Project Management, Building Surveying or Quantity Surveying?

Hi all,

I have a Project management degree (built env) and am not sure whether to focus on project management, building surveying or quantity surveying as a career?

I am tempted by PM but not sure if it's wise to specialise so early (is it better paid than QS?) BS appeals but I know moneys not good, as for QS, it pays more I know, but I have no desire for int'l travel or multinational projects. ? I am aware that I could chose either BS or QS then go into PM but can't decide which to chose.

In the future I'd like to get into property development and refurbish and/or speculatively develop property myself so which would best equip me for this PM, BS or QS?

I could do with your suggestions - what would you choose and why?

Thanks

I know this is a fairly old thread but I thought I'd bump it because I have very similar questions.

I'm thinking about doing a foundation degree in Building Surveying for 2 years before hopefully studying for a BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying at Brighton Uni. I think building surveying covers a good range of subjects and would probably be more useful for property development.

Is there a great difference salary wise between project managers, building surveyors and quantity surveyors? To be honest I'm not too bothered about salary, as long as I enjoy what I'm doing then that's all that matters. I plan to become a building surveyor and do property development in my spare time.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has studied any of the above or has any advice for us...

PM is more for new and property developments, in the planning, design and delivering stage. The detail stuff, the mechanics I guess you can say will belong to the QS side. QS - you can think of it as three parts, 1 part accounting, 1 part law, and 1 part BS. Where as BS is more the specialist side. They all work along side each other, and cannot function without the other. As a building surveyor, I am expected to review drawings, point out what doesn't fit right, does it follow building regs, making sure each stage of the build is done properly, from laying foundations to building the roof. - Can get very technical, and experience is vital in becoming a better building surveyor, which means dealing with all builds, new and old.

I want to become a PM one day, I thought I needed to get technical first, which will help in property development. A lot of PM where I work, are not very technical, nor fully understand the accounting/ law side from QS, but they do have an idea - hence - you will have principle/ lead PM, senior PM, assistant PM, and a whole bunch of graduate trainees.

I believe the straight to PM route is tough, so much competition, a lot of applicants with no experience in the field, but if you do manage to get yourself I.e. a graduate programme, then you have an head start. Otherwise, you can start slowly through working as a building surveyor, and work up to become a PM one day. - thats if you want to become a PM. All the senior BS i know, love their jobs, and dont want to get into the politics and the accounting side of new development.

Hope this help.

good luck.