Land this construction job and you will become master of all you survey. Mwahahaha!
Okay, so that’s maybe going a bit far. But the role of Quantity Surveyor really is one of the most important in any building project.
Right from the start, when tasked with determining if a plan is even possible or is just wishful thinking on the part of the client, your decisions will lay the foundations for a building.
We’re not just talking about diggers, concrete and steel.
These foundations are also a series of often complex facts and figures – such as the quantities of construction materials that will be needed, their transportation logistics and their final cost.
Then there is the timeline for all of the work and arrangements for contractor tenders before the final negotiation of deals.
All of this takes excellent budgeting and management skills. You’ll also require an off-the-top-of-your-head command of arithmetic and mathematics (always backed up several times by a calculator, of course!) and a good working knowledge of IT.
Yes, you’re much more than a number cruncher in a hi-vis vest and hard hat.
But don’t put your feet up with a copy of The Herald just yet.
You’ll also be expected to continually update project managers on timelines, work rotas, legal issues and health and safety considerations.
This means having an attention to every detail, as well as an up-to-date knowledge of the necessary regulations.
All this before your first cuppa of the day!
As a project advances, follow-up duties can include assessing how contractors are performing – it’s here your polite-but-firm people skills will be tested every day to the max.
Thankfully, the rewards can be as huge as the buildings themselves, with top salaries reaching in excess of £60,000 – now that’s a good reason to whistle while you work.
Climb the career ladder and you could also find yourself on a fast-track route into project management.
If all of this sounds right up your street, you also need to gain a qualification accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
A quantity surveying degree would be the ideal first choice but it’s cool to do a postgrad from any related degree, such as civil engineering or economics.
Finally, to become a bona fide fully Qualified Chartered Surveyor you must become a member of the RICS by undertaking its ‘Assessment of Professional Competence’ (APC). Don’t worry: it’s not as ominous as it sounds.
Keen to get going? Let’s start by quantity surveying a range of Construction roles with s1jobs.