer and smartphone if not paper and pen. Remote workers use their own hardware, software, and home office space, while in-office workers travel to a shared site and use their employer’s provided tools. Note that this means remote workers are usually responsible for not only their own equipment and software costs but also their Internet service and data storage. In trade, they save the time and expense of travel both to and from the office and also to vendors, collaborators’ offices, and work sites.

The main limitation of remote work is the inability to hold face-to-face meetings with co-workers, vendors, subcontractors, and government workers. Being present in a shared office can keep workers more focused on their assignments and help them feel like part of a shared endeavor. Remote workers are more responsible for staying in contact with their colleagues and must maintain stronger personal discipline to avoid letting flexibility become procrastination. In-person discussions can also produce faster results than contacts by telephone, email, or video chat. Certain contacts will simply prefer personal meetings. Remote Estimators also cannot visit construction sites to survey conditions, check work in progress, or observe workers. These restrictions tend to limit remote Construction Estimators to estimation work, alone, and smaller jobs on average, since they cannot provide additional services like ongoing cost management or vendor evaluation. 

Learn the Skills to Become a Construction Estimator at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop and the Visual Design and Construction Institute (VDCI)offer online classes that teach the skills Construction Estimators need. In addition to classes on construction estimation, their curricula include general construction skills and construction and visualization software like 3D modeling, Computer-Assisted Drafting (CAD), and Building Information Model (BIM) systems. For each class, students complete one or more portfolio-quality projects, receive a certificate of completion, and can retake the course within 1 year, if needed.

Students new to construction estimation should start with VDCI’s Construction Estimator Course, a self-paced course including video lessons, practice exercises, training projects, and supplemental reference materials. The course assumes no prior experience and explains the primary skills of a Construction Estimator: reading construction drawings, translating those plans into component lists, calculating component costs, and accounting for various other expenses. 

Another set of self-paced courses explains how to read construction documents, often called blueprints. Construction Estimators need to completely understand building plans in any format, physical or virtual, to accurately extract information for their estimates. VDCI’s Blueprint Reading Fundamentals Course Bundle includes courses on both residential and commercial construction, combined at a discounted rate. This bundle can also be combined with the Construction Estimator Course as a Blueprint Reading & Construction Estimating Course Bundle.

For those without previous construction experience, VCDI’s self-paced Construction Fundamentals Course Bundle provides a thorough introduction to the processes, systems, and materials of building construction through video lectures and active projects. This series of six class units covers site surveying and foundation work, steel and concrete building structures, the components of the building envelope (including walls, floors, and roofing), interior and finishing work, utility systems like electrical and plumbing, fire protection, and final cleanup steps. The bundle also includes a one hour, 1-on-1 mentoring session with an expert instructor.

Alongside programs specifically for construction estimation, Construction Estimators often use Building Information Modeling (BIM) software like Autodesk Revit to itemize the details of a construction project. BIM programs combine 2D and 3D modeling tools with informational resources representing materials, work stages, and other components. VDCI’s Revit Fundamentals Course Bundle combines an introduction to the program and BIM systems in general with an intermediate course that extends and expands students’ ability to create and read detailed building models. Students learn how to create a full-featured 3D building model, create and use 2D representations within that model, and generate architectural graphics, working building plans, and schedules that list material and labor requirements. These courses also address workflow design to improve efficiency in Revit. 

Like BIM, Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) is also frequently used to visualize building projects, both to guide estimates and to collaborate with clients and colleagues. CAD programs like Autodesk AutoCAD create detailed visual and spatial representations that can depict buildings and construction sites. Construction estimation students will benefit most from VDCI’s Autodesk CAD Certification Bundle, a set of five self-paced classes that include an introduction to the program, an intermediate class explaining the creation of construction documents, two extended units building further construction document skills, and a class on smaller-scale detail drawings in CAD. This bundle is designed to prepare students for Autodesk Certified User in AutoCAD certification, and the course includes a voucher for the certification exam and a free exam retake if needed. Students also receive a 1-on-1 training session they can use for exam preparation or career advising.

Alternately, students prepared to pursue complete training in both CAD and BIM systems can combine both their certificate bundles into a single CAD/BIM Certificate Program. In addition to introductory and intermediate classes and two units of extended practice with construction documents for both programs, the combined program includes a professional-level capstone project, 120 hours of added elective classes (including advanced AutoCAD or specialized versions of Revit), and eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions to address difficult topics or get help with career preparation.