What is a Building Surveyor?
A building surveyor is going to be the go-to-guy for any kind of construction or property building ideas, concerns, or questions. The building surveyor usually can be found around new construction being done, but their main focus and specialty is with caring for the project after the original construction has been completed. The surveyor needs to be well-versed in a number of important areas of general construction including repair, restoration, sustainability, design, and maintenance.
As becomes evident by looking at the aforementioned list of items, the building contractor has to have a wide array of knowledge not only about the actual building but also about the surrounding plot of land, the materials that form the structure of the building, and how to best utilize the building. The work itself is usually done on site, whereas other surveying jobs take place behind a desk or on the telephone. For this reason, a building surveyor has to be physically fit and able to work adequately with his hands. An education in science, geography, architecture, or engineering will all adequately prepare you for a career in building surveying.
Building Surveyor Salary
Salary Range A building surveyor can usually expect to get paid in the area of $50,000 to $60,000 while they are getting their feet wet in the world of surveying. After that, however, their salaries can usually reach all the way up to $100,000 after they hit the 20-year mark in their careers. The positions are usually salaried, although private surveyors who have their own practice will get paid by the site hiring him to provide his expertise. Many employers offer their surveyors health benefits, a pension plan, and a company vehicle. Building surveying consists of the typical nine-to-five workday with very few surveyors actually working on weekends.
Employment Opportunities
Many building surveyors decide to start up their own surveying business and then hire one or two people to oversee the administrative duties that are necessary for this type of occupation. By going into private practice, you set the hours that you want to work, but the first few years might be difficult financially because you have to actually recruit jobs for yourself until your name becomes synonymous with building surveying. You can also work for a surveying company, as you would go to individual sites and survey as a representative. This is the most common way that the building surveyor finds work. One last possibility for finding work is going to be partnering with an already established surveyor and setting up your own business that way. Since building surveying jobs are not necessarily the most prevalent in terms of companies and people who need them, however, it might be difficult to find someone willing to take a chance and partner with you long-term.
Who Needs A Building Surveyor
The real estate market is going to be the building surveyor's biggest and most important client. From residential properties to commercial units to the agricultural needs of farmers everywhere, a building surveyor needs to establish a good relationship with their local real estate agencies in order to ensure that they are being included in the job search process. The health of the general economy is also going to be an important factor in the amount of work that a building surveyor is able to recognize throughout their career. A slumping economy is going to lead to less new construction being demanded by various entities. Without the demand for new houses and buildings, the surveyor struggles to find regular, dependent work on a consistent basis.
Where To Find Work
The first place to start is the International Surveying Jobs Board, which you can access through the Jobs page on Land Surveyors United. Another good place to start is to find a local company that specializes in surveying to see if they are hiring any specialists in your field. If that is unsuccessful, government surveying jobs are also an option. Both the federal and local governments are usually looking for good surveyors to hire, so this might also be an option. As stated earlier, you also might want to start your own private firm, as this allows you to seek out your own work and develop long-lasting business relationships that you might not otherwise be able to do if you worked for a company or the government. Be sure to check with local real estate brokers, as a potential source for exclusive surveying contracts.
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