Preconstruction Intern

Interning at Wolverine Construction

Get ready for a summer of learning, building, and making an impact. As a Preconstruction Intern, you'll work alongside experienced preconstruction and construction professionals on real projects during the planning and bidding phases. Based in our Grand Rapids office, you'll gain hands-on experience with estimating, plan reading, quantity take-offs, subcontractor bidding, and project planning while learning what goes into a project before construction begins.

You'll collaborate with our Preconstruction and Project Management teams and have opportunities to visit proposed project sites to better understand how site conditions, logistics, materials, and design decisions influence an estimate. It's a hands-on experience designed to help you develop practical skills, expand your network, and discover what it takes to turn plans and specifications into successful construction projects.

You Will Learn Preconstruction & Estimating:

• • Review drawings, specifications, addenda, and other project documents to understand project scope and requirements.
  • Assist with quantity take-offs and basic cost estimates for materials, systems, and trade scopes.
  • Support conceptual, negotiated, and competitive estimates by gathering information, entering data, and checking calculations.
  • Help estimate general conditions and project requirements such as temporary facilities, site logistics, permits, supervision, and other project support needs.
  • Use spreadsheets, estimating software, and project management systems to organize and maintain project information.
  • Participate in pre-bid meetings, estimate reviews, scope reviews, and project planning discussions.

You Will Help Manage the Bidding Process:

• • Assist with subcontractor and supplier outreach, including distributing bid invitations, confirming interest, tracking responses, and following up.
  • Help maintain bid lists, bid coverage, and preconstruction schedules.
  • Review subcontractor and supplier proposals to identify scope coverage, exclusions, qualifications, and inconsistencies.
  • Assist with bid tabulation and comparison of proposals.
  • Organize drawings, specifications, bid forms, proposals, and other preconstruction documents so the team has accurate, current information.
  • Research construction materials, products, vendors, subcontractors, market conditions, and project requirements to support estimating decisions.

You'll Communicate and Network:

• • Identify missing, conflicting, or unclear information in project documents and work with the Preconstruction team to resolve questions.
  • Collaborate with Project Managers, Superintendents, design partners, subcontractors, and suppliers to understand how preconstruction decisions affect project execution.
  • Visit proposed project sites to observe existing conditions, access, logistics, and other factors that may affect the estimate.
  • Develop professional relationships with colleagues, subcontractors, suppliers, and other construction partners.
  • Manage assigned responsibilities, meet deadlines, seek feedback, and apply what you learn to future projects.