Construction recruitment
Construction recruitment in Edinburgh
YP Recruitment places project managers, site managers, quantity surveyors, contracts managers, and construction directors in Edinburgh for major contractors delivering the Edinburgh Waterfront regeneration, Westfield Edinburgh development, student accommodation programmes, NHS Lothian capital investment, and the sustained residential and commercial construction programme across the Lothians. Edinburgh is Scotland's most active construction market, driven by population growth, tourism investment, and sustained public sector capital spending. Salaries run from £34,000 for site managers to £75,000 for senior project directors.
The construction market in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's construction market is the strongest in Scotland by volume and value. The city's combination of population growth, tourist accommodation demand, university expansion, and public sector capital investment creates a multi-sector construction pipeline that keeps the major Scottish contractors and the Edinburgh operations of national contractors consistently busy. Robertson Group, BAM Construction, Balfour Beatty, Kier, and Laing O'Rourke all maintain substantial Edinburgh project programmes, and the competition for experienced project managers and quantity surveyors is more intense here than anywhere else in Scotland.
Residential construction across Edinburgh and the Lothians has been driven by housing allocation in West Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Canal Quarter, and suburban expansion at Queensferry and Winchburgh. Housebuilders including Barratt Homes Scotland, CALA Homes, and Taylor Wimpey Scotland operate major site programmes. The Edinburgh Build-to-Rent sector, with significant investment from institutional landlords, has added a new residential construction category requiring project managers experienced in large-scale managed rental housing delivery.
NHS Lothian's capital investment programme, including major hospital schemes at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and St John's Hospital Livingston, creates healthcare construction demand for project managers and M&E specialists. Edinburgh City Council's school replacement programme, delivered through the hub South East Scotland framework, generates education construction work for contractors including Robertson, Sir Robert McAlpine, and Balfour Beatty. The Forth Replacement Crossing's delivery legacy has established a strong bridge and civils engineering community in the city that moves between major infrastructure commissions.
Construction salary benchmarks in Edinburgh
Site managers in Edinburgh earn £36,000 to £52,000. Quantity surveyors at mid-level earn £38,000 to £56,000. Contracts managers earn £52,000 to £66,000. Senior project managers on major commercial or healthcare contracts earn £60,000 to £75,000. Edinburgh pays approximately 5-10% above Glasgow for equivalent roles, reflecting higher costs of living and the premium on Edinburgh-based talent.
Construction roles we fill in Edinburgh
Project Manager
Commercial, healthcare, residential. Major contractors. £52,000-£70,000.
Site Manager
Residential and commercial. Edinburgh and Lothians. £36,000-£52,000.
Quantity Surveyor
Main contractor and PQS. Commercial and public sector. £38,000-£56,000.
Contracts Manager
Multi-site residential. Barratt and CALA Scotland. £52,000-£66,000.
M&E Project Manager
NHS Lothian and commercial. Building services. £50,000-£68,000.
Construction Director
Programme leadership. Robertson, BAM, or Balfour Beatty. £66,000-£75,000+.
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