Quantity Surveyor

The balance between office work and site visits will depend on the employer and stage of the development. One day may focus on forecasts and subcontractor accounts; another may involve checking progress on site before assessing costs or agreeing payments. They:-

• prepare budgets, cost plans and financial reports for developments
• measure and price work, materials and subcontract packages
• support tendering, procurement and contract administration
• monitor costs and explain changes against the budget
• assess completed work and manage payments to subcontractors
• identify commercial risks and help the team respond to them
• visit developments and work with site teams to understand progress

• Numeracy — Cost plans, valuations and forecasts depend on confident handling of figures and financial information.
• Commercial awareness — You need to understand how decisions affect cost, value, risk and the performance of a development.
• Attention to detail — Small errors in quantities, contracts or payments can have significant financial consequences.
• Communication and negotiation — Quantity surveyors work with colleagues, suppliers and subcontractors and often need to explain or agree commercial positions.
• Analytical thinking — You need to interpret information, spot changes and understand what they mean for the budget.
• Construction knowledge — Understanding how houses are built helps you connect financial information with site development..

You can enter quantity surveying through university, an apprenticeship or by starting in a surveying technician or assistant role and continuing your studies while you work. Graduate trainee routes are also common for people who already hold a degree.

In England, Skills England currently lists a Level 4 Construction Quantity Surveying Technician apprenticeship and a Level 6 Construction Quantity Surveyor degree apprenticeship as appropriate routes. The National Careers Service also identifies degree and postgraduate conversion routes.

Qualifications and professional development

Relevant quantity surveying and built-environment qualifications can support entry and progression. If chartered status is part of your goal, check that your study and experience route meets the current requirements of the professional body you plan to join.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) provides routes towards chartered surveyor status, commonly through the Assessment of Professional Competence. Requirements depend on your existing qualifications and experience. Use current RICS guidance..

For a broader construction industry view of the role and routes in, see the Go Construct Quantity Surveyor career guide.

Quantity surveyor pay and earning potential

Pay varies with experience, qualifications, location and employer. The National Careers Service currently gives an indicative annual salary range of £26,000 for a starter to £70,000 for an experienced quantity surveyor.

Actual earnings can be higher or lower, particularly as responsibilities increase or someone moves into senior commercial management.

A quantity surveying career can develop from assistant or trainee positions into quantity surveyor and senior quantity surveyor roles. With experience, you could move into commercial management, project management, supply chain work or a specialist area such as risk, contracts or disputes.

Professional development can also lead towards chartered status. Explore our career progression guide to see how commercial experience can develop within house building.

If quantity surveying interests you or you already have relevant qualifications, look for apprenticeship, trainee, graduate and experienced opportunities with house builders and the organisations that support residential development. Check employer careers pages for current vacancies and application requirements.