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.