Surveying

You may enjoy working in finance and surveying. Jobs in this area include building surveyor, cost consultant and quantity surveyor.

Building Surveyor

Helps look after existing buildings

Building Surveying is all about the care of existing buildings, new or old. It's best to think of Building Surveyors as doctors for buildings but a lot of their work is prevention rather than cure. Building Surveyors are involved in the maintenance, alteration, repair, refurbishment and restoration of existing buildings.

The job has creative elements, such as drawing plans to turn designs into reality.

The work involves:

Organising and carrying out structural surveys
Legal work, including negotiating with local authorities and neighbours
Preparing plans and specifications
Advising people about, for example, energy saving measures and preservation or conservation of historic buildings

Building surveyors are fascinated by buildings and are interested in how they can be restored. They know about all aspects of the building process, including legislation relating to design, the environment and planning, and are prepared to communicate with residents and on-site workers.

To become a fully qualified building surveyor you will need a relevant degree. During this you'll study general construction as well as more specialised subjects such as valuations, project management, engineering, law and economics.

Cost Consultant/Quantity Surveyor

Ensures that projects are profitable.

Also known as quantity surveyors and commercial managers, the role of a cost consultant is to keep a close eye on the various costs of a project, including materials, time taken and workers' salaries.

They make sure that a construction project is as profitable and efficient as possible. They usually work for either the contractor (ie the company doing the building work), or the consultant or private quantity surveyor (ie the firm employed to advise the client).

Their work involves:

Advising on the potential of a site and working out what a client can afford to build
Presenting detailed information on the costs of labour, plant and materials
Organising the giving of work to smaller, more specialised construction companies (known as subcontractors) according to who offers the best deal
Dealing with legal matters
Managing costs to ensure that the initial budget isn't exceeded
Arranging staff payments and, at the end of a job, settling the final accounts
Acting as financial advisers and monitoring progress for the client
Advising the client on the cost maintenance

Cost consultants are the financial whiz-kids of the construction industry! They are highly numerate and enjoy dealing with enormous amounts of money. They also know a great deal about building legislation, building materials, design and construction. They are highly organised and great negotiators.

To be a chartered consultant you will need A levels or Higher in subjects such as maths, economics or physics, followed by a degree.

The degree should be approved by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or a similar organisation. Some courses include a year out in industry. You can also do a degree in a relevant subject such as geography or economics followed by a postgraduate conversion course