| ste_north_stand Posted on 19/9 15:04 | |
| Quantity Surveying advice | |
I'm thinking about a "career change" and something someone was saying the other day got me thinking about doing this. I have no experience of it or anything though and i'm 25. Is there any chance of getting into it at such an "old" age?! | |
| TheSmogMonster Posted on 19/9 15:16 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
I went into it at 25 after working as a researcher for a couple of years, I think the only big downside is that you're on a lower pay then people the same age when you start, it soon evens out though if you go for it. Its not for everyone though. | |
| ste_north_stand Posted on 19/9 15:17 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
The money i can deal with for a while, i'm hardly pulling in fortunes as it is. Any ideas how to go about getting into it? | |
| its_tuncay_time Posted on 19/9 15:18 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
I'm sure the University of Teesside might accomadate. Night time courses maybe. | |
| Mattyk50 Posted on 19/9 15:19 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
theres quite often companies advertising in the gazette for trainee QS's... so i'd imagine there may be a shortage --- Post edited by Mattyk50 on 19/9 15:19 --- | |
| TheSmogMonster Posted on 19/9 15:24 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
The first thing would be to have a look round the web for trainee/Junior (maybe assistant QSing jobs) and see if they'll pay for you to do uni on day release. First jobs the hardest to get as you can imagine. I've used: justconstruction.co.uk jobsinsurveying.co.uk reed.co.uk totaljobs.co.uk When you put your CV up on those sites and apply for a couple of jobs, you'll get a few phone calls from agencies depending on where you are based. Theres plenty of demand though so something'll turn up. One thing I will say is decide what you want to go into first, i.e building, civil engineering or services before you get started, I made that mistake and although its not impossible to switch, it's not easy. | |
| littlejimski Posted on 19/9 15:25 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
There are some companies who give you day-release to do the degree at Newcastle or Leeds. Dunno if they do it at Teesside these days. | |
| TheSmogMonster Posted on 19/9 15:27 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
I don't think Teesside does the course anymore. I was wanting to move back to Middlesbrough, but have to stay here a while longer to finish my degree  To be honest commuting up to Newcastle wouldn't upset me that much one day a week. | |
| Smogidunk Posted on 19/9 16:09 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
I am a chartered qs- also you want to think if you want to be a contractor qs or a private QS- i have done both. You get paid more as a contractor QS but hours can be long and pretty stressful. As a PQS the hours tend to be basic and the salary less but its far less stressful. You need to get in as atrainee first and do day release but really you will be about 5 years behind most and can take 10 years to become chartered!! Think wisely!! | |
| boksic Posted on 19/9 16:17 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
If any of you guys ever need any practice there are a few quantities round at ours that I could do with having surveyed. What do you guys do in the summer when it's quiet? Do you tour the holiday resorts putting on quantity surveying shows for the kids or do you leave that to those travelling groups of loss adjusters? By the way, if there are any loss adjusters reading this, I have got quite a few losses that need adjusting if you have got a bit of time to kill. I would like to observe while you do it in order to see how much skill is invloved as I would like to take up loss adjusting as a hobby for the weekends when the Boro are playing away. | |
| Smogidunk Posted on 19/9 16:18 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
is it Quan titys?? | |
| boroboy75 Posted on 19/9 16:22 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Being portly and pompous may be an advantage. | |
| boksic Posted on 19/9 16:26 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Unfortunately I am neither. | |
| ste_north_stand Posted on 19/9 16:44 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Cheers for the advice, especially BB75! | |
| littlejimski Posted on 19/9 18:27 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
BB75 is correct. One must be extremely pompous when dealing with airy-fairy Architects or hare-brained Project Managers. It is part of the degree, carrying 45 merit points. I got 43. I also excelled at the Salad Dodging and Buffet Slaying modules. | |
| PinkPonce Posted on 19/9 18:48 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Ste... forget about the contracting or private QS part until you have experience.. I've been a QS since leaving school (9 years)... Started of as a trainee. Money was awful.. then became assistant, money wasn't great... but after 3 or 4 years as assistant qs i was earning a reasonable salary. not great but reasonable. I now work at Terminal 5 at heathrow.. you have to be prepared to work away. There is nothing worse for me than the idea of being involved in small local contracts... If you are prepared to work around teh country is good. endless oppourtunities also. As an MandE QS working here i have jobs being thrown at me now all over the country and the world... Contracting is probably my next step as 400-600 pound a day sounds great. Northumbria Uni do a Qs course i think... but on day release you are talking 3 or 4 years minimum to get anywhere.. and you don;t have to portly or pompous either... I am neither haha. But you've gotta have an arrogant streek to get anywhere. good point from smog monster.. I've worked mainly in building servies... but also did some civils on railways... Not hard to switch trades as a metre of pipe is the same as a metre of concrete - but you've just gotta know what you want to measure.. I'd recommend it as a career though. --- Post edited by PinkPonce on 19/9 18:49 --- | |
