Estimator in Milton Keynes

Creating and building beautiful award-winning homes is what we do at Dandara. Homes that combine innovative design with only the highest standards of quality. It’s something we have been doing for over 30 years and it’s part of the reason why we’re one of the UK’s most respected private housebuilders. We work with local communities to ensure our homes are designed in such a way that they enhance and complement their surroundings beautifully.

You’ll be based from our Milton Keynes office and covering our North Home Counties and upcoming Midlands regions in this strategic role that offers estimating advice into the Group.

What you will do:

• Land: Preparation of initial construction budgets from in-house cost models and external data for land purchase feasibility studies. Assist with the technical aspects of each bid including identifying and costing all abnormal elements and risks.
• Planning: Produce robust construction budgets of both direct labour work elements and subcontract packages to enable cost certainty at planning submission sign off stage. Assist the technical team with cost advice and input into cost options and value engineering exercises during design development, identifying and costing all abnormal elements and risks. Interrogation of live development costs reports to extract relevant current cost information for feasibility purposes. Development of the Estimating/Cost Planning system and standard cost plan template to ensure all current financial information is incorporated and becomes integrated with the Contract Financial reporting system. Enabling a complete audit trail from initial estimate to out-turn cost.
• General: Coordination with contractors to obtain data for estimates. Site visits and inspections. Liaison with external consultants with regard to cost issues. Assist in the preparation of monthly cost plan status reports for submission to Directors. Maintaining a database of rates for use in future cost plans. Developing the structure of the cost plans into trade and preliminary package budgets. Adopt, maintain and ensure compliance with Dandara Management System processes and documentation. Liaison, co-ordination with other departments regarding development costs including engineers, surveyors, buyers, interiors and the construction teams. Chairing and preparation of minutes for feasibility/cost plan and/or budget meetings. Taking off and scheduling of materials for passing to buyers for initial material ordering. Ensuring correct cost coding of budget costs.

What you will have:

You will have proven Surveying/Estimating project knowledge on residential and/or commercial projects together with relevant industry qualifications. The successful applicant will be a team player, self-motivated and able to work using his/her own initiative. Experience of MS Excel and Word is essential.

What we will offer you:

Dandara was established in 1988 from the desire to provide innovative homes and commercial properties, which would offer real value for money without compromising on design, durability, or quality. Today Dandara is one of the UK’s largest independent property development companies, with over 10,000 happy customers and more than 100 industry awards for design and quality – and it’s all thanks to the vision and passion of our dedicated team.

Our benefits include:

• £Competitive basic salary
• Car Allowance
• Discretionary bonus
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Private Medical Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme - EAP
• Health Hero digital doctor - 24 hr virtual help and appointments
• Health Assured Wisdom App
• Competitive parental leave
• 3x salary life assurance (paid option to increase to x4)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employer matched pension scheme of up to 5%
• Flexible benefits including shopping vouchers, airport parking and reduced gym membership