Surveyor

As a surveyor, you will carry out surveys of all types of property and natural resources such as buildings, land and the seabed. Surveying involves tasks such as taking measurements, valuing, and assessing the property or natural resources. You will be responsible for advising professionals or clients of the results of surveys, so that any necessary work can be carried out.

Work activities

The surveying industry can be divided into the three main areas below. Your exact work activities will depend upon which area you choose to specialise in.

Construction surveying

The construction industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, and surveying plays a vital role in its operation. Without the expert knowledge of surveyors, the construction industry would not be able to create the magnificent buildings, roads and bridges with which we are so familiar. As a surveyor in the construction industry you might be responsible for:

Surveying the conditions of a future building site – including taking note of natural features such as hills, slopes, forests etc, underground issues, such as water deposits, sewers, gas pipes etc and buildings which are already present on the site.
Coordinating the entire construction process to make sure that it is all going according to plan and within budget. You will advise on what to build, where, and what materials to use, and also how many and what sort of staff (contractors) to employ.
Advising on repair, refurbishment and restoration construction projects.
How much will it cost, and what materials could and should be used.

Specialist surveying job roles within the construction industry include:

Building surveyor
Contracts surveyor
Project surveyor
Site surveyor

Land surveying

Surveying on the land is a very wide, varied and exciting area to work in. It involves the measurement and mapping of our surrounding environment using special technology and equipment. You will use geomatics, which is the technical term used for the collection, storage and use of geographical information, such as hills, forests, coastlines, and rivers. As a land surveyor you can expect to be working for part of the time in the office, and the rest of the time out the field carrying out physical surveying. Out in the field, you will use the latest technology such as high order GPS, Robotic Total Stations (Theodolites), and aerial and terrestrial (on the ground) scanners to map an area, making calculations and taking photos as important evidence. Back in the office, you’ll then use sophisticated software to make plans and map the measurements you made earlier out in the field.

Property surveying

Property surveying involves the careful study and valuation of various aspects of and different types of property. The different types of property include:

Machinery and business assets: You will be responsible for placing a valuation on a firm’s machinery and business assets. This could be any type of business. And the type of machinery, equipment and business assets could vary hugely.
Residential property: This is the type of property surveying which we are most likely to experience. People wishing to sell their house or property will get it valued by a surveyor who specialises in this area.
Facilities management: This is the management of the buildings and utilities in which a business operates. This includes relocation decisions, health and safety issues, and the procurement of services such as catering and cleaning.

Specialist surveying job roles within the property sector include:

Asset surveyor
Development surveyor
Property management surveyor
Residential valuation surveyor

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

Personal qualities and skills

As a surveyor, you’ll need to:

Have very strong negotiation and communication skills.
Pay attention to detail.
Have IT skills. Experience of using computer-aided design (CAD) software is sometimes very useful.
Be good at maths.
Have excellent planning skills. You will also need a wide knowledge of construction, economics and the law.

Pay and opportunities

Pay depends on the specific area of surveying you go into. However, you can expect to start on £20,000-£25,000 depending on the field. Salaries exceed £50,000 for some types of surveyors.

Most work a standard 35-40 full-time 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, property and specialist surveying companies, banks, building societies and insurance companies. Opportunities for surveyors occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK. Opportunities occur for surveyors to work on projects in other countries, in Europe and the rest of the world.

Self-employment opportunities occur for surveyors to work as independent consultants or in partnership with other specialists in professional 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 surveying, or a related subject. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) produces a list of accredited courses. 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. HNDs are also available in different surveying options. These can be used as a route on to a full degree course, or as entry to trainee surveyor positions.

Higher and degree apprenticeships are available in various specialisms:

Engineer surveyor (level 4/higher)
Building control surveyor (level 6/degree)
Chartered surveyor (level 6/degree)
Construction quantity surveyor (level 6/degree)
Marine surveyor (level 6/degree)

Following the education stage, you will receive training on-the-job, and you will specialise in one of the main areas of surveying. 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.

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

Qualifications

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

To enter a relevant degree course, you will usually need:

Three A levels. These should often include maths.
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.
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

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

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 substantial relevant experience at technician level. For example, adult entrants can progress as technical members 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.

If you are a graduate without an accredited degree, you can take a two-year postgraduate conversion course in surveying. Preference may be given to those with a related degree subject such as construction or building.

Related careers

Architect
Architectural Technician
Architectural Technologist
Auctioneer
Cartographer
Domestic Energy Assessor
Estate Agent
Licensed Conveyancer
Quantity Surveyor
Site Engineer