Position Title: Construction Estimator
Reports To: Managing Director / Commercial Team
Company Overview: HMR is a main contractor construction company known for delivering high-quality craftsmanship and exceptional service in Edinburgh and throughout East Lothian. We specialise in high end residential, commercial projects, and bespoke joinery work that meet our clients' individual needs.
We pride ourselves in working closely with clients, designers and stakeholders alike to deliver high quality works. We have always understood that it’s “our people” that make our business.
Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Project Estimator to lead the preparation of accurate, competitive and fully considered tenders.
The successful candidate will review tender documentation, build detailed estimates from first principles where required, engage with the supply chain, identify commercial and programme risks, and clearly communicate the pricing strategy to the delivery team.
This is a key pre-construction role within the business. It requires strong technical understanding, attention to detail and the ability to balance competitiveness with appropriate risk management, while maintaining HM Raitt & Sons’ standards of quality and professionalism.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Tendering & Pricing
· Review tender enquiries, drawings, specifications, schedules and pricing documents.
· Prepare detailed cost estimates covering labour, materials, plant, preliminaries and subcontract packages.
· Develop Bills of Quantities, take-offs and pricing documents where required.
· Price projects from first principles where necessary and validate rates against current market information.
· Identify and quantify risks, opportunities and value-engineering options.
· Compile and submit accurate, compliant tenders in line with internal and client deadlines.
2. Supply Chain & Procurement Input
· Prepare enquiry packages and obtain competitive quotations from subcontractors and suppliers.
· Analyse quotations on a like-for-like basis, checking scope, exclusions, qualifications and compliance.
· Build and maintain strong relationships with key supply-chain partners in conjunction with the procurement team.
· Engage early with the supply chain to understand market conditions, availability and lead-in times.
· Maintain and improve cost databases, benchmark information and supplier records.
3. Commercial & Risk Management
· Identify commercial risks within tender documentation, including contract conditions, provisional sums, design gaps and incomplete information.
· Prepare clear assumptions, exclusions, clarifications and qualifications for inclusion within submissions.
· Assess programme implications, resource requirements, logistics and associated cost impacts.
· Support strategies for managing inflation, procurement risk and market volatility.
· Participate in tender reviews and present pricing recommendations to the Managing Director and commercial team.
4. Value Engineering & Cost Planning
· Work with site, contracts and commercial teams to propose alternative materials, methods or sequencing that improve value without compromising quality.
· Provide cost advice to clients, architects and consultants during pre-construction where required.
· Contribute to negotiated tenders, design-and-build opportunities and two-stage procurement processes.
· Develop outline cost plans, budgets and elemental comparisons where required.
5. Tender Handover & Team Collaboration
· Prepare comprehensive tender handover documentation, including the estimate, quotations, assumptions, risks and opportunities.
· Brief contracts managers, quantity surveyors, buyers and site teams on the pricing strategy and key commercial considerations.
· Support the delivery and commercial teams during the early stages of projects and assist with tender queries or scope clarification.
· Contribute to post-tender reviews and use feedback from completed projects to improve future estimating accuracy.
Qualifications:
· Proven experience in an estimating, pre-construction or quantity surveying role within the construction industry, ideally with a main contractor.
· Strong knowledge of construction methods, materials, subcontract packages, preliminaries and market rates.
· Demonstrable experience preparing detailed tenders and estimates for residential, commercial and/or refurbishment projects.
· Ability to read and interpret drawings, specifications, schedules and contract information.
· Good understanding of construction contracts, commercial risk and procurement processes.
· Competence in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; experience with estimating, take-off or construction management software is advantageous.
· A relevant qualification in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or a related discipline is desirable, although substantial relevant experience will also be considered.
· Full UK driving licence and the ability to visit project sites and supply-chain partners when required.
Personal Attributes:
· Commercially astute, analytical and highly numerate.
· Accurate and detail-focused, with a methodical approach to tender preparation.
· Well organised, able to manage multiple deadlines and remain calm under pressure.
· Confident communicator with strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.
· Proactive, accountable and capable of working both independently and as part of a close-knit team.
· Professional and ethical, with a commitment to quality, continuous improvement and protecting the company’s commercial interests.
· Comfortable challenging assumptions, identifying gaps and proposing practical solutions.
Employee Benefits:
· 29 days’ annual leave, inclusive of public holidays, generally aligned with SBEF dates and subject to business requirements and Directors’ discretion.
· Workplace pension through The People’s Pension, with employer contributions in line with statutory requirements.
· Ongoing training, CPD and professional development opportunities.
· Company-organised staff and family events and team-building activities.
· Access to a GP consultation service for employees and their immediate family.
· Access to confidential mental health support.
· Company-branded clothing and appropriate PPE where site attendance requires it.
Pay: £44,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
