How many companies can boast having an employee who was part of the London 2012 Olympics?

Well COEL can as Tom Goodchild was an estimator for the curtain walling company which helped to build the infrastructure for the renowned and unforgettable 2012 London Olympic Games. Maybe it was the pressure of the expectations of such an iconic event that prepared this cool cookie for life at COEL.

Tom joined COEL as an Estimator in 2017 and since then his ability to glide through the pressure and stresses of his role with a calm commentary and a wry sense of humour establishes a confidence in all who work with him.

We interviewed Tom to find about a little more about him and his role as an Estimator;

Can you describe a typical work day as an Estimator?

A typical day will involve reviewing tender documents, liaising with internal teams such as the Design Team and Project Managers. Co-ordinating sub-contractors with relevant project information, attending site visits to review project scope and identify additional items that will be required. We write full and detailed ‘scope of works’ from project drawings for both budgetary and final costings.

Always part of the pre-construction phase of tendering to clients, it is an estimator’s ability to provide an accurate costing of projects, which gives us an entry ticket to put our name in the hat for potential jobs and keeps our accounts shipshape.

What are some of the challenges you have to overcome in your role?

One of the biggest challenges can be volume of work! Sometimes the hardest part is in selecting the right projects to tender for, to avoid time wasted in costing work which may not be the right fit for COEL. Luckily we work closely with the sales team to ensure that we are taking on the right projects for both COEL and the client.

Did you always want to be an Estimator?

If I’m honest no…… I wanted [and still do want to] develop fly fishing rods and field test them in the likes of Norway, Iceland, Patagonia etc – yes some very lucky people get paid to do that!

If anyone is interested in becoming an Estimator what advice would you give them?

Ensure you can juggle multiple deadlines and projects simultaneously whilst maintaining attention to detail and sanity.

What is your favourite thing about your role at COEL?

The camaraderie between members of the estimating has helped develop strong out of work friendships and combined interest in hobbies. Also no two days are really the same and our role is about constantly problem solving which keeps it diverse and interesting.

Tom loves his job, he is a devil for the detail and revels in contract and tendering work, and the solidarity in the estimating team is evident to all who work with them.

And when he’s not crunching numbers for COEL?

The last few years have seen Tom take on an enormous challenge in renovating his home; he bought a bungalow, lived there for four years, then ripped and gutted it out, doubled the floor plate/living area, hard landscaped the garden and developed the site into a beautiful four-bedroom home.

Tom loves nothing better than supporting his much-loved Leicester Tigers Rugby Club or enjoying a pint in his local pub with his family and friends. In fact, Tom used to run The Black Bull in Balsham and it was there that he met his wife.

Tom’s love of fishing is well known amongst our team; he loves tying his own flies and fishing for salmon and sea trout in Scotland and further afield. Patience and perseverance are two of the top skills required for successful fishing along with how to read the water and adapt to changing conditions.

COEL landed a dream catch when we hooked Tom 🎣

Visit our team page to meet more of our amazing team.