Assistant Estimator

Full Job Description

Main purpose of the role

To assist and produce priced tenders that are accurate, clearly detailed, competitive and returned within deadlines.  Maintain good relationships with prospective clients and professionals to promote further tender invitations and provide clearly identified price build-ups to the Contract team.  The desired outcome being that the Company will achieve sufficient new work to enable continued growth in accordance with the Business Plan.  Our reputation for quality, professionalism, fairness and success will be kept foremost in our clients’ and our competitors’

minds.

The Trainee Estimator reports directly to the Pre-Construction Manager, In the absence of the Pre-Construction Manager or designated Senior Manager, the individual would report to the relevant business manager or company director.

Scope of the role

Assist and support the estimator with the following requirements and complete independently for smaller projects.

Tenders

• Carefully inspect tender documentation. Analyse exact requirements and identify areas that have implications to our business, i.e. a contractual requirement may be onerous.
• Provide a detailed “take-off” and Bill of Quantities (BQ) using the Conquest Estimating software package.
• Work on traditional Plan and Specification and Design and Build Contracts.
• Rate build-ups to be checked and amended where necessary.
• Clearly mark BQ to identify items to have enquiries sent out, together with specification, prelim elements and appropriate drawings. Monitor enquiry process and dates for quote returns.
• Oversee or complete the quote analysis comparison and make selection for inclusion in priced tender.
• Contact appropriate person to arrange site inspection. Visit site and make all necessary record notes and take appropriate photographs. Assimilate information and take account of in tender pricing.
• Assess individual rates and prices, amend, create new or insert from material and subcontract quotes.
• Using standard prelim forms build-up allowances for each project. Discuss construction sequence of project with Contracts Managers to enable a proposed construction period to be determined. Use to calculate prelim allowance. Consider other construction methods and determine the specific prelim requirements.
• Re-assess build-ups taking account of all known conditions and requirements and adjust figures as necessary. Issue to another estimator to have a cursory glance for errors and make corrections if necessary.

Budgets/Cost Plans

• The same process applies as tenders albeit the degree of accuracy required will be dependent upon how precise and how much time is given to produce.

Tender Reviews

• Prepare tender build-ups and arrange a meeting with the Pre-Construction Manager, Business Manager or Director to adjudicate the price prior to tender submission. Explain the project, the basis of pricing and the names of any other competing contractors.
• Carry out adjustments to the tender based on the discussions in the meeting and complete tender documentation for submission by the due date.

Handovers

• Collate tender information and build-ups, and complete estimator’s written report section of the handover meeting. Arrange convenient meeting date with contracts department within one week of letter of intent, contract of firm notice of intent. Attend meetings, explain project and handover documentation and additional copies as necessary.

Pre-tender meetings

• Discuss the client’s requirements for a pre-tender meeting with the Sales/Marketing Department and relevant Director and await an answer as to the proposed format our business will take.  Marketing will organise all elements for the presentation and will arrange a prior meeting with all Etec personnel to be involved.  Generally, an Estimator will be present and will be expected to present and answer questions on the cost of all works (Surveyors will not be present unless specifically requested).

Post-tender meetings

• Meet with the Client team to carry out value engineering exercises if necessary liaising with the relevant internal departments and suppliers and/or sub-contractors as appropriate.

Checks

• Check figures for other estimator’s tenders as required.

General

• Provide support to other estimators in pricing tenders and providing budget costing.
• Contact with people outside the company will be by telephone, e-mail, letter and meeting in person.
• Assist others in selection of materials and sub-contractors when required to do so and propose alternative materials or methods.
• Organisation of meetings requires contacting relevant parties, agreeing convenient times, preparing agendas, leading meeting where appropriate and providing minutes and feedback as necessary.
• Recording existing site conditions, etc. will require taking photographs and detailing a written account of the surveys for consideration when preparing and adjudicating each tender.
• Take responsibility for ensuring tender is delivered to the appropriate place on time, in most cases by enlisting the Marketing and/or Admin Departments Assistance.
• It is expected that a number of reports will be provided on a monthly basis, i.e. tenders submitted and their outcome, together with various other individual reports as requested.
• Help with coaching/mentoring of technical trainees while in the estimating department.
• The role will pick up other duties and responsibilities as the company grows and expands.
• Any other reasonable management request.