About Penalta
Penalta is an established general contractor delivering small to mid-sized commercial, institutional, retail, and residential projects across the GTA. Our work includes ground-up new builds, tenant fit-outs, retrofit work, and civil/precast projects, supported by a hands-on approach to project delivery and a strong reputation with our subcontractor partners.
The Role
We are looking for a motivated Junior Estimator to support our estimating team. This role combines bid coordination and administrative support with hands-on estimating work, including quantity takeoffs, subcontractor outreach, quote review, and bid-package preparation.
You will help keep the bid process organized, accurate, and moving forward while building your technical estimating and commercial skills. You will work closely with the estimating team to interpret drawings and specifications, coordinate trade pricing, identify scope gaps, and prepare complete bid documentation.
This is an ideal opportunity for someone with construction, site coordination, project coordination, preconstruction, or early estimating experience who wants to build a long-term career in estimating. Over time, the role will grow into a full Estimator position as your technical knowledge, autonomy, and commercial responsibilities expand.
What You Will Do
Bid Coordination & Administration
- Organize and maintain tender documents, drawings, specifications, addenda, and project correspondence to ensure the estimating team has complete and current information for each bid.
- Coordinate subcontractor and supplier outreach during bid periods, including distributing bid invitations, tracking responses, and following up on outstanding pricing by phone and email.
- Receive, log, and organize incoming trade quotations; identify apparent scope gaps, exclusions, qualifications, or inconsistencies for review with the estimating team.
- Maintain and update bid logs to track active tenders, deadlines, subcontractor outreach, quotation status, and outstanding items.
- Prepare and assemble bid packages for internal review, including trade comparisons, inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, and supporting documentation.
- Compile and maintain historical cost data, pricing records, subcontractor information, and vendor contact lists to support future estimates.
- Conduct research and gather project, product, pricing, and market information as needed to support estimating decisions.
Estimating Support
- Perform quantity takeoffs from architectural, structural, civil, and MEP drawings using Bluebeam, Excel, PlanSwift, or similar tools.
- Assist with preparing cost estimates by incorporating labour, material, equipment, and subcontractor pricing.
- Review subcontractor and supplier quotations for scope coverage, completeness, qualifications, and apparent pricing discrepancies.
- Support the estimating team in preparing competitive bids for public- and private-sector projects.
- Participate in pre-tender site visits, where required, to understand site conditions, access, existing conditions, and project-specific requirements.
- Coordinate with project management and site teams during post-award handoff to support a smooth transition from estimate to execution.
- Support quote-leveling and pricing discussions with subcontractors and suppliers under the direction of the estimating team, while developing stronger commercial and negotiation skills over time.
Subcontractor Relationships
- Build and maintain professional working relationships with subcontractors and suppliers across the GTA.
- Communicate clearly, promptly, and professionally with trade partners throughout the tender process.
- Support the estimating team in maintaining a reliable, responsive, and competitive subcontractor network.
- Represent Penalta professionally and handle project, pricing, and tender information with discretion.
What You Bring
- 2 to 4 years of estimating with a general contractor, on the bid side
- Chased and compared subcontractor quotes across multiple divisions on the same bid, leveled scopes where they didn't match, and caught the gaps before they became problems
- Worked to a hard bid close on ICI projects
- Quantity takeoffs from architectural, structural and MEP drawings, working from specifications, addenda and tender documents
- A working understanding of how construction goes together on site and how sequencing and trade coordination affect cost and scope
- Bluebeam and Excel
- Confident verbal communication. Much of this role is on the phone with subtrades and suppliers, chasing pricing and pushing for answers under deadline
Assets
- PlanSwift or similar takeoff software
- Existing relationships with GTA subcontractors and suppliers
- Exposure to precast
About the Work
- You'll be bidding ground-up ICI projects, including large-format industrial and distribution buildings, institutional work, and multi-site retail programs.
- Single-trade estimating experience, such as flooring, mechanical or steel, is valuable but this role requires assembling bids across trades.
What Makes This Role Different
This role gives you practical exposure to both sides of estimating: the bid coordination that keeps tendering organized and the technical estimating work that helps build a competitive price.
At Penalta, estimating is not limited to pricing projects. Our estimating team develops the subcontractor and supplier relationships that make our bids more competitive and improve project delivery after award. You will have the opportunity to build those relationships while learning directly from experienced construction professionals.
Our team is small, our project mix is diverse, and you will have direct exposure to leadership, decision-making, and the complete bid process. There is a clear growth path from Junior Estimator to Estimator as your responsibilities, technical skills, and autonomy expand.
Compensation & Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision coverage.
- Performance bonus of up to 10% of annual salary.
- Professional development support.
- Exposure to a diverse portfolio of project types and delivery models.
- A clear career-development path within a growing estimating function.
How to Apply
Submit your resume outlining your estimating experience, relevant project history, and trade coordination background.
While we review all applications, only candidates selected for further discussion will be contacted.
We are committed to an inclusive and accessible workplace. Accommodations are available upon request at any stage of the selection process.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site gym
- On-site parking
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision care
Application question(s):
- Are you legally entitled to work in Canada on a full-time, permanent basis?
- This role is full-time, on site in Oakville, Ontario. Are you able to commute daily or relocate?
- What is the largest project you have personally prepared or contributed to a bid for?
- Under $2M
- $2M to $10M
- $10M to $25M
- Over $25M
- How many years of estimating experience do you have working for a general contractor? Please briefly describe the types of projects and estimating work you have been responsible for.
Work Location: In person
