Last week I did my first bid in ages. I had taken some time off to build the software, so it was good to be back at doing actual estimating. It was an electrical project but the scope was unbelievably confusing. It instantly reminds me what I hate most about estimating. Spending hours going through the drawings, trying to make sense of the scope of works and put it all together. It feels like when bidding, you spend 90% of your time trying to work out what the client actually wants you to price. If you were going to spend $5m+ on a contract, surely you should spend a few hours trying to clearly articulate what you want them to price? But clients never seem to do it properly.... What do you hate most about estimating?

I am Estimator at one of best company (Top 40) in Canada as General Contractor. Its been a year and half in this company and total 2 1/2 years of experience overall in field. I feel like I have stopped improving at the pace I was expecting and I am doing some mistakes which I could have watched it easily while submitting the hard bid. I am trying different things while being off work as structures, scheduling, learning process as they were my subject in masters education, but I feel what should be my growth look like. Why I am being slow at learning and I am 25 year old, and what should be my next step. I feel being pre-construction manager will be actually worth it as I gain more knowledge and experience. Need some help as you guys have definitely gone through such period.

@Tim Fairley I've been watching your excellent content on YT and just realized you had a Skool. Looks like you have a robust "Classroom" -- but I just read you're shutting down ConstructIQ? And you also have some paid classes on Udemy... are you able to breakdown what is behind the "paywall" vs what you so generously share freely? Anyway, a bit about my background: - Army veteran engineer (aka combat construction) - Licensed Elevator Constructor (union apprenticeship - mechanical, electrical, PLCs, etc) - Superintendent > Construction Executive > Civil Engineering senior management - VP of Land at a homebuilder -- will have +/-50 builds and +/- 100 lots on the ground this year - Doing my own land development projects -- currently developing a 27-lot neighborhood and 3-lot deal Also, if you have anything about "ground up development" here's a quick snapshot of the workflow -- Everything in my world begins with a GIS import to create a Conceptual Site Plan in order to determine financial & construction feasibility. Then we hire a surveyor to create a boundary-topo-tree survey. Then we refine this basemap into a Land Plan. Then we start working architecturals for building permits. I've found myself in the position of being able to sketch multi-million dollar projects on cardboard boxes/whiteboards and when I need a little more precision, getting into Bluebeam. Then I am at the mercy of "design professionals" with fancy credentials that often DO NOT get it. My goal in following you are twofold: 1. Become better at conceptual estimates before construction drawings are fully developed 2. Integrate AI/technology into my construction management/execution "skill stack"