A quantity surveyor is a job field in the building and construction industry. The primary purpose of this profession is to discern contracts, costs for construction projects, and the over all feasibility of a project within a budget. In practice the methods employed during their professional tasks include a wide variety of activities. Some of these activities include cost planning, life-cycle projected cost evaluation, dispute resolution, value management, and general efficiency related actions. The main purpose of this profession is to find exactly what needs to be spent and when to maximize the efficiency of a project in both the short and long term.
Training Once the prerequisite degrees are obtained the job is learned via active apprentice programs or via temporary internship. Some individuals will obtain their degree while working at this job. Either way once the would-be quantity surveyor has acquired their RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) degree they will need to work and train for the next two years so that they can pass the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).
After completion of this process the individual is allowed to add the letters MRICS after their name. This denotes a mastery in their craft. Most individuals in this profession will continue on with CPD (continuing professional development) activities so that they will be able to add on additional skills.
Education Required The primary entrance requirements for this profession include taking a degree program. The typical degrees accepted for this job are directly in the field of quantity surveying or a closely related subject if no nearby quantity surveying courses are available at the individual’s financial level. However, this course work must be performed via an accredited Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors related program. The possibility of studying for relevant postgraduate conversion courses exists after a degree is taken in a different subject. The only real method of becoming chartered in this day and age is via the main professional institute previously mentioned. Membership in the RICS is mandatory to become qualified in this field legally.
The qualifications for completing an RICS-accredited degree course generally include three A levels or a BTEC national that is relevant. Five GCSEs or the equivalent are also vital to this educational endeavor. Along with the education, it is required that the aspirant must also achieve a diploma in construction, building environment, and environmental land-based studies. This will vary to some small degree in regards to individual educational institutions, however. Some might require everything mentioned, while others require specific versions of any of these educational requirements.
Individual aspirants that prefer to take a first degree that is not accredited by the RICS may do so. Later postgraduate conversion courses do exist. This can be beneficial in the long run as it will show a greater overall level of education that might allow for an easier time gaining employment in this field. Typical, and useful, first degree subjects for this profession include mathematics course, economics, physical sciences, and of course geography. Interested parties that desire to become quantity surveyors and have relevant BTEC Higher Nation Diplomas or Certification can improve their education with continued study in an RICS accreditation program.
Typical Tools of the Trade This profession is primarily performed indoors. However, many quantity surveyors will also visit a particular project site to inspect certain materials and ask questions from the construction workers. This is to help them understand how a particular material is performing as well as current construction techniques. If the quantity surveyor can find any method of cutting costs while actively improving the project’s capacity then they have performed their job.
The typical tools of a quantity surveyor include a tape measure, a computer, a hard hat, a hammer. A quantity surveyor is a generalist that needs to know a solid amount about a lot of subjects in construction.
On the Job Training Some individuals prefer a more hands-on approach to learning. In this regard many can find local businesses and trade schools that offer advanced apprenticeship programs in surveying. The educational courses can be taken while the individual interns in such a manner. This allows for both a pay check and improved learning. Youth apprenticeships also exist in some locations for individuals for teenagers.