Senior Estimator - Civil Engineering
Whitehouse Construction is a family-owned civil engineering and construction company with over 49 years’ experience delivering high-quality civil engineering, infrastructure and environmental projects across the UK.
We work with a diverse range of clients, including major infrastructure providers such as National Grid, Environment Agency, STW, local authorities and blue-chip organisations. Contract Values range from £50k to £5m. We currently have the opportunity for an experienced Senior Estimator to join our commercial team and play a key role in securing and delivering our future workload.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced Senior Estimator with a strong civil engineering background who can take ownership of tenders from initial enquiry through to submission.
This is a key role within the business, requiring someone who can combine strong technical estimating capability with sound commercial judgement. You will be responsible for producing accurate, competitive and commercially robust tenders across a range of civil engineering projects.
You will work closely with our Business Development and Bid Management Team, as well as clients and our supply chain, to develop tenders that are both commercially competitive and deliverable.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage, mentor and support the existing estimating team including allocation of tenders.
- Lead the preparation of detailed estimates and tenders for civil engineering projects.
- Review drawings, specifications, scope of works and contract documentation to establish project requirements.
- Undertake detailed quantity take-offs and measurements.
- Develop labour, plant, material and subcontractor costs.
- Prepare detailed first-principles and composite rate build-ups.
- Obtain, assess and negotiate competitive quotations from suppliers and subcontractors.
- Identify commercial, contractual, construction and programme risks within tender documentation.
- Develop clear tender assumptions, exclusions, clarifications and qualifications.
- Work with the operational team to ensure proposed methodologies and programmes are realistic and achievable.
- Identify opportunities for value engineering and alternative construction methodologies.
- Review and challenge supply chain quotations to ensure competitive pricing and appropriate scope coverage.
- Prepare tender summaries and present estimates to senior management for review and approval prior to submission.
- Ensure estimates are fully auditable and supported by appropriate records and calculations.
- Maintain accurate tender documentation and contribute to the continual improvement of estimating processes and cost databases.
- Support the commercial team during post-tender negotiations, clarification meetings and handover to the delivery team.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, consultants, suppliers and subcontractors.
The Experience We Are Looking For
The successful candidate will have substantial experience within civil engineering estimating, ideally gained within a main contractor or specialist civil engineering environment.
You should have a strong understanding of:
- Groundworks and earthworks
- Drainage and utilities
- Highways and infrastructure
- Concrete and structural works
- Hard landscaping and external works
- Plant and labour outputs
- Material procurement and supply chains
- Subcontract procurement
- Construction methodologies and sequencing
- NEC and/or JCT forms of contract
- Construction programmes and preliminaries
- Risk, opportunity and value engineering
You will be commercially astute and confident in challenging costs, assumptions and methodologies where necessary. We are particularly interested in individuals who can estimate from first principles, rather than simply relying on historic rates.
What We are Looking For in You
We are looking for someone who is:
- Commercially minded – able to understand not only what a project costs, but where the commercial risks and opportunities sit.
- Technically competent – able to interpret construction information and understand how works will actually be delivered on site.
- Accurate and analytical – capable of producing detailed estimates while maintaining a strong eye for detail.
- Collaborative – comfortable working with operations, buying, commercial teams and the supply chain.
- Proactive – able to identify risks, opportunities and missing information rather than simply pricing what is presented.
- Organised – capable of managing multiple tenders and competing deadlines without compromising quality.
- Confident – comfortable presenting estimates and recommendations to senior management and engaging directly with clients and suppliers.
What We Offer
This is an opportunity to join a growing, family-owned civil engineering business where the Senior Estimator will have genuine influence over the projects we pursue and the way we price and deliver them.
You will have the opportunity to work on a varied portfolio of civil engineering and infrastructure projects, with significant exposure to major clients and framework opportunities.
- Competitive package including car allowance or EV/Hybrid company car
- Company pension
- Bonus Scheme
- Critical illness insurance
- A supportive, family-run working environment where people are valued.
- Access to Help@Hand, our employee health and wellbeing benefit, providing 24/7 GP access, mental health support, physiotherapy, second medical opinions and other wellbeing services.
- Free on-site parking.
- Opportunities to develop new skills and progress within the business.
Whitehouse Construction is a Living Wage Employer and an Equal Opportunities Employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company pension
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
Work Location: In person
