“All I want is compliance with my wishes, after reasonable discussion.” So said Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Thankfully, compliance in the property world is a little less autocratic, though it can be demanding – and certainly does require discussion.
At the heart of these talks will be the Quantity Surveyor (QS). Statutory building and commercial property compliance involves convoluted regulations, detailed assessments and meticulous inspections – all areas where the QS must excel to move projects forward.
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Similarly, the QS must be well informed of current and forthcoming legislation – as well as be able to undertake forensic reviews of historic projects, identifying areas where contracts may not have been fulfilled.
Following the collapse of construction giant Carillion, the industry is also likely to see a rise in demand for the QS to use their investigative powers to look at the security of funding on projects.
Of course there’s a lot more to the job than these specialties. So let’s put the job spotlight on the Quantity Surveyor.
Key Tasks
The QS is one of the most important roles in any property project, however large or small.
It’s their mission to assess a series of facts and figures relating to the architect’s plans and engineers’ proposals and – liaising with construction pros of every speciality – determine the quantities of construction materials needed, transportation logistics and final costs.
This data will be used to judge if a plan is possible. You could argue the judgement of the QS lays the foundations for property development or stops a pipe dream in its tracks.
Then there’s the job of setting up the timeline for tenders before final negotiation of deals.
Finally, a QS will update project managers on progress, work rotas, legal matters and health and safety considerations.
Key Skills
As you’d imagine, this all-encompassing mission requires excellent budgeting, procurement and management skills, as well as a head for mathematics and IT.
When dealing with so many different parties on a project, often all in one day, excellent communication skills are a must – as is the ability to produce clear and concise reports.
But wait, that’s not all! The ability to make decisions and meet tight deadlines under pressure is another box to be ticked.
Oh, and did we mention being proactive and bringing a creative approach will earn big gold stars if you fancy a new QS position from s1jobs?
Key figures
If your mission is huge, the rewards are not too shabby either: starting salaries range from £25,000 to £30,000 for consultancies and more for contractors – but these can climb quickly with experience, with the average reaching north of £50,000.
To command those kinds of sums, you must have first completed a degree or higher education course accredited by the Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Alternatively, there are possibilities to secure an Apprentice QS role.
The shortage of Quantity Surveyors in the UK right now makes this an ideal job to consider if changing career direction is an option.
So, if our QS job spotlight has illuminated new possibilities, why not check out the Property roles on s1jobs?