Edwin Gonzalez is one of our estimators at Eastman Cooke. With over a year under his belt at the company, his perspective coupled with his impressive skill and team-oriented spirit have brought so much to the ECA team. In his role as estimator, Edwin is expected to collect and analyze proposals from subcontractors, formulate budgets and proposals, liaise with clients and evaluate requests for proposals (RFPs) – just to name a few of his responsibilities.
Edwin’s dedication to teamwork and getting the job done has helped keep his projects moving efficiently and effectively with the ability to delegate tasks and track progress with professionalism and a positive attitude that set the tone for the whole crew. When he’s not hard at work, Edwin loves being active in sports whether it’s boxing, playing soccer or volunteering as a girls’ soccer coach.
What are some of the key responsibilities of the estimator position? I am responsible for dissecting RFPs and doing take-offs using Planswift. Additionally, I collect and dissect proposals from our preferred subcontractors to submit a proper proposal to our clients. In the process of doing that, I must manage any addendums and/or tenant alternates while providing the project management team a narrative of the job, once awarded.
What are the driving factors that help to ensure a winning bid? Making sure the subcontractors have the correct scope per trade and confirming that we have the correct contractors and labor timelines are key to winning jobs.
Can you take us through the conceptual process and the necessary elements that help to fuel successful outcomes for your clients? Attending walkthroughs and pointing out any discrepancies in the drawings while submitting requests for information (RFIs) can help us improve outcomes for our clients.
What Eastman Cooke projects are you most proud of and why? In the time I have been with ECA, I have been proud to be part of an estimating team that has won multiple projects of different scopes and sizes. It’s so fulfilling to know that we are an essential part of this great company.
What do you like best about working in construction, and what tips can you offer to someone starting out in the field? I love looking at buildings in the city and having knowledge of the construction phase of a project. It’s also great to be able to show loved ones projects that we have successfully built throughout the years. Even though I took construction management courses in college, being in the field and helping manage multiple projects was essential for me to gain the necessary experience to fully grasp the beauty of a building.
Can you take us through the collaborative aspect of the job and the importance of teamwork in project delivery? Teamwork is essential, as we are so often multitasking with multiple construction projects. Making sure that we can split the many tasks that we’re juggling – like making calls to our subcontractors, creating and managing project schedules, highlighting a matrix of preferred subcontractors, or dissecting a spec manual before sending our price for a project – is very important. Having a strong team acting as the backbone when things get tough goes a long way, especially because at ECA we believe it’s of the utmost importance to submit a bid on time.
What types of activities or volunteering/community initiatives do you enjoy outside the office? I am a big sports guy! I love boxing and playing soccer in my free time. I even used to volunteer as a coach for a girls’ soccer team.
