General practice surveyor
General practice surveyors are involved in the management, valuation, buying, selling and development of land and property.
- Starter salary£28,000 a year
- Experienced£60,000 a year
- Typical hours38 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a general practice surveyor, you could:
- survey buildings or map land use
- value assets like land, property and machinery
- advise clients on the buying, leasing and selling of land and property
- assess the environmental impact and economic viability of new developments
- organise and run auction sales
- work on cost planning with other construction professionals
- make sure building projects meet legal requirements
Working environment
You could work in an office or on a construction site.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and you'll travel often.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- maths knowledge
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of geography
- analytical thinking skills
- customer service skills
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- the ability to work well with others
- legal knowledge including court procedures and building regulations
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a general practice surveyor
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- a graduate training scheme
University
You'll usually need a degree or professional qualification approved by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to become a general practice surveyor.
Relevant degrees include:
- real estate management
- property development and valuation
- building surveying
- quantity surveying and commercial management
If your degree is in a different subject like economics, law or maths, you could take an accredited postgraduate qualification in surveying.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Chartered Surveyor Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship with a company.
This can take around 5 years to complete and combines on-the-job training and time spent with a learning provider.
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
Work
If you have a foundation degree or higher national diploma in surveying or construction, you may be able to work as a surveying technician . With the support of your company, you could take further training on the job to qualify as a surveyor.
Other routes
You could get a postgraduate qualification through a graduate trainee scheme with a company, or through distance learning with the University of the Built Environment .
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into management, or specialise in an area like land and property sales, or the valuation and auctioning of fine arts and antiques.
Registration
- you can register with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to become a chartered surveyor through the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) scheme
Guides for this industry
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