A career in Quantity Surveying is rewarding, diverse and challenging, with a wide range of jobs available both in Ireland and abroad. If you have good organisational and mathematical skills, a job as a quantity surveyor could be just for you. Let’s take a look at what a quantity surveyor actually does, what other people you will work it and where your career as a quantity surveyor can take you.
What is Quantity Surveying?
A quantity surveyor is a vital part of any construction or civil engineering project, working on everything from devising initial costs to delivering on final figures. Delivering value for money on major projects is the core goal for a quantity surveyor, and you’ll need to monitor regulations to ensure projects are delivered to the required standards.
In your job as a quantity surveyor on a construction project or building site, a quantity surveyor will generally be responsible for:
- Scoping and analysing costs for construction tenders
- Evaluating tenders and advising on the tendering process
- Carrying out cost analysis for the various aspects of the projects and agreeing them with clients, contractors and architects
- Performing risk assessment and cost control on the various aspects of the construction project
- Compiling detailed progress reports and ensuring that the work is done to specification and in compliance with regulations
- Be able to communicate clearly and with authority to contractors and subcontractors
Responsibilities
A career as a quantity surveyor means you will have a fundamental role within the scope of the overall construction or civil engineering project, dealing with personnel working across multiple disciplines.
On a construction project a quantity surveyor would be expected to be in regular contact with those in the following roles:
- Site Manager
- Architect
- Estimator
- CAD Technician
- Structural Engineer
- Building Services Engineer
- Foreperson
- Purchaser
- Health & Safety Officer
- Documents Controller
- Contracts Manager
In addition to the above positions, in a career as a quantity surveyor, you will need to be comfortable dealing with people in any position on the project, from junior roles to management positions.
Professional qualifications
If you’re starting your career as a quantity surveyor, become fully certified and qualified with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. They’ll be able to assist you with certifications, training, CPD and building a great professional network.
How your career can develop
Once you’re a chartered surveyor you can develop your career as a quantity surveyor in a variety of different fields, such as:
- Structural or civil engineering
- Construction and reconstruction projects
- Construction economics
- Urban planning
- Facilities management and building management
- Risk assessment
There are many more career opportunities available for quantity surveyors, and it is advised to continue to upskill and build your professional network in order to expand your career opportunities.