| PinkPonce Posted on 19/9 18:55 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Also - don't listen to smogidunk... Hours aren't basic as a PQS at all.. I'm still at work and was here at half seven this morning! --- Post edited by PinkPonce on 19/9 18:55 --- | |
| littlejimski Posted on 19/9 19:03 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Being serious now - it does have attractions, such as decent money on the freelance side and opportunities for world travel. I've been to the USA, the Far East and the Middle East through my job. The downside is that it can be a bit boring, especially if you are a creative person. There isn't much scope for using your imagination in the job in my experience. Poncey - you're obviously on here too much if you need to be at work for 12 hours!  Where are these 400/600 quid a day jobs at then? I can live with boredom for that money. --- Post edited by littlejimski on 19/9 19:05 --- | |
| ThornabyBoro Posted on 19/9 21:20 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
less stressful as a PQS?? i reckon that's pretty subjective - having worked both sides od the stall myself. try telling a client that the building you told him he could get for 500k will following the arrival of the tenders cost him at least 800k. or you forgot to include some element of the take off because the fooking architects drawings weren't clear and therefore he needs to budget another 100k. i did a QS degree then got chartered then a law degree. unless you find a niche such as dispute resolution/claims or the like then it's difficult to find a QS job that adequately rewards the potential stress of the job. i was lucky and worked for a consultancy that had construction and IT clients - i then left and work for an IT contractor direct doing generally a post contract QS role/contract manager. i earn significantly more in the IT sector with the same skills i used in the construction sector - so i'll always be grateful that the good old QS route helped me get to a place i never even envisaged or knew about when i set off on my journey. | |
| danholh Posted on 19/9 22:00 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
We are looking for QS at all levels. Based Darlo, office based positions, mundaneish (sp) work. Training possibility for the right candidates. Also looking for Highways and Structures Engineers. Ideally permanent positions but will consider contract candidates. Get your cvs ready and do a fao of me | |
| d_robinson1970 Posted on 19/9 22:35 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
i'm a PQS and the hours are basic ignore pink ponce, it actually stands for professional quantity surveyor- more of a middle man between the client and the building contractor. i work a standard mon-fri 37.5hours with overtime if i want it, i don't want it and have never done an hours over time in my life. | |
| PinkPonce Posted on 20/9 9:08 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
D_Robinson... I do 50 hours a week here and I leave early on a friday to fly home... I'm a PQS... YES you can do a basic 37.5 hour week if you want, HOWEVER the likely hood is that you won't work a basic week. I work more hours down here and it has paid dividends.. Jimski - W have spoke to someone regarding QS services on windfarms. Money is supposed to be very good... It sounds pretty mundane though... But after T5 i suppose everything will seem like that! As for the creative side jim - My excel spreadsheets have all sorts of pretty colours on them.. they are rather creative! LOL | |
| heaton_mersey_boro Posted on 20/9 9:21 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
If you have a complete lack of - construction technology knowledge, ability to read drawings, do take offs and thus prepare accurate pre-tender estimates, and are willing and very able to be a two faced backstabbing c_nt and have the ability to become as slippy as an eel coated in vaseline when backed into a corner...... Then it could be the job for you! PQS obviously........ | |
| Smogidunk Posted on 20/9 9:28 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
Well i was regularly doing 90 hours aweek as a contracts QS so i could achieve my bonus- got £330 at christmas and the job made huge profits- i now work 38 hours a week as a PQS and get my overtime- its far less stressful as a PQS and if you get overtime you can make a fortune every month. | |
| Big_Bogs Posted on 20/9 9:48 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
25 is definitly not too old, I know a few blokes who started much later. Get yourself a degree (full-time or part-time) the rates of pay will be low to start with put you will soon make this up esp. if you a prepared to travel. The oppertunities to go abroad and work are untold. Do it. | |
| rocky10 Posted on 20/9 13:05 | |
| re: Quantity Surveying advice | |
pre requisite - THICK SKIN Be prepared to be the most hated man on the site; bar the clerk of works/CQA Engineer | |
