JOB

Buyer

All the materials needed for construction projects are purchased by buyers in the construction sector, who also make sure they arrive on schedule and within the allotted budgets. They are essential because they buy the most economical and suitable supplies for each task, ensuring the profitability of business contracts.

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Job Department
Commercial
Earning Potential
£18,000 - £50,000
Training Time
3 years

Daniel Cook

Initially I became interested in construction after taking part in a practical construction unit task at school. My interests soon turned to surveying once I had learnt the variety of work it involves.

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Buyer

Introduction

All the materials needed for construction projects are purchased by buyers in the construction sector, who also make sure they arrive on schedule and within the allotted budgets. They are essential because they buy the most economical and suitable supplies for each task, ensuring the profitability of business contracts.

Buyer

Typical Tasks

A buyer's responsibilities include:

  • Stating the cost of each material mentioned in the project's blueprints and drawings
  • Locating possible vendors and discovering new goods
  • Requesting quotes from a variety of suppliers and subcontractors
  • Deciding on delivery dates
  • Keeping meticulous records and coordinating work schedules
  • Evaluating the dependability of suppliers and subcontractors
  • Resolving issues with suppliers and the movement of materials
  • Ensuring that products and services comply with the requirements for safety, health, and the environment
  • Advising the project estimator on the anticipated cost of each item
  • Coordinating closely with the estimator during the tendering process to guarantee the provision of an accurate project cost
  • Creating and keeping cost reports to increase organisational efficiency
  • Once a contract has been secured, negotiating and agreeing on the most favourable terms with suppliers.

Buyer

Earning Potential

*Pay rates
Earnings typically depend on location, employer, the stage of your training, your hours worked and the opportunity to work overtime. Please also note that the pay rate figures have come from a variety of reliable sources including:

  • National Home Builders
  • Home Builder's Sub-Contractors
  • CITB
  • The Home Builders Federation
  • Construction Recruitment Agencies

Buyer

Qualifications We Offer

There are various paths you can take to assist you pursue this procurement job even though there are no formal requirements to become a buyer in the construction sector. You may finish a course at a university or college, enrol in an apprenticeship, or submit a job application directly to an employer.

To determine which path will lead you to becoming a customer, you should investigate them all. Even though a few of these possibilities have educational prerequisites, many companies are more interested in applicants who are passionate, open to learning, and obedient.

To work on a construction site, you might need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card.

Buyer

Career Progression

You could advance as a buyer in the construction sector to become a purchasing manager or procurement manager.

Buyer

Job Roles

The type of job role can differ depending on the employer and the activities involved. Some roles such as trade roles have the opportunity to be self-employed. Often employers offer a variety of employment status and flexibility. The jobs outlined in this website are common across the home building industry, but the job titles may differ from one organisation to another.

Buyer

Earn While You Learn

All our featured job roles offer different entry-points for school leavers, college leavers, and graduates to commence a career in the industry. There are opportunities to enrol on apprenticeships and other career progression routes.

For most jobs, depending on your qualifications and experience there are also openings for those looking to change career.

Key job roles

A few (of many) jobs which we are looking to recruit in the home building industry.

Bricklayer

Bricklayers are responsible for setting out buildings by laying bricks, and pre-cut stone, concrete blocks and other types of building blocks in mo...
Find out more

Carpenter

Carpenters build and install the timber structural elements of a new home and the wooden interior fittings. They also install and remove temporary ...
Find out more

Dry liner

A dry liner creates the walls and rooms in a building using stud partitioning and plasterboard sheets. They also hide pipes and wires, create space...
Find out more

Engineer

Key repsonsibilities include in-depth knowledge of the technical engineering function within a housing development. Understanding the structural a...
Find out more

Groundworker

Groundworkers and plant operators prepare a site prior to and during the building process. They ensure that the infrastructure to a building site i...
Find out more

Site Manager

Site managers run a new home building development. They are responsible for the houses being built safely, on time, on budget and to the highest qu...
Find out more

