I could be

I could be... A PLUMBING ESTIMATOR

Plumbing estimators work through tenders and gather all the information needed to ensure each build complies. We talk to Graham Fisher and Martin de Gouw at Clyne & Bennie about the skills needed for the role and how to get there.

About 15 years ago, Graham Fisher was just starting out as a plumbing apprentice at Clyne & Bennie in Christchurch. Learning as much as he could on job sites, asking questions and making connections, Graham quickly moved into the world of commercial plumbing.

These days, in his role as company Estimator, Graham is mostly office-based, receiving tenders and working through them, meticulously managing deadlines and collecting all of the minutiae needed to ensure no stone is left unturned when it comes to build details. At any given time, he could have two to three jobs on the go— and sometimes as many as five or six. It’s no surprise that this role requires a high level of organisation—and a cool head.

Relationship building

“I often make site visits, especially for smaller jobs,” explains Graham. “Just this week I have been out twice to meet with the builders. Sometimes there is information on the draft you just can’t work out; then you spend 10 or 15 minutes on site and everything clicks into place. Most communication happens over email, so being able to catch up in person is really good.”

Meeting face-to-face to discuss issues or details regarding a build also helps strengthen relationships and establish good communication skills, something both Graham and Clyne & Bennie Managing Director Martin de Gouw agree is really important when trying to further your career and learn more about the industry. They also say that—outside of information gathering, good communication and general plumbing experience—computer skills are the most important for an estimator to obtain.

Having worked his way from apprentice to company estimator at Clyne & Bennie, Graham Fisher has the broad plumbing knowledge needed for the job. AUTHOR: KERRIE MORGAN

Computer skills

“The computer skills required for this role go beyond being able to browse the web and use social media,” explains Martin. “You need to be able to structure documents and emails correctly, use PDF editors and drawing programmes and do video conferencing. We use all of these every day in the office.”

Graham stresses how important it is to learn why things are done a certain way. His advice to apprentices is to always ask why something is being done—not just how it’s done—and what the process was to get to a certain point in a build or on a project. This additional knowledge can go a long way in furthering a career beyond working on the tools.

Training for an estimator role begins with learning the required computer skills and building confidence through trial and error, explains Graham. “It takes a few years to get really confident,” he says. “It’s a bit terrifying when you first start out!” Reading and understanding drawings is also a good place to start, as this is a key focus for an estimator.

Recommended training

Master Plumbers runs a training course for estimators, which Martin recommends as being valuable for those starting out in the job. “Plumbers underestimate their worth in a lot of projects,” says Martin. “They’re leaving a lot of value behind at the quoting and variation stage of the project, and this training offers some consistency around how plumbers manage these processes.” He points out that, whilst a trained quantity surveyor may have a wealth of broad estimation knowledge, they often don’t have specific plumbing experience. As a result, training people in-house to do plumbing estimation is a better option and most plumbing companies do exactly that.

Job satisfaction

As Graham explains, the estimator role has its challenges. From collating information for different people and teams within the company, to project management and ensuring a build is compliant with the latest regulations, it’s a role that really keeps him on his toes.

“The challenge of information-gathering can be frustrating at times,” he says. “But that’s also the part I enjoy most: putting the pieces of the puzzle together. It’s satisfying when you put something out at the end, knowing you haven’t left any gaps.”