Negotiating salary without losing the offer

Base salary is only part of the picture in this sector. Before you push on the headline number, price the whole package.

• Bonus: scheme rules, typical payout against target, and whether it is discretionary.
• Car or car allowance, and fuel treatment — often worth £6–9k.
• Pension contribution, which varies enormously between housebuilders and associations.
• Holiday, plus whether the site or office pattern is genuinely flexible.
• Review date, so a modest start does not become a two-year plateau.

Timing

Give a realistic range early so nobody wastes time, then negotiate properly once they have decided they want you — that is the moment your leverage peaks and not before.

The mistake

Re-opening the negotiation twice. Ask once, ask for a specific figure with a reason attached, and be ready to accept the answer. Candidates who move the goalposts after agreement lose offers, and I have seen it happen at every level.