Building surveyors are involved in all aspects of building projects. Their work includes giving advice to clients about the design and construction of new buildings and the maintenance, repair, renovation and conservation of existing ones. Their clients range from individual house owners to large commercial and industrial companies with property assets.

Building surveyors' exact work varies, depending on the type of project but can include some of following areas.

Surveying:

• performing acquisition surveys to identify whether a property is suitable for a particular use
• carrying out structural surveys to identify defects and making recommendations for repairs
• assessing damage for insurance and loss adjustment purposes, for example, as a result of bad weather, fire or land subsidence.

Legal work:

• assessing dilapidation liability - who is responsible for repair costs on buildings
• researching and advising on issues such as repair or alteration to party walls (adjoining walls) and property boundary disputes
• acting as a client’s advocate or standing as an expert witness during formal proceedings.

Planning and Inspections:

• checking properties to make sure they meet Building Regulations, fire safety and accessibility standards
• dealing with planning applications, and improvement or conservation grants
• assessing homes for energy efficiency and producing Home Condition Reports (see the separate job profiles for Energy Efficiency Assessor and Home Inspector).

Building surveyors also supervise surveying teams, including assistants and technicians, and train and mentor new staff. Some surveyors cover all of these areas of work, while others may specialise in one particular aspect, for example building conservation.

Hours and Environment

Building surveyors work between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

As a surveyor, your job will combine office and sitework, and some contracts may mean spending periods of time away from home.

Sitework takes places in all weather conditions and you normally wear protective clothing on site. Depending on the project, you may work at heights and on dangerous structures.

Skills and Interests

To be a building surveyor you need:

• good analytical skills
• a working knowledge of surveying technology, IT and computer-aided design
• the ability to work to a high degree of accuracy
• the ability to interpret data
• strong communication, negotiation and presentation skills
• the ability to prioritise and plan effectively
• the ability to understand a client’s business needs
• a commitment to continuing professional development
• the ability to work as part of a team and to take responsibility for decision making
• a comprehensive knowledge of Building Regulations, planning legislation, and health and safety issues.

Language skills are useful if you want to work overseas or for a company with international clients.

Entry

To qualify as a building surveyor you will need to complete a degree course approved by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) followed by professional development (see Training); or gain a trainee position with a surveying firm and study for qualifications whilst working. Relevant degrees include:

• surveying
• construction
• civil engineering
• building engineering.

If you have a non-approved degree, you will need to take a postgraduate surveying course. This may be available as a graduate traineeship if you are working with a surveying firm or by studying at a RICS-approved university. You can also take an approved distance learning surveying degree through the College of Estate Management (CEM). For details about this, contact the CEM in Further Information.

If you have a BTEC HNC/HND or foundation degree in surveying or construction, you may be able to work as a surveying technician and take further study to fully qualify. See the separate job profile for Surveyor (Technical).

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building's (CIOB) Faculty for Architecture and Surveying have details about surveying careers and relevant degree programmes. See Further Information for their contact details.

Training

Once you are working as a building surveyor, it is very important to continue your professional development to fully qualify, by working towards chartered status. You can achieve this through the RICS or the Chartered Institute of Building's (CIOB) Faculty for Architecture and Surveying.

If you have a RICS-approved qualification, you can complete the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). This is a period of supervised practical training to build up your professional knowledge and skills. It can take between 2 and 6 years to pass the APC, which leads to chartered status. 

The CIOB has a variety of routes to chartered membership of its organisation, which depend on your qualifications and experience. You work through a Professional Development Programme (normally around 3 years) followed by a Professional Review.

You can also work towards NVQ/SVQ qualifications, once working in this field. The exact award will depend on your job but may include one of the following:

• Built Environment Development and Control Level 4
• Surveying, Property and Maintenance Level 4.

Opportunities

Opportunities for building surveyors are very good. You can find employment with a wide range of organisations, including local authorities, construction and engineering firms, commercial companies with investment property, building conservation bodies and specialist surveying practices.

Your options for career progression include movement into project or senior management positions, partnership in private practice, self-employment as a consultant or working in related fields, for example building control. See the separate job profile for Building Control Officer.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Starting salaries for newly qualified graduate building surveyors are between £18,000 and £22,000.
Experienced surveyors earn between £23,000 and £38,000.
Senior staff with chartered status can earn up to £50,000.

Further information

Whiteknights
Reading
Berkshire
RG6 6AW
Tel: 0800 019 9697 Englemere
Kings Ride
Ascot
Berkshire
SL5 7TB
Tel: 01344 630700 Surveyor Court
Westwood Way
Coventry
CV4 8JE
Tel: 0870 333 1600