What Qualifications do you need to be a Building Surveyor? 

Have you ever considered how the buildings that surround uscame to be? Whether it’s a brand new shopping centre or a conservatoryextension next door, the chances are more than likely that a building surveyorwas involved at one stage or another. Building surveying has been a registeredprofession since the 1970s, and they’re often heavily involved in the planning,development and construction stages of a new project. But how does one actuallybecome a building surveyor? If you’re thinking of a new career, wondering whatto study at university or simply want to learn more about the qualificationsand experience needed when choosing a surveyor for hire, read on to learn allabout this relatively modern profession.

What is abuilding surveyor?

There are actually several types of surveying careersavailable, although most overlap in their duties from time to time. Differentroles in the surveying profession include valuation surveyors, land surveyors,quantity surveyors, and of course, the building surveyors discussed here.

A building surveyor is involved in all aspects of propertyand construction, and offers assessments and reports on issues, or ways toimprove, all types of buildings. There’s rarely one typical day for a buildingsurveyor, and the work can involve everything from drawing up plans and designsfor new buildings, compiling structural reports for old or existing buildings,dealing with planning applications and advising on property law. They alsoadvise on maintenance and repair for owners of existing buildings, eitherdomestic or commercial, offer structural or design solutions and assess howsuitable a building is, either for proposed purpose or in terms of location andcost. Some surveyors will be used to giving advice and help with all of theabove, whereas others may choose to specialise in a specific area, e.g buildingconservation or planning applications.

Most building surveyors work a standard full time week, butsplit their time between site visits, external meetings or filling in admin andpaperwork at the office. However, there’s likely to be a lot more hands-on timespent away from a desk compared to other jobs, which might suit those who lovea challenge and a different task each day.

As you can see, building surveying covers a huge variety oftasks and responsibilities, so it’s essential to have the right training andqualifications. There are no formal qualifications needed in order to callyourself a ‘surveyor’ (it’s been known for everyone from land surveyors todouble glazing salesmen to use the title), however a chartered surveyor willhave all the necessary qualifications and be registered and regulated by theRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). We will discuss the skills,training and qualifications needed to become a chartered building surveyor inmore detail, below.

Whatqualifications do you need?

As discussed above, building surveying encompasses manydifferent skills and a variety of services in one job, so anyone entering theprofession will need a high level of qualifications, as well as extensivetraining on the job. There are severalroutes you can take, with the most popular beginning by completing a RICSaccredited degree course. Entry requirements will vary greatly depending on thesubject and university, but most ask for at least two A Levels and four A-CGCSE grades, or the equivalent. Popular degree courses that are RICS accreditedinclude surveying, construction and civil engineering, but there’s a full list of approved courses on their website. RICS works with universities to make sure their courses are relevant to theindustry, but it’s still possible to make a career change to charteredsurveying later in life.

If you have a foundation degree in an unrelated subject thenyou’ll need to take a postgraduate course in surveying, which can be donethrough a company’s post-graduate scheme, or studying full or part-time at anRICS-accredited university.

Training

After gaining the relevant degree qualifications, or theequivalent, prospective building surveyors will need to complete at least twoyears of structured professional experience (very similar to on-the-jobtraining) in order to become fully qualified. Known as The Assessment of ProfessionalCompetence, this is fully supervised and structured training to make sure alltrainee surveyors are competent to practice and uphold the standards set by theRCIS. The APC also involves an interview, a presentation to test candidate'sinterpersonal and business skills and a written list of experience so far. Oncethe assessment has been passed, chartered surveyor’s are free to use MRICS(Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) after their name ifdesired. Most candidates go straight from undergraduate degree to taking theirAPC, however professionals with a degree and 5 years experience in a relevantfield can gain membership of the MRCIS in 12 months on a fast-track version ofthe APC course.

Career Progression

There are plenty of opportunities for career progression inthe surveying industry, and training and professional development are oftenongoing in any reputable firm. With experience, graduates could move intoproject or senior management, become a partner in a private practice or workself employed as a consultant. Becoming a qualified chartered surveyor alsopresents opportunities to move into similar careers, for example buildingtechnician, construction manager or structural engineer.

Finally, although not a qualification in itself, it’s a goodidea to maintain a reasonable level of physical fitness. A lot of buildingsurveyor work involves site visits in all weathers, which may be moderatelyphysically demanding if you’re required to climb up ladders or assess hard toreach areas. A full driver’s licence is a big advantage, too.

Why mightyou need a building surveyor?

Managing an entire newbuild

Hiring a building surveyor to oversee a large project cantake a lot of the stress away and manage any areas that clients might not befamiliar with - for example planning permission, health and safety, boundarydisputes and much more. As discussed above, building surveyors are highlyskilled in many different areas, and can manage a project right through frominitial design, to planning applications and advising workers on site. Asurveyor’s breadth of construction knowledge, design skills and legal expertiseensures they are invaluable to clients when it comes to undertaking a new buildproject.

Apply for planningpermission

Planning permission must be obtained from the local councilbefore certain work can be carried out, for both commercial and domesticproperties. Building surveyors can also help clients file planningapplications, and deal with a lot of the health and safety paperwork which youmay not have the time or experience to complete.

Insurance

For many people making an insurance claim, you’ll need asurvey to assess the damage and therefore how much compensation can be paidout. That’s where building surveyors come in - they can provide insurancesurveying for disasters such as fire or flood, as well as reinstatement ofhistorical or listed buildings

Buying and selling

If you're planning on buying or selling either a commercial or domestic property, it's always a good idea to get a building surveyor in to assess things. They can look for any structural damage, repairs that need completing and whether the building meets fire safety and access standards. They can look for any structural damage, repairs that needcompleting and whether the building meets fire safety and access standards.Getting a house survey done before buying or selling a property can save you alot of hassle and make sure everyone is getting the best deal.

Maintenance

Building surveyors can oversee a whole range of maintenancework including refurbishment, repairs, alterations, roof repairs, windowreplacement and more. They can also carry out assessments and identify any weakspots that may need maintenance further down the line; and add precautions orreinforcements to save clients time and money.

If you’re looking for experienced constructionexperts you can trust, come to Simon Levy Associates. We’re an independent firmof chartered surveyors based in Hertfordshire, serving Greater London and theSouth East. We have experience dealing with both commercial and residentialproperties and offer a wide range of services including building and structuralsurveys, insurance claims, domestic building work, expert witnesses and muchmore. Seeour website for the full list of professional services ,or get in touch and requesta quote online . We look forward to helping you with yournext project, big or small.