13 August 2021

Are you considering a career in quantity surveying? This Go Construct guide will provide you with everything you need to know to break into the field.

Quantity surveyors are respected as key players in construction and civil engineering projects in all shapes and sizes. Consequently, they can demand high salaries: trainees and graduates often start with salaries of around £25,000, rising to £65,000+ with experience and specialisms.

Additionally, quantity surveyors are highly sought after, with 66% of construction firms reporting shortages of qualified quantity surveyors. This is echoed around the world, from Australia to South Africa.

This makes quantity surveying an ideal profession for anyone – from career starters to career changers - looking for a rewarding, fast-paced career path.

But how do you get started? Below, we outline the required qualifications, skills and accreditations needed.

What are the required qualifications?

To become a quantity surveyor, you will usually need a degree in quantity surveying or commercial management accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), although this isn’t always the case.

To study a degree, you will usually need A levels (or equivalent). An aspiring quantity surveyor will find the below A level subjects useful preparation:

  • Business studies
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • Design & technology

This list is by no means comprehensive, but a quantity surveyor will use skills learned from all of these subjects during their working life.

Read more about university entry requirements here.

Degrees

Back to degrees, undergraduate programmes in quantity surveying or commercial management are the most common route to becoming a quantity surveyor. Often, you can study a degree which combines the two, which covers essential elements of surveying such as construction management, building studies, building engineering, engineering management, building technology and more.

Many courses also incorporate a year-long industry placement, giving you essential work experience alongside your studies.

However, a degree in quantity surveying or commercial management isn’t essential. If you have an undergraduate degree in a different subject, you can take a RICS-accredited postgraduate conversion course. Relevant undergraduate subjects which could be converted include:

  • Building or construction
  • Civil engineering
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Project management
  • Structural engineering
  • Urban and land studies.

The postgraduate course usually takes one year to complete, or two years if you are taking it part time. Postgraduate conversion is a common route into the field, with many deciding to change career later on in life, and achieving a Masters in surveying is a highly valued qualification.

You can also take this route after taking a completely unrelated subject and undergraduate level, as having a completely different view on land and property is sought after by employers. Some quantity surveyor employers may take on graduates with a non-RICS accredited degree – they are called non-cognates – and support and fund them through the postgraduate course.

Degree apprenticeships

If you haven’t got a degree, you could join a RICS approved Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship programme. This will lead to the same level of qualification and accreditation as studying a degree, but comes with numerous benefits that many find more beneficial than solely going to university:

  • You accrue no debt throughout your programme
  • You are paid – usually between £18,000 - £20,000 a year, earning a higher salary once qualified
  • Much of your time will be spent in the workplace, giving you practical experience
  • Just as valued by employers as other routes.

Quantity surveying degree apprenticeships usually take around five years to complete, and you will need to find an employer to support you throughout the programme. They comprise a mix of practical experience with academic learning, working under qualified quantity surveyors to learn the tricks of the trade, as well as study at an appropriate learning provider.

The entry requirements are usually slightly less stringent than degrees, although this will depend on the learning provider.

Find out more about degree apprenticeships here.

Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)

The final part of becoming a fully qualified, chartered quantity surveyor is to obtain RICS membership. In order to do this, you must successfully complete the complete the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence programme. On completion, you will be able to display MRICS after your name, informing clients and colleagues alike that you are a chartered quantity surveyor.

If you take a quantity surveying degree apprenticeship, sitting the APC is part of the programme and you should receive MRICS status when you complete your course.

However, for those with less than 5 years practical experience, such as those entering the profession via university, becoming chartered involves completing the APC by gaining a minimum of 24 months of postgraduate experience with an employer.

Securing a role as a graduate quantity surveyor can be relatively straightforward as many firms are looking for people with RICS accredited degrees. Once you’ve landed a suitable role, you can start your APC straight away. The APC is a structured programme which requires you to evidence your training in logbooks and have regular meetings with a supervisor. The programme ends with an assessment interview with an industry professional.

Continuous professional development (CPD)

CPD is an important aspect of maintaining high standards once you have become qualified and chartered. Members of RICS must complete at least 20 hours of CPD annually, which could include attending conferences and events, professional courses, running workshops, private study of academic papers or in-house training.

Additionally, becoming a member of other relevant institutes can enhance your career progression opportunities. Some examples include:

Skills you will need

Quantity surveying is a highly skilled profession, and you will need to be able to demonstrate the below skills:

  • Understanding of engineering science and technology
  • Ability to use your initiative
  • Strong maths knowledge
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Analytical thinking skills
  • Thorough and good attention to detail
  • Knowledge of building and construction
  • Project management skills
  • Resilience, determination and the ability to work well under pressure
  • Good commercial awareness
  • A practical, logical and methodical approach to work.

Find out more about it takes to be a quantity surveyor here.

Suitable work experience options

Work experience is extremely beneficial when trying to secure a job in any field. It’s a good way to demonstrate your dedication and enthusiasm for the job, as well as confirming that you are following the right career path.

Many companies offer placements which may vary from a few days to months. Check their websites or apply speculatively. Alternatively, use the RICS Find a Surveyor service for contact information.

Find out more about work experience here.

Find out more about becoming a quantity surveyor

For more information, check out Go Construct’s comprehensive job guide here or browse available entry-level quantity surveyor jobs via Talentview.

Take a look at the role of an estimator too to see if that may be more suitable for you.

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