James Vainauskas
Denver,CO
Summary
Consultative construction professional with 7+ years of experience presenting, negotiating, and influencing building projects exceeding $5M. Proven ability to guide clients from concept through pricing approval by aligning technical scope with financial goals. Skilled in subcontractor negotiation, value engineering, and building client trust to drive project buy-in.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Estimator
R.A. Nelson & Associates
Avon, CO
02.2019 - Current
- Prepare and present cost proposals for 30+ commercial and residential projects with contract values exceeding $5M
- Lead pricing discussions with owners, developers, and architects to influence scope decisions and secure project approvals
- Negotiate subcontractor pricing and adjust scope to maintain competitiveness while protecting margins
- Guide clients through value-engineering solutions to align design vision with budget constraints
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously from conceptual budgeting through contract execution
- Influenced multimillion-dollar scope adjustments through consultative pricing discussions in competitive Colorado resort markets
Excavation Laborer
Upper Basin Excavating
Avon, CO
03.2018 - 01.2019
- Developed field-level understanding of site prep, grading, and structural execution to support accurate estimating
- Interpreted site and utility plans to ensure alignment between design and construction
Test Engineer
General Electric (Adecco)
Schenectady, NY
07.2016 - 12.2017
- Performed testing and instrumentation installation on large-scale industrial equipment
- Coordinated cross-functional engineering teams to ensure precision, compliance, and documentation accuracy
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of New Hampshire
Skills
- High-Value Project Consulting
- Client Pricing Presentations
- Contract Negotiation
- Needs Discovery
- Value Engineering
- Budget Development
- Cost Strategy
- Pipeline Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Client Relationship Management
- Microsoft Office
- Autodesk Construction Cloud
- Bluebeam
- Oasis Takeoff
- Roctek WinEx
- Construction Document Analysis
Timeline
Estimator
R.A. Nelson & Associates
02.2019 - Current
Excavation Laborer
Upper Basin Excavating
03.2018 - 01.2019
Test Engineer
General Electric (Adecco)
07.2016 - 12.2017
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of New Hampshire