Quantity Surveyor
Also known as...
Chartered Surveyor
Quantity surveyors are responsible for ensuring that building projects meet good legal and quality standards and for making sure clients get good value for money through careful monitoring of the project from start to finish.
Quantity surveyors manage the cost of a building project, from the initial design stages through to the building’s completion and sometimes even the costs incurred through maintenance, once the building is up and running. Quantity surveyors work on a range of projects including residential homes, industrial sites, commercial development and transport networks, ensuring the projects meet the required legal and quality standards. Surveyors work in close contact with the client (the person or company buying the building) and the vendor (the person or company selling the building), advising them on legal and financial matters that arise during the project.
Salary
Newly qualified quantity surveyors should expect to earn between £18,000 and £20,000 a year. With chartered status and significant experience, this can rise to £45,000 with senior surveyors earning as much as £80,000.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a surveyor vary from day to day but most projects include the following stages:
carrying out initial ‘feasibility’ studies, in order to assess costs and materials and estimate the amount of time a project will take
ensuring that materials to be used during construction match up to environmental guidelines
negotiating costs and working with vendors to draw up bids for contracts
monitoring the construction of a building project to ensure costs and materials are in line with the initial assessment
updating the client on the progress of the project, with particular reference to financial matters
advising the client on any legal or contractual issues that arise during the project
representing the client if and when disputes arise
staying up-to-date on new standards in construction, property and surveying
preparing and maintaining financial records
preparing schedules
writing reports
monitoring maintenance, demolition and renovation costs of a building once it is up and running
Qualifications
Quantity surveyors are usually expected to have a degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject such as civil or structural engineering, construction or surveying. To be classed as a qualified surveyor, degrees and other qualifications must be accredited by the RICS (Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors) or the CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) so graduates with a non-accredited degree are required to undertake a further postgraduate course in surveying. Many employees offer graduate training schemes, which allow trainees to acquire the necessary accredited qualifications whilst working. For graduates with a degree in construction or engineering there are also distance learning courses available, run by the College of Estate Management, which act as a conversion course to surveying from a relevant field. For those without a degree but with a BTEC, HND or other foundation qualification, it is often possible to start work as a surveying technician which enables employees to learn on the job and take the necessary qualifications to become an accredited surveyor whilst working.
Skills
Being a successful quantity surveyor requires a certain level of expertise. Quantity surveyors must keep updated with developments in regulations relating to property construction and must be aware of the appropriate legal guidelines when negotiating with clients and vendors. Additionally they should have:
An excellent understanding of construction methods and materials
The ability to manage finances
A high level of IT competency
Excellent maths skills
Good attention to detail
A creative approach to problem solving
An organised and methodical approach to tasks
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Excellent negotiation abilities
The ability to work effectively as part of a team
The ability to write reports and manage databases
Excellent interpersonal skills
A willingness and ability to relate to lots of different people
The ability to stay calm as deadlines approach
A commitment to the job and a willingness to work long hours
Working Conditions
Quantity surveyors typically work normal office hours (9 – 5.30) from Monday to Friday but the job can require some weekend and evening work, particularly when unforeseen problems arise with a building project. The job is office-based but requires regular visits to building sites to meet with vendors and monitor progress.
Experience
Practical surveying experience is crucial for getting work as a quantity surveyor. Most foundation and degree courses have a placement aspect to the course as do professional qualifications and graduate traineeships, which allow students the chance to apply their theoretical knowledge in a working environment. It may still be useful to get further work experience with a qualified surveyor, (especially if there is a certain firm prospective surveyors wish to work for), as a way of making contacts and demonstrating a high level of commitment to the job.
Employers
There is currently a high demand for quantity surveyors in the UK so there are plenty of job opportunities for newly qualified surveyors. Alternatively there are good opportunities for quantity surveyors to use their skills overseas, particularly in Middle Eastern countries. The best job prospects for quantity surveyors are with independent surveying firms, building contractors, property businesses, civil engineers and with local authority and government departments. It is also common for surveyors to undertake consultancy work or to run their own business, although it is recommended that surveyors gain significant experience working for someone else before setting up alone, in order to develop contacts and gain insight into running a business.
Career Progression
Once qualified, quantity surveyors have plenty of opportunities for career development. Primarily they can work towards chartered status with the (RICS) Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or with the (CIOB) Chartered Institute of Building’s Faculty for Architecture and Surveying. The RICS requires surveyors to complete what is known as an Assessment of Professional Competence which can only be completed once surveyors have undertaken at least two years of professional experience and passed an interview with a panel of registered assessors. Similarly chartered status with the CIOB also requires at least two years' work experience alongside an accredited honours degree in a relevant subject. Both the RICS and CIOB also offer various training opportunities to help surveyors stay abreast of changes in regulations associated with building construction and surveying.
Once surveyors have gained chartered status they are able to take on more responsibility in a company. This may include project management or working as a partner in an independent firm, which involves managing staff and making business decisions as well as the usual tasks involved in surveying.
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