Our People

How did you become an Estimating Manager?

After school I joined a company with the original intention of training as a quantity surveyor. I spent a year on site getting to understand the construction process and decided to move into estimating, initially completing a two year HNC course. The company I worked for was quite limited in the type of projects we worked on and I didn’t think I would have the right opportunities to develop. I then decided to make the move to Speller Metcalfe who sponsored me through university, where I did a Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying degree alongside starting a role as a trainee estimator, which gave me the opportunity to be mentored by two of our senior estimators while studying.

What does your job involve?

As a smaller division we tend to do both estimating and quantity surveying and I really enjoy the variety. A lot of time is spent doing take offs, which is identifying the individual elements of the scheme that need to be measured and priced. I keep abreast of the costs during the project, down to the minutiae of individual paint brushes! It’s interesting to do the whole process of estimating through to surveying as you see how it’s all connected, for example if something has to be questioned you can see why it may have gone wrong and understand the process more thoroughly.

I also do a range of other tasks such as cost reporting, costing for variations as the job progresses (such as adding in more doors for example), placing orders with sub-contractors and final accounts. I work closely with the Commercial Manager who mentors and supports me on each job.

What’s the best thing about your job?

I really love being on site, although enjoy that I can be both office and site based too. I get to see something go from a scribble on a piece of paper to being produced in real life and that process is very rewarding, for example seeing a new school come to life, and knowing that you’re making a difference to someone’s education. Working with the project team and creating some great relationships is also fun to be a part of.

Tell us something about you we don’t know…

I run the local darts league in Worcester as well as a pub quiz, which since the pandemic I’ve moved online and has been a great way to keep in touch with the regulars! I also follow Worcester City FC and being in lockdown has given me the opportunity to start something new so I’ve begun an online journalism course which I’m using to help me do football reporting online. When I can I also travel to watch the football and have been to some amazing places including Croatia and the Faroe Islands.

What’s has been your favourite project so far?

I would say the Harvey Shopping Centre in Harlow. Technically it was very interesting and complex because we were working above a live supermarket and a shopping centre on a reinforced concrete structure, having to undertake a sectional demolition with a tower crane in place to install a multiplex cinema. With shoppers walking around underneath the works in the centre at all times of the day, it was imperative everything was done exactly right

What’s the best thing about working at Speller Metcalfe?

It like that my role is autonomous, where in the most part I am left to get on with it, but with the knowledge that I have support around me from the directors and the pre-construction team when I need it.

What’s the best thing about working at Speller Metcalfe?

I think it’s a common response but it’s everyone else who works for the company. You can’t fault the people here, everyone has so much time for one another and they try to do their best for you whenever they can. It also feels like a very safe environment to make your mistakes and learn from them, which as a trainee is vital.

What’s the best thing about your job?

At the moment I’m really enjoying learning about all the groundworks, as previously I’ve joined projects where this aspect has already been completed. So now I’m working somewhere where I’ll get to see the project from start to finish, and learning how the whole project works together.