2025 UK Construction Hiring Challenges

Why are so many “mid-senior” roles in construction still so hard to fill?

I’m not talking about the flashy titles.

I mean the Quantity Surveyors, Estimators, Planners and Design Managers who keep major projects commercially viable, deliverable, and legally safe, often without the credit.

In 2025, these roles are some of the toughest to hire for. And here’s what I’m seeing in the market:

1. QSs are stretched beyond breaking point.

Most good Quantity Surveyors are managing double the workload they were five years ago.

They’re not just pricing. They’re doing risk, contracts, procurement, reporting, stakeholder management etc.. And when a role looks like it will mean more of the same, they quietly walk away, or don’t even apply.

2. Estimators are under-valued but mission-critical.

We’re asking Estimators to act like commercial strategists but still paying and treating them like office calculators.

The best Estimators now want:

• Early involvement in design and bid decisions
• Clear career progression
• A seat at the table, not just an eye on the spreadsheet

 

But most adverts still sound like they were written in 2008.

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3. Planners face a credibility gap.

Many project teams still don’t really understand the power of proper planning.

So you get two outcomes:

• Planners who aren’t empowered to influence delivery
• Or ones expected to own the whole programme without enough input or authority

 

As a result, the best Planners move towards specialist consultancies, become freelancers or leave for roles where planning is respected not treated as a tick-box.

4. Design Managers

This one’s emerging fast. Demand is skyrocketing, but supply isn’t.

Why? Because Design Managers are:

• Pulled between conflicting priorities
• Often left out of key decisions or brought in mid programme
• Expected to own outcomes without real support

 

And when the brief is unclear or the culture is chaotic? They walk. Quietly and quickly.

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My view?

If you’re struggling to fill these roles:

• It’s not just a pipeline issue
• It’s a positioning issue
• It’s a value alignment issue
• And it’s a storytelling issue

 

The market has moved. Expectations have evolved. And roles that used to be easier to fill now require a more thoughtful, strategic approach.

I’d love to hear from you: Which of these roles are proving most difficult to recruit in your business? And what’s stopping great people from saying yes?

Whether you’re a hiring leader or in one of these roles yourself, your view matters. Drop it in the comments or send me a message if it’s easier.

Let’s have the real conversation.