Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Building Surveyor

🎯 Role Definition

A Building Surveyor provides specialist technical advice, inspection and project oversight across residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This role delivers condition surveys, defect diagnosis, specification and procurement of remedial works, dilapidations and party wall services, compliance and risk management, and ongoing asset and maintenance planning. The Building Surveyor will work closely with clients, contractors, engineers and local authorities to protect asset value, ensure regulatory compliance and manage repair and refurbishment projects from investigation through to handover.

Keywords: Building Surveyor, condition survey, measured survey, RICS, dilapidations, party wall, building regulations, BIM, project management, defect diagnosis

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Graduate Building Surveyor / Trainee Surveyor (RICS APC candidate)
HNC/HND or BSc in Building Surveying, