Estimator / Cost Planner

Bovis; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Hybrid work options

Up to 10% pension contribution

Private medical health benefit

Life assurance

25 days annual leave (+1-2 buy/sell)

Wellbeing leave

Gym discounts

Parental leave

Job summary

Bovis is seeking an Estimator / Cost Planner to handle cost planning, estimating, and bid preparation, working with senior colleagues, project teams, and clients to safeguard margins.

The role covers cost planning, design cost control, bidding strategy, data analytics, and tender documentation. This is a hybrid UK role with responsibilities spanning cost forecasting and value engineering.

Qualifications

• Ability to influence and lead teams.
• Ability to read drawings and construction design information.
• Data analysis and data analytics including use of PowerBI Document control.
• Negotiation and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to manage bid processes and cost plans.
• Experience in cost planning and forecasting using standard tools.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and analyse cost plans and preliminaries for bids and tender submissions.
• Coordinate design cost control and change management with project teams.
• Lead or support bids and ensure cost plan compliance with brief and approvals.
• Support data analytics, benchmarking, and KPI development for cost reporting.
• Prepare tender documentation and cost plan commentary for Bid Managers.

Skills

Influence teams

Read drawings

Data analytics

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Problem solving

Process compliance

Quantity take-off

Commercial acumen

Tendering packages

Time management

Value engineering

Written & verbal communication

Education

CSCS card

MRICS / MCIOB

Tools

Bovis measurement software

Power BI

Job description

The Estimator / Cost Planner is responsible for all aspects of cost planning and estimating, working closely with senior colleagues, project teams, and both internal and external clients from project inception. Main duties include preparing estimates for bids, developing strategies, managing approval processes, and coordinating all bid components such as cost plans, commentary, fees, and value engineering. The role involves challenging design teams to deliver efficient solutions within budget, supporting best practice development, sharing expertise, and ensuring forecast margins are met throughout project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Planning

• Utilise and support the development of the company’s preferred cost planning software and tools
• Be proficient in taking off quantities using the Bovis measurement software
• Collaborate with the commercial team to secure market prices for trade packages and analyse these against cost plan allowances
• Prepare, review, and analyse preliminaries for first and second stage bids, including producing standard preliminaries aligned with the proposed bid strategy
• Incorporate programming requirements, methodology, phasing, and associated implications into cost plans and preliminaries
• Accurately quantify and price cost plans from Development Brief / Feasibility stage through to Contract Price with the preferred contractor
• Ability to build rates from first principles (labour, plant, and materials) is desirable but not essential
• Accurate forecasting (inflation) of current trade rates
• Manage external consultants (EQ Bill of Quants Consultancy), including initial engagement, appointment, issue of information, quality control, and ensuring submission and return in line with the programme
• Be able to assess sub-contractor proposals
• Prepare design fees with support from the relevant Design Manager
• Prepare tender documentation for submission
• Prepare cost plan commentary and supply key information to Bid Managers to support technical and written responses within tender submissions
• Ensure that scope, assumptions, and pricing are clearly documented throughout all cost planning stages

Design and Cost Control

• Support project teams with change control and major variations during conversion and delivery stages.
• Support project and design teams in producing a design that meets cost plan requirements.
• Continuously analyse the design against cost plan assumptions, design briefs/target metrics, and benchmark project’s.

Bidding and Strategy

• Lead or support a bid as a Cost Planner either independently or as part of a team, depending on project scale and complexity.
• Support compliance of the cost plan with brief, authority, financiers’, and customer requirements during the conversion stage.

Data / Analytics

• Support the updating of design and cost KPI's.
• Support benchmarking data and workstreams (cost / design / programme), ensuring data is captured and maintained. And support an initiative for the development of benchmarking systems.
• Contribute to the development of best practices, standards, knowledge bases, sector expertise, industry trends, yardsticks, and benchmarks.
• Produce written narratives outlining key insights derived from cost and benchmarking analysis, including justification of the cost plan within the context of these findings.

Credentials

• Maintain CSCS card for theroleCurrently holding, or working towards a related Chartership such as MRICS /MCIOB

Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience & Behaviours

Skills

• Ability to influence and lead teams
• Ability to read drawings and construction design information
• Data analysis and data analytics including use of PowerBI Document control
• Negotiation
• Presentation skills
• Problem solving
• Process compliance
• Quantity take-off
• Strong Commercial acumen
• Tendering subcontract works packages of medium to high value
• Time management and prioritising tasks in order to meet deadlines
• Value engineering
• Written and verbal communication to influence and build relationships with various stakeholders

Knowledge

• Ability to contribute to value engineering as part of the design process.
• Allocation of scope to trade packages
• Be able to produce detailed prelim forecasts.
• Understand and apply cost planning & financial procedures and reporting tools
• Understanding of various procurement routes, including the RIBA design processes

Experience

• Proven track record of working on various bid stages included Stage 1 (initial tender) and Stage 2 (Conversion into contract / PCSA).
• Reviewing subcontractor tender offers and subcontractor tender analysis produced by the commercial team to ensure a robust cost position.
• Building inflation models / calculations.
• Coordinating multiple trade packages into a master cost plan / bill of quantities to ensure all scope gaps are found, priced, and any duplication is removed.
• Coordinating resources internally to ensure deliverables are met.
• Preparing cost plans at various RIBA stages.
• Presenting to stakeholders
• Understanding, building, and using benchmarking data for use at reviews, and for use externally with clients / consultants

Behaviours

• Flexibility and openness of approach and willingness to work as a team player
• Has a great attention to detail and thoroughness in all of the work they produced
• analytical thinking
• Taking ownership of Reporting, including populating all key templates and documents for reviews.
• Provides constructive challenge and feedback to others within the team.

We will provide:

• Car allowance
• Flexible and hybrid work options
• Up to 10% employer pension contribution
• Private medical health benefit
• Life assurance 25 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell additional days
• 4 days wellbeing leave in addition to annual leave
• Health and wellbeing support and initiatives24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme including direct access to Talking Therapies and Coaching services
• Discounted gym membership to over 2,500 gym’s nation wide
• Industry leading parental leave

Belong at Bovis

We offer workplaces that unite diverse minds; where respect, equal treatment and equal opportunity are just the norm. We are a disability inclusive employer. If you need any adjustment or changes to the process, email us to let us know if you have a preferred communication method.

We build careers, develop skills, and invest in people. Imagine what more you can do here.

Bovis is committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer of choice by engaging, enabling and empowering our people. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Inclusion sets us all up for success and we particularly encourage applications from currently under-represented groups in our industry including those who self-identify as women, black, Asian, minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/ or disabled.

Bovis

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