Building control officer

Building control officers (BCOs) make sure that buildings meet current building regulations; some deal with local planning requirements. The work involves checking building plans and visiting building sites to make sure that building regulations are being followed.

Also known as:

Engineer – building control
Planning control officer
Surveyor – building control

Work activities

Building control officers (BCOs), also known as building control surveyors or engineers, examine building plans and inspect building work in progress to make sure that it follows building regulations. Before work can begin on new buildings, extensions or alterations, details must be given to the BCO. They then check the plans and may suggest amendments before approving them. The BCO may be part of the design team and may need to meet with architects, builders, surveyors, site engineers and solicitors. If building regulations are not followed, the BCO can enforce the law as a last resort. This may involve prosecution of the person carrying out the work or serving a legal notice that work must be completed properly.

In certain cases, the BCO may order the demolition of an unsafe or unauthorised building. If a builder appeals against the decision, or if a prosecution is brought against a particular person, the BCO may be asked to prepare a report and go to court to give evidence. Most of the BCO’s work relates to building regulations and on-site inspections and could include things like:

Arranging access for disabled people.
Checking that buildings have adequate means of escape in case of fire.
Ensuring that buildings are constructed to reduce carbon emissions.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

Good communication skills, as you will have to talk with a wide variety of people.
Knowledge of building regulations and a good understanding of the technical side of construction.
Good problem-solving skills.

To understand the importance of health and safety within the construction industry.

Strong organisation skills and the ability to plan ahead.
To be a good teamworker.
IT skills.
A driving licence, as you may have to travel around to view buildings.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Building control officers (BCOs) earn in the range of £22,000 per year, with senior positions can earn over £60,000 a year.

BCOs in local authorities tend to work a basic 38-40-hour week, Monday to Friday. Those in the private sector may have different conditions of employment.

Employers are local authorities. There are also an increasing number of private companies and individuals working as building control officers. These are known as Approved Inspectors. Opportunities for BCOs occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

There are two main routes into this career. The first is to find a job with a building firm and study part-time for an HNC/HND or foundation degree in a relevant subject such as building studies. After these courses, and once you have a significant amount of experience, you may be able to take the professional exams of the Association of Building Engineers (ABE) or Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Alternatively, you can study for a relevant degree in a subject related to building. On completion, you need to join an employer to gain practical experience. If you have a relevant degree, you may be exempt from some parts of the professional exams. It is sometimes possible to enter this career, from school or college, in a junior position and work upwards.

Supervised practical experience must be gained before taking the final professional exams of the ABE or RICS and gaining full recognition as a building control officer. Full members of the RICS and ABE are given chartered status. This is the highest level of competence in a profession.

For officers employed by local authorities, there are structured routes for promotion.

Qualifications

To enter a relevant HNC, HND or foundation degree, you will usually need:

One A-level.
A GCSE at grade 9-4 in your A-level subject.
A further three to four GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths.

Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A levels, for example:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

For entry to a degree course in a relevant subject, the usual requirement is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English, maths and a science subject.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Relevant qualifications gained in the construction industry are useful. For example, work experience in an architect’s practice or in site management is useful.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

A range of colleges and universities offer degrees in building surveying, including at Master’s level. Study can be part time/flexible or via distance learning. Courses have been developed in partnership with industry.

Related careers

Building technician
Health and safety inspector
Site manager
Trading standards officer