Quantity Surveyor
Individually Designed Homes (IDH) based in East Lothian (Haddington) - the role is commutable from Edinburgh.
Up to £62,000 · Permanent · Full-time · Mon–Fri · Free parking
Own the commercial outcome on some of Scotland’s most ambitious private homes.
IDH has delivered over 200 individually designed homes across Edinburgh and the Lothians, from New Town basement renovations to full bespoke new builds. No volume work. No corners cut. Just premium residential projects built to a standard clients remember.
This is not a back-office QS role. You’ll be the commercial lead across our live projects — the person who owns the numbers from contract to final account, negotiates directly with subcontractors and clients, and works directly with the directors day-to-day. As IDH scales toward £10M+ turnover, you’ll have full commercial oversight across a growing portfolio of premium projects — a role with real ownership that grows as the business grows.
The role is hybrid, based between our East Lothian HQ and live sites across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
What you’ll be doing
→ Acting as commercial lead across multiple live luxury projects, working directly alongside the directors and project managers
→ Owning project margins end-to-end — from cost plan through variations to final account settlement
→ Negotiating subcontract packages and building the premium supply chain that IDH’s reputation depends on
→ Capturing, costing, and agreeing variations early and commercially — protecting margin before works proceed, not chasing it afterwards
→ Leading commercial conversations with clients, architects, and subcontractors on high-specification work where the detail matters
→ Identifying commercial risk early and bringing solutions to the directors, not just problems
→ Managing valuations, subcontractor costs, and labour expenditure using LiveCosts and Monday.com — modern digital workflows, not spreadsheets and paper trails
→ Supporting the directors on pricing and winning new work as the business grows
What we’re looking for
→ Proven QS experience on live construction projects with strong cost management and variation handling
→ Commercial confidence — comfortable negotiating, challenging costs, and holding your ground professionally
→ Strong financial acumen and the ability to interpret drawings and technical documentation
→ Full UK driving licence
→ Experience in luxury or high-specification residential construction is a strong advantage
→ Construction qualification (HNC, HND, or degree) and/or RICS membership is desirable
What we value
Resilience & Professionalism: Grounded, highly organised, and calm under pressure. Communication defined by absolute clarity and honesty — from high-net-worth clients to site subcontractors.
Precision & Problem Solving: Strong attention to detail, genuine pride in luxury finishes, and a practical, solutions-driven approach to resolving commercial challenges.
Commercial Ownership: We want someone who treats project margins like their own money. This role rewards proactivity — spotting the risk before it lands, agreeing the variation before the work starts, and driving projects to hit deadlines without standards slipping.
The package
→ Salary up to £62,000 depending on experience
→ A genuine growth pathway: as we scale, this role scales with us
→ 28 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays
→ Company pension scheme
→ Fuel expenses covered for all company travel
→ Mobile phone provided
→ Free on-site parking
This is a hybrid site and office-based role across our East Lothian HQ and Edinburgh project sites. Please confirm you are comfortable with in-person working as part of your application
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: Up to £62,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
Application question(s):
- Only applicants with the relevant experience will be considered.
- I understand that this is a fully in-person role and is not suitable for remote working.
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Haddington
