ADD ADVICE TO FAVQuantity surveyor
Quantity surveyors manage costs on building or construction sites, in a variety of contexts: residential and commercial projects, infrastructure projects (eg motorways), leisure developments (eg national sports stadia), or industrial sites.
What quantity surveyors do
- offer strategic guidance to clients, including prioritising spending, outsourcing to subcontractors, etc
- prepare budgets and estimates
- manage costs on site
- advise on materials and construction
- participate in procurement process
- analyse outcomes and write detailed reports
- value completed work and organise payments
- deal with planning issues and building regulations
- work with other professionals
- act for parties in disputes, sometimes as expert witnesses in court
- understand and adhere to building legislation, health and safety law and contract law.
Key skills
- financial and commercial acumen
- organisation and project management skills
- good communication and negotiation
- computer literacy
- ability to analyse
- detailed legal and construction knowledge
- confidence and assertiveness
- good people skills.
Training to be a quantity surveyor
Any degree discipline is accepted although quantity surveying is clearly an advantage. Those without surveying degrees can take a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) postgraduate conversion course. New entrants will work towards the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.
Salaries
Typical starting salaries range from £17,000 to £27,000. At senior level, salaries may be £30,000 to £50,000. Principal partners may earn substantially more.
Professional bodies
- Association of Cost Engineers
- Chartered Institute of Building
- Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
