Construction & Property

Surveying

As a surveyor in construction you could be involved in aspects of the development process, from making decisions on locations to making sure the finished building is safe and environmentally friendly. General responsibilities include the management, valuation, buying, selling and development of land and property. The role can be exciting and varied and you'll find no two projects the same (or no two days for that matter!).

There are a number of different career routes within the industry:

Urban General Practice Surveyor's can be involved in the design of anything from landmark buildings to major music festivals and you could also find yourself managing multi-million pound property portfolios.

Building Surveyors provide professional advice on all aspects of property and construction, including the design of new buildings and the maintenance, repair, refurbishment and restoration of existing buildings.

Rural Practice Surveyors apply specialist knowledge of rural assets including land, farm and other rural business buildings, crops, farm machinery and livestock, to value, sell and manage property. Rural estates are often run by surveyors, who may also act as advisers to government bodies, local authorities and other groups with an interest in rural land use.

Quantity Surveyors work for construction contractors or their clients and manage costs relating to building projects. They seek to bring in projects under budget and on time, while maintaining quality and meeting required standards and regulations.

Opportunities exist in both the public and private sectors in a number of different roles and there are plenty of employers in Yorkshire.

In the private sector you will find graduate schemes with larger companies as well as jobs with smaller firms who often offer more rapid career progression and flexibility. In the public sector, employment is equally varied including work for local authorities, the government and hospital trusts. Experienced surveyors also have the option of becoming self-employed.

To become a surveyor you would normally hold a degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Once in the role you will need to complete two years on the job training to achieve an Assessment of Professional Competence.

The demand for surveyors is affected by the state of the economy and the property market. Currently the job market looks good as the construction industry remains fairly stable due to the ever increasing demand for new homes and public spending on schools, hospitals and the infrastructure.

Useful links:

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The RICS is the professional body with 140,000 members addressing all aspects of land, property, construction and associated environmental issues.

Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV)

CAAV is a national specialist professional body representing members who are agricultural and rural valuers.

Valuation Office Agency

An executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs that compiles and maintains the business rating and council tax valuation lists for England and Wales, values property for tax purposes, and provides statutory and non-statutory property valuation services.