In our review of different careers, we take a look out how to become a surveyor. We also have a look at what a surveyor does and what skills and attributes are required to become a surveyor.
What Does a Surveyor Do?
A building surveyor advises clients regarding the repair and maintenance of buildings and also the design and construction of new buildings. You clients might consist of individual homeowners to large companies and a surveyor is an ideal career for anyone with a strong interest in buildings and construction.
As a surveyor, your day to day tasks might include dealing with planning applications and improvement grants, ensuring that properties meet with the relevant legislation, standing as a witness in legal proceedings as an expert, advising clients on boundary disputes, advising clients on who is responsible for building repair costs, assessing damage to buildings by things such as fire or floods for insurance purposes and surveying properties for structural faults and giving advice on how best to repair any issues that arise in the survey.
As a surveyor, your working week would usually be Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Quite often the work will need to be carried out on site, and so you would find yourself out and about and away from your desk quite often.
Is Becoming a Surveyor Right For Me?
To become a surveyor, the following skills and attributes are required
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Skills in science, technology, English and maths
- The ability to interpret data and work to a high degree of accuracy
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- An excellent knowledge of building regulations
- A willingness to continue to stay up to date with new legislation and continued professional development
- An understanding of planning legislation
How Much Can a Surveyor Earn?
When you are a newly qualified graduate you are likely to earn between £18,000 and £22,000 a year. With experience, this can increase to anywhere between £23,000 and £37,000 a year with senior and chartered surveyors being able to earn in excess of £50,000 a year.
What Qualifications Do I Need To Become a Surveyor?
To become a surveyor you will need a degree that has been approved by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in a subject such as construction, surveying, civil engineering or building engineering.
If you have already completed a degree that isn't approved by the RICS then you can complete a post-graduate degree in surveying.
To get onto the relevant degree courses you will need a strong background in science, maths and engineering subjects, so choosing to study these types of subject at GCSE and A-Level is beneficial.
