Description
About the Company
Blue Sky Contractors, LLC is a full-service general contractor based in Appleton, Wisconsin, serving the Fox Cities and greater Wisconsin area since 2004. Founded by Ethan Fett, the company was built on a commitment to delivering superior construction services through experience, strong relationships, and a hands-on approach.
Blue Sky provides construction services across a diverse set of markets, including industrial, municipal/government, commercial, retail, medical, religious, mixed-use/multi-family, and educational sectors. The team prides itself on being flexible, relationship-driven, and committed to meeting client expectations through high-quality execution.
As a growing, family-oriented company, Blue Sky offers a collaborative environment with strong leadership visibility and the opportunity to directly impact the company’s growth trajectory.
Role Summary
The Commercial Estimator is a mission-critical hire responsible for driving project acquisition and supporting company growth. This is not a takeoff-only role—this individual will operate as a strategic partner to leadership, helping shape what projects the company pursues, how they are priced, and ultimately how the business scales.
This role offers high visibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to build and lead the estimating function over time.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare detailed and accurate cost estimates for commercial construction projects
- Perform quantity takeoffs from drawings and specifications
- Analyze bid documents, plans, and project requirements
- Solicit, evaluate, and level subcontractor and vendor bids
- Develop competitive bid strategies for both hard bid and negotiated work
- Identify risks, gaps, and cost-saving opportunities in estimates
- Collaborate directly with ownership and leadership on project selection
- Maintain and expand subcontractor relationships
- Support preconstruction planning and value engineering efforts
- Contribute to long-term estimating processes and department development
- Help define project targeting strategy (markets, clients, opportunities)
Success Metrics
- Accuracy of estimates vs. actual project cost
- Bid win rate and contribution to revenue growth
- Quality and completeness of subcontractor coverage
- Timeliness of bid submissions
- Ability to influence project pipeline and company direction
Benefits
Healthcare
- Medical insurance (company pays ~50%)
- Dental & vision (100% covered for management level)
Insurance
- Short-term disability (company paid)
- Long-term disability (company paid)
- Life insurance (company paid)
Retirement
- SIMPLE IRA with 3% company match
Compensation
- Competitive base salary (~$85K–$120K+ depending on experience)
- Semi-annual bonus tied to company performance
Perks & Tools
- Company vehicle (for this role)
- Company credit card + gas (business use)
- Company phone + laptop
- Training and development paid for and encouraged
Why Join Blue Sky
- High-impact role directly tied to company growth
- Work closely with ownership and leadership daily
- Opportunity to build and shape the estimating function
- Family-oriented, flexible culture
- No corporate bureaucracy
- Clear path for long-term growth and leadership potential
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- 3–10+ years of commercial construction estimating experience
- Experience working for a General Contractor (preferred) or relevant subcontractor
- Proven ability to own full-cycle estimates (not just takeoffs)
Strong understanding of:
- Construction methods and materials
- Labor and subcontractor pricing
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints and specifications
Proficiency with:
- Bluebeam
- Procore
- Excel
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to operate in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with projects in the $500K–$5M range
- Familiarity with the Wisconsin / Fox Cities subcontractor market
- Experience with both hard bid and negotiated/design-build work
- Leadership potential or experience building processes/teams