Plasterer

The plasterer makes walls and ceilings smooth and ready for decorating. They are skilled in applying different kinds of plaster to inside walls and...
Find out more

Plumber

Plumbers are predominantly responsible for the heating and water connections to a new house during its construction.
Find out more

Quantity Surveyor

A quantity surveyor works out exactly how much a house costs to construct and keeps a close eye on finances - from the first budget to the final bi...
Find out more

Roofer

Roofers ensure that a house is water tight and work at all heights and in all weather conditions. There are various roles within roofing, including...
Find out more

Sales Advisor

From customer-facing negotiations to the completion of administration work, sales advisors are responsible for the on-site property sales process. ...
Find out more

Tiler

Tilers cover walls or floors with tiles, in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
Find out more

Bricklayer

Bricklayers are responsible for setting out buildings by laying bricks, and pre-cut stone, concrete blocks and other types of building blocks in mo...
Find out more

Carpenter

Carpenters build and install the timber structural elements of a new home and the wooden interior fittings. They also install and remove temporary ...
Find out more

Dry liner

A dry liner creates the walls and rooms in a building using stud partitioning and plasterboard sheets. They also hide pipes and wires, create space...
Find out more

Engineer

Key repsonsibilities include in-depth knowledge of the technical engineering function within a housing development. Understanding the structural a...
Find out more

Groundworker

Groundworkers and plant operators prepare a site prior to and during the building process. They ensure that the infrastructure to a building site i...
Find out more

Site Manager

Site managers run a new home building development. They are responsible for the houses being built safely, on time, on budget and to the highest qu...
Find out more

Plasterer

The plasterer makes walls and ceilings smooth and ready for decorating. They are skilled in applying different kinds of plaster to inside walls and...
Find out more

Plumber

Plumbers are predominantly responsible for the heating and water connections to a new house during its construction.
Find out more

Quantity Surveyor

A quantity surveyor works out exactly how much a house costs to construct and keeps a close eye on finances - from the first budget to the final bi...
Find out more

Roofer

Roofers ensure that a house is water tight and work at all heights and in all weather conditions. There are various roles within roofing, including...
Find out more

Sales Advisor

From customer-facing negotiations to the completion of administration work, sales advisors are responsible for the on-site property sales process. ...
Find out more

Tiler

Tilers cover walls or floors with tiles, in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
Find out more

Bricklayer

Bricklayers are responsible for setting out buildings by laying bricks, and pre-cut stone, concrete blocks and other types of building blocks in mo...
Find out more

Carpenter

Carpenters build and install the timber structural elements of a new home and the wooden interior fittings. They also install and remove temporary ...
Find out more

Dry liner

A dry liner creates the walls and rooms in a building using stud partitioning and plasterboard sheets. They also hide pipes and wires, create space...
Find out more

Engineer

Key repsonsibilities include in-depth knowledge of the technical engineering function within a housing development. Understanding the structural a...
Find out more

Groundworker

Groundworkers and plant operators prepare a site prior to and during the building process. They ensure that the infrastructure to a building site i...
Find out more

Site Manager

Site managers run a new home building development. They are responsible for the houses being built safely, on time, on budget and to the highest qu...
Find out more

Plasterer

The plasterer makes walls and ceilings smooth and ready for decorating. They are skilled in applying different kinds of plaster to inside walls and...
Find out more

Plumber

Plumbers are predominantly responsible for the heating and water connections to a new house during its construction.
Find out more

Quantity Surveyor

A quantity surveyor works out exactly how much a house costs to construct and keeps a close eye on finances - from the first budget to the final bi...
Find out more

Roofer

Roofers ensure that a house is water tight and work at all heights and in all weather conditions. There are various roles within roofing, including...
Find out more

Sales Advisor

From customer-facing negotiations to the completion of administration work, sales advisors are responsible for the on-site property sales process. ...
Find out more

Tiler

Tilers cover walls or floors with tiles, in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
Find out more

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Job locations

Find opportunities in your region

To find opportunities available in your region, click a region to the left and then click one of the home builder logos below to be taken to their careers website.

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