Commercial Estimator

Show

Location: Denver, CO (HQ)

Reports To: Director of Construction

Job Type: Full-Time

Travel Required: Minimal; occasional site or pre-construction visits

Business Entity: MCS (Magma Core Solutions), a Lava Island company

Welcome to Lava Island

Lava Island is an indoor play oasis where kids fly across trampolines, vanish into towering jungle gyms, dive into foam pits, and race down slides while families share pizza and celebrate birthdays in the party rooms. It is loud, bright, and full of energy.

Every one of those parks started as an empty space. Magma Core Solutions (MCS) is the team that builds them.

What You’re Really Building

Every park starts as a number. Before a wall comes down, somebody has to figure out what the build will cost and what it will take. That is you.

The budget you put together is the plan everyone else runs on. The Project Manager buys the job out against it. The Superintendent builds to it in the field. Get the estimate right and the whole project has a foundation under it. And when that park opens and fills up with families, you will know your numbers are what made it possible.

These are commercial interior tenant improvement (TI) builds in leased retail space, not ground-up construction. It is also real work: fast schedules, real budgets, and a hard opening date families are already counting on.

Why You’ll Love Working at Lava Island

In-house at a growing company. You are not chasing one-off bids that disappear when the job ends. You are the estimator for a company that opens more parks every year, with a steady pipeline of work ahead.
Own the numbers for the whole build, not one slice of it.
Build something. The estimating function and the cost models are being built right now as MCS scales. You help set how it runs.
A repeatable park that gets sharper every build. Your historical data makes the next estimate better than the last.
Denver home base. An office role with minimal travel.
Competitive pay and full benefits.

What You’ll Do

You build the cost basis and budget for every new park MCS opens, from the first conceptual number through a buyout-ready budget.

Build the estimate

Develop complete quantity takeoffs and detailed cost estimates from drawings, specifications, and scope documents for each park build.
Price every scope: demolition, general trades, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, finishes, themed work, commercial kitchen, fire safety, low voltage and AV, signage, and specialty installs.
Account for the cost differences between the markets where Lava Island builds.

Price the work

Put together clear bid packages, solicit subcontractor and supplier pricing, and level the bids so you are comparing the same scope of work, not just the bottom line.
Catch scope gaps, overlaps, and exclusions before they reach the field.

Set the budget and keep it sharp

Build the budget that becomes the basis for the Project Manager’s buyout, and walk it through to them at handoff.
Support the Project Manager and Superintendent on pricing questions through buyout and construction, and price change orders as they come back through the Project Manager.
Build and maintain the cost models and historical data for the Lava Island park prototype, so estimates get more accurate build over build.
Find value engineering and cost savings that do not cut brand or quality.
Keep clean estimate files and run the work through the company’s systems, including Procore.

Who We’re Looking For

This is an experienced estimating seat, not an entry-level one. The estimators who do well at MCS are:

Experienced. You have priced commercial, tenant improvement, or interior build-out work and can carry an estimate from a first concept number all the way to a buyout-ready budget.
Detail-driven. You catch the gap, the overlap, and the missing exclusion before it becomes a problem in the field.
Highly organized. Many estimates, many bid packages, many deadlines, all kept straight.
Cost-savvy. You know what drives cost and where the risk sits.
An honest communicator. You surface your assumptions, inclusions, and exclusions clearly so nobody is guessing.
Comfortable with technology. Estimating and takeoff software, spreadsheets, and cloud tools are part of the daily job.
A team player. You work closely with the Project Manager, Superintendents, Design, and Real Estate.

What You’ll Need

Several years of construction estimating experience, typically five or more, ideally in tenant improvement, interior build-out, commercial retail, hospitality, or themed environment work.
A track record of complete, accurate quantity takeoffs and detailed estimates across all trades.
Experience soliciting, leveling, and evaluating subcontractor and supplier bids.
Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and lease exhibits.
A strong understanding of construction means, methods, sequencing, and cost drivers.
Comfort with estimating and takeoff software, spreadsheets, and cloud collaboration tools. MCS runs on Microsoft 365 and Outlook.
Strong attention to detail, organization, and time management.
Procore experience preferred. Willingness to become a Procore power user is required.
Bilingual (Spanish / English) is a strong plus.

A full job description will be shared and walked through with you during the process, so you have the complete picture before moving forward.

Ready to Price What Comes Next?

If you want your estimates to be the foundation under something families remember, not just another bid on a list, we want to meet you. Apply today.