Any Quantity Surveyers around?
 

Saw a job advertised for a Trainee (Day release) QS. Now I know that they are responsible for going to a site. And estimating how many Bricks, Tiles, Glass panes etc etc for a build. But thats about it.

So could any of you give your feelings about the profession.

How many years training? Does it have a level system depending on experience?
Mainly outside job?
Overall Good/ Bad job?
Pros and Cons?


Thanks for reading. :)

What company was advertising? It's unusual to see anything trainee day release TBH.

It's a great job and can take you as far as you want to go. I went to Newcastle University did my QS degree and have never looked back. Dubai, States, cayman Islands, Bermuda amongst others.

Just a local company. Not a major one.

Take the opportunity with both hands, I paid well over 20K for my degree including expenses.

I'm doing a QS degree part time (and as & when i can be bothered!).

TBH, it doesn't really fit much into my job, though I've learned loads from it that does apply to my work. (I work for a smallish contractor).

To reduce it to the simplest level really, the QS business is a bit of a game... the client's QS tries to screw the contractor, while the contractor's QS is trying to screw the client. :D

QS'ing is more of an office based job; some contractors will have a teams of QS's based on site (on bigger jobs), though I'd not say it's mainly an outside job.

Good job / bad job? I'd say good job. Some companys are prepared to pay pretty silly money, especially around London. I enjoy what I do, though working for a smallish company, I'm not a dedicated QS, I do bits of alsort - mainly project management at the moment.

HTH.

John.

ps - feel free to post / Pm if you have any other questions.

But the QS also has to simultaneously attempt to screw all the subcontractors. The most common tactic is withholding payment. One QS for a 'reputable' construction company I spoke to claimed to have netted his firm £300,000 in interest during one year simply by not paying subcontractors on time. Sh*t, it would seem, does indeed roll downhill.

agree with most of what john_s says, but i'm not a qs. estate management degree (3 yrs) followed by probationary period with the RICS, now MRICS.

a qs will spend the majority of their time at a desk in my experience so not really an outside job. having said that, it really depends who you work for - a small cog in a big machine or a big cog in a small machine... i work with a number of qs's who either certify out draw-downs from the bank, provide build cost info or act as employers agent. their roles are quite varied so not every qs is a bean-counter. in fact most qs trained people i know tend to be working for themselves either as a contractor or a developer

Thanks for all the replies. :)