Senior Estimator / Estimator – Pre-Construction Commercial
Location: London / South East
Salary:
• Senior Estimator: £70,000 – £85,000
Start: January
Division: Pre-Construction / Concrete Structures
Overview
Our client, a leading contractor specialising in RC frame, groundworks and complex basement structures, is seeking to appoint an Estimator or Senior Estimator to join their Pre-Construction Commercial team. This is a key strategic hire to replace a senior member of the department in January, with an expectation that the successful individual will quickly take ownership of tenders, support junior staff and develop into a senior presence within the team.
The role is suited to a commercially minded QS/Estimator who can confidently engage with clients, present pricing, challenge assumptions and operate effectively in a fast-paced tendering environment. This is not a traditional site QS role, it is fully pre-construction focused, covering tendering, pricing, scope interrogation and package management.
Key Responsibilities
Tendering & Pricing
- Lead or support pricing for RC frame, groundworks, basement and temporary works packages.
- Deliver tenders within typical 4-week cycles, managing up to 10 tenders per month.
- Build and manage pricing spreadsheets, including collating and analysing subcontractor quotations.
- Identify scope gaps, clarifications and commercial or technical risks.
- Produce clear, structured cost breakdowns for internal review and client presentations.
Pre-Construction & Client Interface
- Attend and contribute to client meetings, explaining pricing rationale and cost drivers.
- Present tender submissions and respond confidently to commercial or technical questions.
- Challenge incomplete tender information and proactively request missing details.
- Support bid strategy development, including value engineering opportunities.
Package & Scope Management
- Manage pricing and scope analysis for packages including scaffolding, piling, RC frame, basements and temporary works.
- Interrogate drawings and specifications to ensure accuracy of pricing.
- Compare, rationalise and negotiate subcontractor prices.
- Maintain clear documentation and pricing audit trails.
Team & Leadership
- Support and mentor junior estimators where required.
- Take responsibility for tender ownership and task allocation.
- Step into a senior role within the pre-construction team during the transition period.
- Maintain strong organisation, communication and commercial standards.
Experience Required
- Experience as a QS or Estimator within civils, RC frame, groundworks or structural concrete.
- Strong understanding of slipform, jumpform, basement works, temporary works and concrete structures.
- Proven ability to price RC frame and groundworks packages, someone who understands concrete
- Confident in client-facing communication and commercial discussions.
- Ability to discuss methodology, buildability and sequencing at a pre-construction level.
- Strong Excel and pricing competency.
Attributes & Behaviours
- Confident, articulate communicator as this is a client facing role.
- Comfortable challenging assumptions and asking open questions.
- Commercially aware with a strong pre-construction mindset.
- Organised, proactive and able to take ownership of workload.
- Professional presence suitable for client meetings and presentations.
What This Role Is Not
- Not a live-site QS role.
- No valuations, monthly applications or site commercial management.
- No requirement for daily site presence.
This is a pure pre-construction role focused on pricing, tenders and commercial clarity.