Estimator

Time Recruitment Solutions Limited; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Time Recruitment Solutions Limited is seeking an Estimator for a full-time role in Cheltenham. You will produce accurate, competitive tenders for UK construction schemes, cost planning, and risk allowances, working with the Bid Manager and operations teams.

You will price traditional and design-and-build tenders, develop take-offs from drawings, and build up rates for labour, plant and materials, while maintaining a strong supply chain and delivering timely, well-justified submissions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years estimating experience with a UK main contractor.
• Pricing projects valued between £1m and £20m, plus smaller works.
• Strong measurement and take-off ability from first principles.
• Experience with design & build and traditional procurement (two-stage).
• Solid knowledge of JCT and NEC contracts.

Responsibilities

• Study tender documents and understand scope, risks and client expectations.
• Develop detailed estimates from first principles and take-offs where needed.
• Build up rates for labour, plant, materials and preliminaries.
• Price tenders for single and two-stage procurement routes.
• Handover won tenders to delivery and commercial teams.

Skills

Estimating

Take-off

Tender preparation

Pricing

Project cost control

Education

Degree in QS / Construction Management

Tools

Excel

Estimating software

Job description

Estimator - Full Time Position

Location: Cheltenham

Salary: £50,000-£60,000+ Package

About the Role

We are looking for an Estimator to produce accurate, competitive and well-qualified tenders that secure new work across both of our divisions. The role covers a broad and varied pipeline, from larger single and two-stage design and build schemes within Construction through to smaller projects, reactive works and framework pricing. Working alongside the Bid Manager, Commercial and Operations teams, you will make sure each submission reflects realistic costs, programme and risk.

Key Responsibilities

Tender Preparation

• Study tender documentation, drawings, specifications and contract conditions to fully understand the scope, risks and client expectations.
• Develop detailed estimates from first principles, carrying out measurement and take-off where no bill of quantities is supplied.
• Build up rates for labour, plant, materials and preliminaries using up-to-date market information and historic cost data.
• Price traditional and design and build tenders, across both single and two-stage procurement routes.

Subcontractor and Supplier Engagement

• Put together and issue subcontract and supply enquiries with clear, comprehensive scopes of work.
• Review and level incoming quotations, highlighting gaps, exclusions and qualifications.
• Maintain and grow a dependable supply chain database.

Risk, Value and Commercial Input

• Identify risks and opportunities, producing risk registers and allowances for tender review.
• Put forward value engineering ideas and alternative solutions that give clients better value.
• Draft tender qualifications, clarifications and assumptions.
• Present estimates at tender settlement meetings with directors, walking through build-ups and key risks.

General Works Pricing

• Turn around fast, accurate quotations for minor works, maintenance, reactive work and framework call-offs, often against tight deadlines.
• Price against framework schedules of rates where relevant.

Handover and Continuous Improvement

• Hand over won tenders to the delivery and commercial teams, making sure cost plans and allowances are fully understood.
• Record outturn costs and lessons learned so the cost database stays current.
• Attend site visits, client meetings and mid-tender interviews as needed.

About You

Essential Skills and Experience

• A minimum of 5 years' estimating experience with a UK main contractor, ideally at tier 2 level.
• A demonstrable record of pricing projects valued between £1m and £20m, as well as smaller works and minor packages.
• Strong measurement and take-off ability, with the confidence to price from first principles.
• Experience of both design and build and traditional procurement, including two-stage tenders.
• Solid working knowledge of JCT and NEC contracts.
• A good grasp of construction methods, sequencing, programme and preliminaries.
• Competence with estimating and measurement software, plus strong Excel skills.
• The ability to run multiple tenders simultaneously and reliably hit deadlines.
• A full UK driving licence.

Desirable Skills and Qualifications

• A degree or HNC/HND in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or a related field.
• Experience pricing public sector frameworks, such as education, healthcare or local authority.
• Background in schedule of rates and term maintenance pricing.
• Knowledge of NRM1 and NRM2 measurement rules.
• Familiarity with social value, carbon and sustainability requirements within tenders.

Personal Attributes

• Exceptional attention to detail, combined with a commercial mindset towards risk.
• A confident communicator who can explain and defend an estimate to directors and clients.
• Organised and composed under pressure, comfortable juggling competing deadlines.
• A collaborative team player who builds strong relationships with subcontractors and suppliers.
• Proactive, with a drive to improve processes, cost data and tender quality.