Quantity Surveyor

Recruitment Helpline Ltd; Reading; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' annual leave

Company pension scheme

Discretionary bonus after probation

AXA health insurance

Job summary

Recruitment Helpline Ltd in Berkshire is seeking a pre-construction QS for an office-based role with occasional site visits. You’ll manage budgeting on factory fit-out projects across multiple live jobs.

You’ll read drawings, perform quantity take-offs, spot cost-saving opportunities and negotiate with suppliers, then present options to the team before contract award.

The role offers a pension, discretionary bonus after probation, AXA health insurance and 25 days of annual leave.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years’ experience in a pre-construction QS, estimating or cost management role.
• Construction experience, ideally gained on site or with a main contractor or specialist subcontractor.
• Strong commercial awareness and a solid understanding of construction costs, methods and materials.
• Confidence reading drawings, including Revit and CAD outputs, plus advanced Excel skills.
• The confidence to challenge designers and suppliers, and openness to feedback yourself.

Responsibilities

• Digging into drawings and specifications, carry out quantity take-offs and build well-supported cost plans.
• Spotting over-specification, especially in M&E services, door specifications and fire compliance, and finding practical ways to bring cost down without compromising what our clients need.
• Obtaining and levelling quotes, then challenging and negotiating with our supply chain to make sure every price is right.
• Presenting cost options and savings internally, then handing each project to our Pre-Construction Director at contract award and sign-off

Skills

Reading drawings

Excel skills

Negotiation

Commercial awareness

Cost management

Education

QS or construction-related degree

HNC/HND

RICS membership (or working towards)

Tools

Revit

CAD

Excel

Job description

Location: Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire (office-based, with occasional site visits)

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent – Office Based

About The Company

They are a family-owned business. Since 2012, they have built a strong reputation as turnkey factory fit-out specialists, helping food, drink and pharmaceutical manufacturers expand, relocate and future-proof their production facilities

Abut The Role

This role is about more than producing a number. Working alongside the Estimating Manager, you’ll drive progressive budgeting on factory fit-out projects as they move through concept and detailed design, typically across 5–8 live jobs at once.

What you'll do

• Digging into drawings and specifications, carrying out quantity take-offs and building well-supported cost plans.
• Spotting over-specification, especially in M&E services, door specifications and fire compliance, and finding practical ways to bring cost down without compromising what our clients need.
• Obtaining and levelling quotes, then challenging and negotiating with our supply chain to make sure every price is right.
• Presenting cost options and savings internally, then handing each project to our Pre-Construction Director at contract award and sign-off

What you'll bring

• 2–5 years’ experience in a pre-construction QS, estimating or cost management role.
• Construction experience, ideally gained on site or with a main contractor or specialist subcontractor.
• Strong commercial awareness and a solid understanding of construction costs, methods and materials.
• Confidence reading drawings, including Revit and CAD outputs, plus advanced Excel skills.
• The confidence to challenge designers and suppliers, and openness to feedback yourself.
• Working knowledge of M&E services, door specifications and fire regulations is a strong advantage.
• A QS or construction-related degree, HNC/HND or RICS membership (or working towards) is desirable but not essential.

What we offer

• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Discretionary bonus scheme on completing your 6-month probation and meeting performance targets
• AXA health insurance, with optional family bolt-on
• Breakfast and lunch cooked on site

A collaborative, hands-on culture where you see your work built

Our values are simple: Energetic in execution, Pragmatic in thinking and Purposeful in direction. If that sounds like you, we'd like to hear from you.

The employer fully supports Equality in Employment. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit and business need.