Quantity surveying, good or bad?

The-Lennon

if you want to be a property developer, dont do quantity surveying. It doesnt pay that well, and you need cash to start property development.

If you are still interested in surveying, the best paid surveyor are planning and development surveyors. But even these guys are just working for a property company, they don't do much property development themselves. But you could meet people interested in setting up a development company... and go from there.

what you really need is money and contacts, and it may take years to build genuine credibility with banks.

I'm a Quantity Surveyor. I work in the US and gross around $150k a year so the money can actually be quite good. However, I am unique; most QS's get stuck on $35k a year working their nuts off in a pressure cooker environment in the UK. You almost HAVE to get yourself overseas to earn a decent living at it. Fortunately overseas QS jobs are pretty easy to come by once you have a decent track record.

Reply 2

The-Lennon

if you want to be a property developer, dont do quantity surveying. It doesnt pay that well, and you need cash to start property development.

If you are still interested in surveying, the best paid surveyor are planning and development surveyors. But even these guys are just working for a property company, they don't do much property development themselves. But you could meet people interested in setting up a development company... and go from there.

what you really need is money and contacts, and it may take years to build genuine credibility with banks.

QS'ing is a very useful skill to have if you want to go into property developing. Obviously a detailed knowledge of construction economics is pretty handy.

But, as you rightly say, fimance is the # 1 priority in the development business. Start small and build up would be my advise. Perhaps start by buying a terraced house in need of repair; fix up and sell on. Do that two or three times, perhaps move on to buy a piece of land, plonk a house on it, and sell. Then you'll be in the position to show the banks the numbers and secure financing for bigger and bigger schemes. I think residential property is an ideal place to start; its also realistic and "doable": nobody starts out by borrowing $200 million and building a shopping center!

Reply 3

The-Lennon

to be honest tho.. unless I was making mega bucks, I wouldnt be that interested in property.

People say theyre interested in property, but what they mean is theyre interested in the money possible from property.

Property investing can be a very good way of making money. I've made somewhere between $300 & $400k in the last 3 years in residential real estate.

Reply 4

OP

Thanks for the replies. Ive been particularly looking at the commercial management and QS course at loughborough. Would a course such as this lead into the same job role as a purely QS qualification. I know QSers deal with the legalities and finance side of construction but how much of a management role do they take on?

Reply 5

l1ncs

Thanks for the replies. Ive been particularly looking at the commercial management and QS course at loughborough. Would a course such as this lead into the same job role as a purely QS qualification. I know QSers deal with the legalities and finance side of construction but how much of a management role do they take on?

A huge management role. Its a management position. You cannot deal with finances and contract law without being in a pretty senior management position; its not a job for the tea boy.

Reply 6

The-Lennon

i duno who left me negative feedback... cos u left it anonymously u coward! i gave good advice, im guessing it was someone studying quantity surveying. Too bad you made the wrong choice

It's not that bad a choice.

Reply 7

The-Lennon

not that great a choice... its just boring.

As a Chartered Surveyor (QS) myself I beg to differ. Learn a bit about it before shooting your mouth off.

Reply 8

The-Lennon

I did work experience there... so I have done it. And it IS boring. And I wouldn't recommend that the guy starts a course for it. And tbh I wouldn't be happy with just $150K, this guys young enough to decide what he wants in life and go for more than that. That's just not that enticing.

Well, in fairness you're not going to be given a position of much responsibility or authority on a couple of weeks "work-experience" placement are you? You must know all about it - what were you doing - measuring brickwork off a drawing? There's a bit more to it than that. :rolleyes:

Did you spend your work experience with a contractor or with a PQS outfit?

Reply 9

OP

I appreciate all the comments, both negative and positive ones, it all helps. out of interest The-lennon what areas of the construction/property industry would you recommend going into?

Reply 10

warranty-ideal

12

There's some of that.... less of that... and not much at all of that.

Reply 11

OP

If you wanna do Trump style work and make the deals, pay contractors to develop buildings and build new sites, then just go and work for a construction company (not a surveying company) and network as much as you can. After a few years you may have built enough rapour with colleagues to start a private firm, negotiate huge deals, and become a millionaire in the process. (But its not as easy as you think) However, if you do make it, you will make it BIG. Not on some crappy salary, you'll be raking in millions. Go to Eastern Europe, thats where the new money is.

I was uner the impression that most construction companies employ their own surveyors? Would construction managment be similar to QSing? The CMQS course i have looked at, all the sponsors appear to be construction compaies.
To be honest im not really bothered about making shed loads of cash, although it would be nice. I would rather have a job i enjoy that pays alright money.

Reply 12

l1ncs

I was uner the impression that most construction companies employ their own surveyors? Would construction managment be similar to QSing? The CMQS course i have looked at, all the sponsors appear to be construction compaies.

They do. They are called CQS's (Contractor's QS's) rather than PQS's (Professional QS's) who work in private QS or multi-disciplinary practices.

Quantity surveing is a construction management function. A CQS will work as a part of a construction management team taking the lead in a project's commercial and contractual matters.

Reply 13

OP

They do. They are called CQS's (Contractor's QS's) rather than PQS's (Professional QS's) who work in private QS or multi-disciplinary practices.

Quantity surveing is a construction management function. A CQS will work as a part of a construction management team taking the lead in a project's commercial and contractual matters.

Is a commercial manager basically a quantity surveyor in that case?

Reply 14