Building Surveyor
In a nutshell
Building surveying is all about the care of existing buildings, new or old. It's best to think of building surveyors as doctors for buildings but a lot of their work is prevention rather than cure. Building surveyors are involved in the maintenance, alteration, repair, refurbishment and restoration of existing buildings. The job also has creative elements, such as drawing plans to turn designs into reality. Building surveying technicians do similar work, but usually with less complex activities and often with less supervisory responsibility. They usually work on a building site or in an office, for local or national government, property companies, banks, insurance companies, department stores, hotels and building surveying firms.
In depth
The work involves:
- organising and carrying out structural surveys
- legal work including negotiating with local authorities and neighbours
- preparing plans and specifications
- advising people about, for example, energy-saving measures and preservation or conservation of historic buildings.
The people
Building surveyors are fascinated by buildings and are interested in how they can be restored. They know about all aspects of the building process, including legislation relating to design, the environment and planning, and are prepared to communicate with residents and on-site workers.
Qualifications required
To become a fully-qualified building surveyor you will need a relevant degree. During this you'll study general construction as well as more specialised subjects such as valuation, project management, engineering, law and economics.
Salary
The average salary for a graduate building surveyor is £15,821 (source: www.building.co.uk).
Getting professional
Courses accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) will allow you to progress to professional qualification once you're out at work.
