Building control officer
Building control officers make sure existing buildings and new developments meet regulations, and are safe for the people who live and work in them.
Also known as: Building control surveyor, building inspector
- Starter salary£26,000 a year
- Experienced£65,000 a year
- Typical hours38 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a building control officer, you'll:
- assess construction plans and carry out site inspections
- advise building owners and the public on Building Regulations
- work closely with architects, builders and engineers
- check that projects meet design, safety, energy conservation and accessibility standards
- carry out enforcement actions where required
- survey unsafe buildings and advise on remedial work or demolition
- maintain accurate records of issues and decisions taken
Working environment
You could work in an office or on a construction site.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and at height.
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of building and construction
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- customer service skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- knowledge of public safety and security
- analytical thinking skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a building control officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You can do a higher national diploma, foundation degree or degree in a subject like:
- building studies
- civil engineering
- structural engineering
- building control surveying
- building surveying
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course, which may help when you apply for trainee jobs as an assistant in building control.
Courses include:
- construction and the built environment
- building control surveying
- T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You can apply to do a Building Control Surveyor Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
This can take around 4 years to complete and combines on-the-job training with off-site study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
Direct application
You may be able to move into building control if you have qualifications and extensive experience in a related area, such as construction management, structural or civil engineering, or surveying.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- have a full driving licence
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior building control officer and lead a dedicated team.
You might specialise in a particular area of regulation, for example:
- fire risk assessment
- sustainability
- construction design
You may find further opportunities to move into related fields, like town planning, with local authorities.
You could also work as a self-employed consultant.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join a professional body to help with your career development. These include:
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
- Chartered Institute of Building
- Chartered Association of Building Engineers
Membership of a professional body may also be a requirement laid down by employers when advertising jobs.
Registration
- You will need to register with the Building Safety Regulator to carry out building control tasks
Guides for this industry
Related roles
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- Job roleStructural engineer
- Job roleConstruction manager
- Job roleFire safety engineer
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0