Have you ever considered how the buildings that surround us
came to be? Whether it’s a brand new shopping centre or a conservatory
extension next door, the chances are more than likely that a building surveyor
was involved at one stage or another. Building surveying has been a registered
profession since the 1970s, and they’re often heavily involved in the planning,
development and construction stages of a new project. But how does one actually
become a building surveyor? If you’re thinking of a new career, wondering what
to study at university or simply want to learn more about the qualifications
and experience needed when choosing a surveyor for hire, read on to learn all
about this relatively modern profession.
What is a
building surveyor?
There are actually several types of surveying careers
available, although most overlap in their duties from time to time. Different
roles 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 property
and construction, and offers assessments and reports on issues, or ways to
improve, all types of buildings. There’s rarely one typical day for a building
surveyor, and the work can involve everything from drawing up plans and designs
for new buildings, compiling structural reports for old or existing buildings,
dealing with planning applications and advising on property law. They also
advise on maintenance and repair for owners of existing buildings, either
domestic or commercial, offer structural or design solutions and assess how
suitable a building is, either for proposed purpose or in terms of location and
cost. Some surveyors will be used to giving advice and help with all of the
above, whereas others may choose to specialise in a specific area, e.g building
conservation or planning applications.
Most building surveyors work a standard full time week, but
split their time between site visits, external meetings or filling in admin and
paperwork at the office. However, there’s likely to be a lot more hands-on time
spent away from a desk compared to other jobs, which might suit those who love
a challenge and a different task each day.
As you can see, building surveying covers a huge variety of
tasks and responsibilities, so it’s essential to have the right training and
qualifications. There are no formal qualifications needed in order to call
yourself a ‘surveyor’ (it’s been known for everyone from land surveyors to
double glazing salesmen to use the title), however a chartered surveyor will
have all the necessary qualifications and be registered and regulated by the
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). We will discuss the skills,
training and qualifications needed to become a chartered building surveyor in
more detail, below.
What
qualifications do you need?
As discussed above, building surveying encompasses many
different skills and a variety of services in one job, so anyone entering the
profession will need a high level of qualifications, as well as extensive
training on the job. There are several
routes you can take, with the most popular beginning by completing a RICS
accredited degree course. Entry requirements will vary greatly depending on the
subject and university, but most ask for at least two A Levels and four A-C
GCSE grades, or the equivalent. Popular degree courses that are RICS accredited
include 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 the
industry, but it’s still possible to make a career change to chartered
surveying later in life.
If you have a foundation degree in an unrelated subject then
you’ll need to take a postgraduate course in surveying, which can be done
through a company’s post-graduate scheme, or studying full or part-time at an
RICS-accredited university.
Training
After gaining the relevant degree qualifications, or the
equivalent, prospective building surveyors will need to complete at least two
years of structured professional experience (very similar to on-the-job
training) in order to become fully qualified. Known as The Assessment of Professional
Competence, this is fully supervised and structured training to make sure all
trainee surveyors are competent to practice and uphold the standards set by the
RCIS. The APC also involves an interview, a presentation to test candidate's
interpersonal and business skills and a written list of experience so far. Once
the assessment has been passed, chartered surveyor’s are free to use MRICS
(Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) after their name if
desired. Most candidates go straight from undergraduate degree to taking their
APC, however professionals with a degree and 5 years experience in a relevant
field can gain membership of the MRCIS in 12 months on a fast-track version of
the APC course.
Career Progression
There are plenty of opportunities for career progression in
the surveying industry, and training and professional development are often
ongoing in any reputable firm. With experience, graduates could move into
project or senior management, become a partner in a private practice or work
self employed as a consultant. Becoming a qualified chartered surveyor also
presents opportunities to move into similar careers, for example building
technician, construction manager or structural engineer.
Finally, although not a qualification in itself, it’s a good
idea to maintain a reasonable level of physical fitness. A lot of building
surveyor work involves site visits in all weathers, which may be moderately
physically demanding if you’re required to climb up ladders or assess hard to
reach areas. A full driver’s licence is a big advantage, too.
Why might
you need a building surveyor?
Managing an entire new
build
Hiring a building surveyor to oversee a large project can
take a lot of the stress away and manage any areas that clients might not be
familiar with - for example planning permission, health and safety, boundary
disputes and much more. As discussed above, building surveyors are highly
skilled in many different areas, and can manage a project right through from
initial design, to planning applications and advising workers on site. A
surveyor’s breadth of construction knowledge, design skills and legal expertise
ensures they are invaluable to clients when it comes to undertaking a new build
project.
Apply for planning
permission
Planning permission must be obtained from the local council
before certain work can be carried out, for both commercial and domestic
properties. Building surveyors can also help clients file planning
applications, and deal with a lot of the health and safety paperwork which you
may not have the time or experience to complete.
Insurance
For many people making an insurance claim, you’ll need a
survey to assess the damage and therefore how much compensation can be paid
out. That’s where building surveyors come in - they can provide insurance
surveying for disasters such as fire or flood, as well as reinstatement of
historical 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.
Getting a house survey done before buying or selling a property can save you a
lot of hassle and make sure everyone is getting the best deal.
Maintenance
Building surveyors can oversee a whole range of maintenance
work including refurbishment, repairs, alterations, roof repairs, window
replacement and more. They can also carry out assessments and identify any weak
spots that may need maintenance further down the line; and add precautions or
reinforcements to save clients time and money.
If you’re looking for experienced construction
experts you can trust, come to Simon Levy Associates. We’re an independent firm
of chartered surveyors based in Hertfordshire, serving Greater London and the
South East. We have experience dealing with both commercial and residential
properties and offer a wide range of services including building and structural
surveys, insurance claims, domestic building work, expert witnesses and much
more.
See
our website for the full list of professional services
,
or get in touch and
request
a quote online
. We look forward to helping you with your
next project, big or small.
