My Days as a Tender Engineer in Hong Kong

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Jul 7, 2024

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tender-engineer-hong-kong

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Six months in Hong Kongs construction industry, from tender documents to site visits.

What Tender Does

Simply put: help the company win projects.

When an owner publishes a tender notice, we have to submit a proposal. The key part is the BQ (Bill of Quantities) - translating every construction process into numbers.

Wrong numbers mean wrong prices. Wrong prices mean either losing money or losing the project.

The Hardest Part

Checking material prices and subcontractor quotes.

Especially before deadline, the whole team rushes. Staring at screens until eyes blur, neck aching. Sometimes one number change means recalculating the entire spreadsheet.

I left the office at 2 or 3 AM several times.

From Tender to Site

Later I moved to site, working on the SSM518 modular housing project.

Before: staring at drawings in an office. Now: watching progress on site. Walking around all day, shoes covered in dust.

The biggest change was steps. Sitting all day hurt my neck. Walking all day hurt my legs. But watching a building rise from nothing felt real in a way data never could.

What I Learned About Hong Kong Construction

Tendering is not just pricing. Its a game.

Too high: lose the project. Too low: lose money. The balance requires precision judgment.

Specifications hide traps. Every requirement has a cost. What you think you can skip might be a breach. What you think is mandatory might have alternatives.

Grateful for the Mentors

I was lucky to meet great Hong Kong colleagues. They taught me how to read rates, avoid contract pitfalls, and even took me to local tea restaurants.

Without their patience, I couldnt have grown from a newbie to handling projects independently.