Construction Consultant

Overview

Our consulting division performs fee-based construction consulting, including forensic architectural consulting, cost estimating and expert testimony for construction defect litigation cases. Our cost estimators research and establish appropriate construction costs for reconstructing and repairing construction defects and building problems, including waterproofing and building envelope failures, mechanical and plumbing repairs, and structural deficiencies. Attorneys generally hire us, and our internal team of cost estimators work alongside other industry experts to provide the investigation, evaluation and documentation that will be used to support or defend a construction litigation case.

We work with attorneys who are working for, or in litigation with, developers, builders and/or subcontractors because of defects in construction or failures in construction standards of care.

• Produce professionally presented cost of repair estimates for consulting assignments, that are logical, backed-up, easy to understand and thoroughly vetted.
• Prepare estimates using Nautilus’ standard estimating template(s), using standard company labor rates and costs.
• Ensure that work product is checked and vetted for errors, including spelling and grammar, and is free of formula errors.
• Interface with Director of Consulting to clearly understand the assignment, client, deadlines, and time constraints.
• Thoroughly review expert reports, ensuring the repair recommendations contained in the reports are clearly understood for estimating purposes. Contact independent experts to get clarifications and input when necessary. Meet with other experts as appropriate.
• Save all appropriate received documentation to the server, in an organized fashion, for use or production at a later date.
• Travel to assignment sites to assess conditions, photo-document the project and conditions, and ensure understanding of the estimating assignment and the specific work being recommended. Identify affected finishes, access limitations, and/or additional work that may affect cost of repair. Save photos and notes to the server.
• Build estimates organized to follow the other experts’ recommendations, numbering system and verbiage. Enter scope of work, including items that are a byproduct of the experts’ intended repair, but that the expert may not have outlined or identified specifically.
• Quantify repairs using the best available means, including expert reports, repair drawings, measurements from existing plans, Google Earth, Quick measure, etc. Enter organized quantities into the estimating spreadsheet and save demonstrative (graphic) quantity measurements or take-offs to the server. Enter quantities into the estimate as appropriate.
• Price individual line items of repair using methods appropriate to the line item, including unit costing, time and materials costing, or lump sum. Make reasonable assumptions when necessary and document those assumptions.
• Set and adjust estimate burden mark-ups as appropriate for the specific assignment. Seek input from other experts regarding professional fees.
• Review work product with President and/or the assigned expert, requesting input, asking questions, and ensuring buy-in.
• Perform appropriate research to support cost estimates as needed or appropriate, including internet pricing research for materials and/or equipment, contacting relevant subcontractors, soliciting input from experts, cross-checking with prior estimates from other assignments, and/or requesting input from other consulting estimators or construction personnel.
• Take appropriate notes and save notes, as well as other research to server, organized so that it can be easily reviewed, understood, and produced at a later date.
• Keep the server file for each individual assignment organized, clear, easily navigated, and free of clutter.
• Cross-check work with other consulting estimators. Work in a collegial way with other team members.

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field is preferred, and/or 4+ years  experience in the construction field with increasing levels of responsibility, which should include having performed some estimating,…