About the Role: Responsibilities, Skills, and Requirements
Shape the Numbers Behind Every Great Build
Ever wonder who makes sure a project’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems don’t quietly blow the budget before the first pipe is even laid? That’s where you come in. We’re looking for a Quantity Surveyor with solid MEP experience to take ownership of take-offs, cost estimates, and the detailed BOQs that keep our projects grounded in reality. If you get a genuine kick out of turning drawings into accurate numbers — and catching the costly gaps others miss — this role was practically written for you.
About Us
We’re a growing construction and contracting outfit that’s built its reputation on doing the unglamorous things well — accurate pricing, honest timelines, and no nasty surprises at handover. Our commercial team sits right at the heart of that promise. It’s a place where a sharp eye on quantities isn’t just appreciated; it’s the whole point.
Culturally, we’re collaborative but not fussy. Estimators, engineers, and site teams actually talk to each other here, and when a tender comes together cleanly, the whole office knows about it. We’re at that stage where process matters, growth is real, and the people who join now get to shape how we work for years to come.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Prepare detailed MEP quantity take-offs from drawings, specs, and project documentation — and yes, we mean the kind that hold up under scrutiny.
- Build BOQs and cost estimates that reflect what the project actually needs, not just what’s on the surface.
- Review and cross-check quantities submitted by others, because two sets of eyes beat one every time.
- Prepare quotations and pull together the pricing packages that feed into our tender submissions.
- Keep a close watch on MEP materials, specifications, and current pricing — markets move, and so should our numbers.
- Work alongside project and commercial teams to keep costs visible and understood from pre-tender right through delivery.
- Flag risks, discrepancies, and opportunities early — the sort of thing that saves everyone a headache later.
What You’ll Bring
Must-Haves
- Proven experience in MEP quantity take-off and estimation, ideally within a contracting or consultancy environment.
- The ability to read and interpret MEP drawings and translate them into accurate quantities.
- A working knowledge of MEP materials, specifications, and pricing — you know your fittings from your fixtures.
- Hands-on experience preparing BOQs, cost estimates, and quotations.
- Familiarity with tender submission processes and the documentation that goes with them.
- Solid grasp of spreadsheets and estimation software (Excel at minimum; the rest we can talk through).
Nice-to-Haves
- A broader understanding of project costs and commercial aspects — the kind that lets you see the bigger financial picture.
- Experience across multiple MEP disciplines rather than just one.
- Exposure to post-tender cost control or variations.
Not sure you tick every box? Honestly, most strong candidates don’t. If you’ve got the MEP take-off fundamentals and a hunger to grow, we’d still love to hear from you.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- Competitive salary that reflects your experience — we’d rather pay well than haggle.
- Hybrid working options, because good estimation doesn’t always need a commute.
- Real career progression — we’re growing, and we promote from within when we can.
- A collaborative commercial team where questions are welcome and egos stay at the door.
- Varied projects across sectors, so the work never gets stale.
- Support for professional development and further training in MEP and commercial practice.
We’re not promising ping-pong tables and nap pods. What we are offering is a place where your numbers matter, your input gets heard, and the work you do directly shapes whether a project sinks or sails. If that sounds like your kind of environment, you’ll fit right in.
Common Interview Questions and Tips
To help you prepare and feel confident, here are some questions you might encounter during the interview process for this role.
- Walk me through your process for preparing an MEP quantity take-off from a set of drawings. Where do you typically start, and what are the most common mistakes you've learned to watch for?
- How do you keep your material pricing current? Can you give an example of a time when a price shift caught you off guard and what you did about it?
- Tell me about a BOQ you prepared that you were particularly proud of. What made it stand out, and how did it hold up once the project moved into delivery?
- When you're cross-checking quantities submitted by a colleague or subcontractor, what's your approach? Have you ever found a significant discrepancy that others had missed?
- Which estimation software and spreadsheet techniques do you rely on most day to day? How do you structure your take-offs so that someone else could pick them up and understand them?
- Imagine you're reviewing a tender package and something in the MEP specs doesn't match the drawings. What do you do, and who do you loop in first?
- Describe a time you flagged a risk or discrepancy early that ended up saving the project money or trouble. How did you spot it, and how did you raise it?
- Tell me about a deadline that was uncomfortably tight. How did you prioritize your work, and what did you have to compromise on, if anything?
- Have you ever had to push back on a number someone else was attached to — a project manager, a client, a senior estimator? How did you handle that conversation?
- What draws you to MEP estimation specifically, rather than general building or civil work? What keeps it interesting for you?
- This role involves close coordination with project and commercial teams. How would your last few colleagues describe the way you work with people outside your own discipline?
- We're a growing outfit where processes are still taking shape. How do you feel about stepping into that kind of environment — and is there anything you'd want to help build