Construction recruitment in Exeter

The Exeter construction market

Cranbrook, the new settlement being built east of Exeter near the airport, is one of the largest planned residential developments in the South West, eventually delivering up to 8,000 homes alongside schools, community buildings, and commercial space. The development creates sustained demand for site managers, project managers, and civil engineers across multiple phases and housebuilder contracts. Skypark business park at Exeter Airport is attracting commercial and industrial development, adding commercial construction management demand to the city's market alongside the residential pipeline.

Exeter city centre's regeneration, including development around the bus station site and various mixed-use schemes, creates commercial construction project management demand. The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust manages an extensive estate programme across Exeter's hospitals, creating construction management demand for healthcare project specialists. Exeter University's ongoing campus investment adds education construction to the mix, with multiple building programmes running simultaneously across the Streatham and St Luke's campuses. Devon County Council's highways investment creates civil engineering and infrastructure project management demand across the region.

Housebuilding around Exeter's fringes, including schemes at Tithebarn, Monkerton, and along the A30 corridor, creates residential construction demand from Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Barratt, and local developers. The city's flood defence programme, including work along the Exe estuary and city centre flood walls, creates specialist civil engineering demand. Historic building renovation and conservation work is a consistent feature of Exeter's construction market, given the city's Roman and medieval built heritage. Contractors experienced in listed building and conservation work are in demand alongside mainstream commercial and residential specialists.

Construction employers in Exeter

• Kier Group — construction and infrastructure contracts across Devon and the South West
• Morgan Sindall — commercial and public sector construction with South West regional operations
• Taylor Wimpey — housebuilding at Cranbrook and across the Exeter growth area
• Galliford Try — infrastructure and building contracts serving Devon
• Devon County Council — highways, drainage, and infrastructure investment programme

Listed for context only — YP Recruitment is not affiliated with, currently representing, or recruiting on behalf of any companies listed above.

Construction salary benchmarks in Exeter

Exeter construction salaries sit 3–5% below Bristol and national urban averages. Housebuilding site managers earn £42,000 to £52,000 with car and bonus. Senior commercial and project management roles on Cranbrook and major infrastructure contracts approach the upper band. Devon County Council roles follow public sector salary structures.

Construction roles we fill in Exeter