Building surveying is a profession that deals with the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings, as well as safety and risk reduction. Building surveyors are responsible for ensuring a building site has the necessary knowledge and expertise, and the building meets all regulations and standards. They use their technical expertise to inspect and diagnose problems, recommend solutions, prepare and review technical reports, and maintain and provide expert advice to clients.
A career in building surveying requires a lot of technical knowledge and skills, making it a great choice if you’re looking for an interesting and challenging career. Surveyors often have a number of key responsibilities, such as giving advice on legal and safety issues related to buildings, performing inspections and surveys, and providing guidance on construction matters. They also work in all areas of building maintenance, from identifying structural faults and providing repair solutions to taking preventative measures to minimize damage and improve energy efficiency.
Benefits of Pursuing a Building Surveying Career
One of the main benefits is the variety of work environments available. You will have the opportunity to work in both the residential and commercial sectors, providing services for all types of buildings in different locations. Working across a range of different climates and surroundings, from high rise offices in the city to small cottages in rural locations.
Building surveying also offers a variety of professional roles which can be tailored to skills and interests. For example, you could choose to specialise in technical roles such as advising on and carrying out building inspections and surveys, or project management roles, managing and coordinating construction projects. There are also roles in consultancy and advisory services, which involve providing expert advice to clients on a range of topics related to the built environment.
A career in building surveying can provide excellent job security and high salaries. As the population continues to grow, the demand for services provided by building surveyors is also increasing. This means that surveyors are in high demand and are able to secure high salaries and benefit packages.
Providing financial stability and job security, as the demand for services is expected to continue to increase.
Requirements to become a Building Surveyor
If you are interested in becoming a chartered building surveyor, you will need a RICS accredited degree alongside successful completion of your APC.
To start with, gaining “on-the-job” experience alongside your study is a good idea, as most entry roles require a good understanding of the building and construction industry. Any hands-on experience you can demonstrate will certainly help secure your first position. This can be achieved through apprenticeships, volunteer work or other specialisations within the profession.
Becoming Chartered provides access to a range of benefits including enhanced remuneration packages and better career prospects as well as professional development and networking opportunities. A recognised professional qualification, such as MRICS, will also help demonstrate your expertise and skills to clients, associates, and potential employers.
Skills Needed to Become a Building Surveyor
In order to become a successful building surveyor, it is important to have a range of technical and interpersonal skills. As the profession involves surveying, the ability to analyse information and problems and provide effective solutions is essential. You’ll also need excellent attention to detail and problem-solving skills, in order to ensure the accuracy of work. This requires an in-depth knowledge of the building and construction industry as well as a keen eye for detail.
You will also need to have strong interpersonal skills with clear and effective communication and negotiation skills. As you will often work in collaboration with a range of other professionals, you will need to be able to work well with others and demonstrate strong teamwork skills.
In addition, it is important you are confident in providing reliable and professional advice to clients to build trust and maintain good working relationships.
Potential Challenges of Working as a Building Surveyor
Although the work can be rewarding with a range of benefits associated with the profession, there are also potential challenges you may face. One of the primary challenges is dealing with difficult clients.
Building surveyors often negotiate and collaborate with other professions to ensure the best outcome for their clients. This can be difficult when working with disgruntled or sensitive clients.
In addition, you can often be required to work to tight deadlines, which can be difficult to manage when working in demanding environments.
Finally, building surveying can involve working in potentially dangerous environments. Work onsite, often in areas that have not been deemed safe for the general public. Working in these areas can be hazardous, and building surveyors need to be prepared for the risks that are associated with this type of work.
Conclusion
Working as a building surveyor can provide a range of career benefits, from interesting and challenging work to flexible working hours and high salaries.
Building surveying is an excellent choice for those looking for an exciting and rewarding profession.
However, it should be noted that the profession does require a solid time commitment to become qualified. Furthermore, there can be potential challenges to consider, including dealing with difficult clients and working in potentially dangerous environments.
To summarise, a career in building surveying can provide rewards and benefits and is a great choice for those who want to pursue an interesting and challenging profession. However, it is important to be aware of the potential risks and challenges, as well as the educational and professional requirements that are needed.
For a deeper dive and more specific information on becoming a chartered surveyor, we would recommend visiting the RICS website.