Quantity surveyor

Quantity surveyors work out the cost of building projects, taking into account labour, materials, taxes and maintenance costs. The work can also include making sure that jobs are completed on time, co-ordinating all the people involved and acting as a link with the client.

Also known as:

Managing quantity surveyor
Project quantity surveyor

Work activities

Quantity surveyors use an architect’s or civil engineer’s design to work out the cost of constructing buildings ranging from hospitals, schools and prisons to factories, docks and airports.

Quantity surveyors have to consider the cost of things like labour, materials, taxes, and the likely maintenance costs. They are always trying to achieve best value from contractors and suppliers.

Private practice and central and local government quantity surveyors are usually office-based and work from a fixed location. They use architect’s plans to make an initial estimate of the cost of a project. They then produce a more detailed breakdown of costs and quantities known as the Bill of Quantities. They send this to building contractors so they can work out their bids for the project. Finally, they assess the bids they receive so that they and their clients can decide who to give the project to.

Local and central government quantity surveyors also control spending for ongoing programmes, making the best use of budgets and balancing maintenance against new construction work.

Commercial quantity surveyors are employed by building and civil engineering contractors. They prepare bids for construction work, and make sure that work is completed on time, to the required standard. They assess the effect of any changes to the project or disruption in work and discuss it with the client’s quantity surveyor. Commercial quantity surveyors are usually based on construction sites and may need to move around the country for projects.

Many safety regulations apply to the construction industry. For example, a hard hat must be worn on construction sites.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

A good standard of numeracy.
IT skills.
To be able to interpret technical drawings and architects’ plans.
Report-writing skills.
The confidence to negotiate and the initiative to make your own decisions.

It is also important to have a wide knowledge of the following subjects, which you will develop during your education and training:

Construction law.
Health and safety issues.
Building methods and timescales.
Costs of materials.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Quantity surveyors start on around £25,000 per year, rising to as much as £80,000 with experience and additional responsibilities.

Most work around 37-40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. However, you may have early starts and late finishes, and you may need to work some weekends.

Employers include central and local government, construction and property companies, specialist surveying companies and industrial and commercial organisations. Opportunities for quantity surveyors occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Self-employment opportunities occur for quantity surveyors to work as independent consultants or in a private practice.

Where are vacancies advertised?

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

Entry routes and training

The most direct route into this career is to study an accredited degree in quantity surveying, or a closely related subject. The most widely recognised qualifications are offered by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES).

You don’t always need a degree related to surveying to become a surveyor. Degrees in other subjects will often be acceptable. People with communication and business skills are highly sought after by this profession.

You can also do a degree apprenticeship in the role of construction quantity surveyor. On this programme, you will study towards relevant qualifications alongside your paid job. You’ll carry out on-the-job training at work.

There are a small number of HNCs and HNDs available in the UK in subjects related to surveying. These courses can be used as routes into full degrees, or possibly into a junior-level position within a company/organisation. It may also be possible to go into this career straight from school and study while in a job.

Following the education stage, you will receive training on-the-job. To become a fully qualified member of the RICS, you’ll need to undertake at least two years’ structured learning whilst in employment. Full members of the RICS are given chartered status. This is the highest level of competence in a profession. There are a number of postgraduate courses related to surveying available in the UK.

Experienced surveyors can move into senior roles, such as chief surveyor. Some surveyors become self-employed.

Qualifications

To get onto a degree apprenticeship, you’ll need two A-levels and GCSEs in maths and English

To enter a suitable accredited degree course in quantity surveying, you will usually need:

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 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.

However, entry requirements for different courses vary, so check university prospectuses for more details.

To enter a relevant HND or HNC, 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.

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.

Successful late entrants often have relevant skills gained at technician level. For example, you can progress as a technical member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). A background in planning or construction is also 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 quantity surveying. Study can be part time/flexible or via distance learning (for example at the College of Estate Management).

Related careers

Assistant quantity surveyor
Auctioneer
Civil engineer
Estimator
Site manager
Surveyor