What does a quantity surveyor do?
A quantity surveyor (QS) is the cost and contracts specialist on a construction project. From the moment a project is being scoped, the QS forecasts what it will cost to build, advises the client on procurement strategy, prepares the tender documents, evaluates contractor bids, manages payments and variations during construction, and agrees the final account at completion. In short: the QS makes sure the right work is bought at the right price, on the right contract terms, and that money flows correctly throughout the build.
Quantity surveyors work on every type of project, from residential and commercial buildings to infrastructure, energy and rail. Most work either client-side (also called PQS, professional quantity surveyor – advising the developer or end client) or contractor-side (working inside a main contractor or subcontractor managing the commercial position on live sites).
For a deeper walk-through of the day-to-day work and how to break in, see how to become a quantity surveyor.
How do you become a quantity surveyor in the UK?
There are three established routes into quantity surveying careers in the UK, and all of them ultimately lead to the same destination: chartered status (MRICS) with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
- RICS-accredited degree, then APC. Complete a BSc or MSc in Quantity Surveying accredited by RICS, take a graduate QS role, then complete the Assessment of Professional Competence to become MRICS. Our online QS degree pathway sets out how to study the degree remotely.
- Degree apprenticeship. Earn while you learn with an employer who sponsors a RICS-accredited degree alongside paid work. Typically five to six years, ending with the APC.
- Without a degree (experience route). Move in as an assistant QS, gain experience and complete a recognised qualification, then progress through senior assistant to chartered status. See quantity surveying without a degree for the full pathway.
Career changers moving from another construction trade or from outside the industry should read quantity surveying career change for the practical steps to switch over.
What is the RICS APC?
The RICS APC (Assessment of Professional Competence) is the structured period of supervised work that turns a graduate or experienced surveyor into a chartered member of RICS – the title MRICS. It is the qualification that most UK employers, public-sector clients and international firms expect a quantity surveyor to hold to be considered fully qualified.
The APC normally takes around 24 months of structured work-based learning. You log experience against a set of mandatory and technical competencies, then sit a final assessment that includes a written submission, an ethics module and a panel interview. For the route, timeline and competencies, see the RICS APC pathway.
What is the average quantity surveyor salary in the UK?
UK quantity surveyor salaries scale with experience and chartered status. Trainee and assistant QSs typically start in the region of £24,000 to £30,000. Mid-level QSs (intermediate, two to four years in) move into the £35,000 to £50,000 band. Chartered surveyors (MRICS) and senior QSs in London or on major infrastructure programmes commonly earn £60,000 to £80,000+, with associate and commercial-manager roles paying more again.
Pay varies sharply by sector (infrastructure, rail and energy tend to pay above commercial fit-out), by region (London and the South East lead) and by chartered status. For a more detailed breakdown by level and sector, see quantity surveyor salary in the UK.
Is quantity surveying a good career?
Quantity surveying is consistently flagged as a stable, in-demand profession in the UK. RICS workload surveys have shown persistent demand for QS skills across infrastructure, housing and commercial sectors, and the qualification is internationally portable – chartered status is recognised across the Commonwealth, the Middle East and parts of Asia.
The trade-offs to weigh: the role is commercial and contract-heavy, deadlines around tender returns and monthly valuations are real, and chartership takes years rather than months. For a balanced view of the job market, salaries and employer expectations, our sibling career guide how to become a quantity surveyor in the UK covers the wider picture.