Introduction
Every local authority has considerable investment in land,
property and buildings. There is a specialist surveyor to cover
each of the following property functions:
- building;
- quantity;
- land measurement;
- valuation;
- planning and development;
- technical surveys to support the chartered surveyor.
Quantity surveyors deal with the financial side of construction
and engineering and the post can be found in every type of
authority except county councils. They are part of the Building
Consultancy Service and in some authorities they may be part of the
technical services section under the direction of the senior
quantity surveyor.
Work Environment
Surveyors spend some time on outdoor sites and attending external
meetings but quantity surveyors mostly work in an office writing
reports, dealing with administration and preparing plans and
costings. The hours are 37 hours per week and do not usually
involve anti-social shifts. Only when site visits are required do
they wear protective clothing such as hard hats.
Daily Activities
Quantity surveyors work on projects for their own property
services directorate and for other client departments and agencies.
They monitor and estimate costs and are involved in building
projects from the planning stage through to final completion. Their
training gives them a thorough grounding in building and
construction techniques as well as the financial and accounting
side. Each piece of work is normally put out to tender and quantity
surveyors will examine the returns and advise the authority on
technical aspects of the project. They also act on behalf of the
council in applying for grants or subsidies that are available for
certain specific improvements (from the European Fund, for
example), as well provide advice on grant applications from local
residents for home improvements. Their duties can be broken down
into:
- preparation of feasibility estimates and cost plans;
- responsibility for managing specific contracts and acting as
lead consultant;
- preparation of tender and contract documents;
- undertaking interim valuations of project cost implications and
producing interim;
- certificates giving a provisional green light for
construction;
- dealing with any variation in contracts;
- ensuring final accounts are paid and are in accordance with
stipulated time limits ad other conditions;
- acting as manager/supervisor of junior surveying staff on
projects;
- encouraging cost consciousness in everybody who is connected
with construction.
Quantity surveyors are responsible to senior quantity surveyors
and work in conjunction with them during the tender, contract and
accounting stages of projects.
Skills & Interests
You would need the following to do the job well:
- mathematical ability;
- an appreciation of general building construction;
- knowledge of Standard Method of Measurement;
- knowledge of JCT contract forms;
- the ability to work in a team and on your own initiative;
- supervisory ability;
- working knowledge of computerised systems;
- a knowledge of health and safety procedures;
- the ability to get on with people from different
backgrounds;
- an attention to detail;
- project management skills; tenacious, see tasks through to a
conclusion.
Entry Requirements
A degree, or equivalent, in quantity surveying is essential.
Qualification as a chartered surveyor is also usually
required. A minimum of one year's postgraduate experience is
required. This should include having worked in the administration
of medium sized contracts through to final account including cost
plan and estimates preparation.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
Surveyors are widely employed throughout local government and
there are many opportunities for specialization in other branches
of the work, particularly in large authorities. The next step up
the ladder is Senior Quantity Surveyor that is attainable with
further experience. Professional training leads to corporate
membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(RICS).
Further Information & Services
Construction Skills www.citb.co.uk
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors www.rics.org
The Building Consultancy www.thebuildingconsultancy.com
Careers Wales have produced Spotlight articles on careers
in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths): https://www.careerswales.com/en/spotlight-on-stem/ and careers
in construction: https://www.careerswales.com/en/spotlight-on-construction/
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales (www.careerswales.com/) or
in your local library, careers office or school careers
library.