Building Surveyors Group is a support group for sharing best practices and experiences in "building surveying" with fellow surveyors across the globe.  Share photos, videos, how-tos and tutorials with us so that we may all become better building surveyors.

What is a "Building Surveyor"? 

A building surveyor is able to provide professional advice on wide range of issues regarding property and construction. Their job of primarily surveying land to establish things like boundaries and maps also extends to such things as assessing a building for health and safety issues, help in dealing with planning applications and even preparing documents for tender. A building surveyor is usually involved in the sale of a property and their report can sometimes determine whether a sale goes through or not.

Some typical activities in the role of property surveyor include planning and overseeing building work, identifying building defects and offering advice about any remedial work, undertaking property valuations and land surveys, and advising clients on a range of construction issues such as legal, financial and environmental. Surveyors will usually work alongside construction workers, local planning bodies, councils and other professionals to ensure the smooth and correct completion of projects.

The process of surveying a building was first introduced as a profession in the 1970s, although surveying techniques have been recorded throughout most of history. It has now become one of the broadest areas of the surveying practice. The demand for surveyors has increased over the years as the need for refurbishment of many urban areas and older properties gets underway. And it is one of the few careers which are relatively untouched by the credit crisis which currently affects a large proportion of the workforce.

To become a fully qualified building surveyor, over three years of course study is required, during which time the potential surveyor will learn every aspect of the building industry including all the laws surrounding construction, maintenance and the building of property. Once qualified and the proper accreditation is received, the surveyor can carry out the full list of tasks undertaken by a surveyor, including assessing building plans to make sure that they comply with building regulations.

All new buildings will have to have a building surveyor involved in the process right from the start. A property surveyor will ensure that a property under construction is being designed to comply with all of the current building regulations in place as well as maintaining construction standards. They will also be looking out for any potential issues which could arise relating to the design. The surveyor will liaise with the architects, building contractors and engineers throughout all stages of the building construction.

As well as being an important part in the process of constructing new buildings, a building surveyor plays an integral part in the process of purchasing second hand residential properties. Buying a new home is the biggest purchase decision most people will make in their lives, yet the average person does not know the first thing about a building, short of a few do it yourself jobs. Having a surveyor look over every aspect of a potential new purchase will help to highlight any safety or structural issues as well as any potential legal problems such as leasing contracts. There is no doubt that a surveyor’s role in today’s property industry is essential to the safe construction of our modern buildings.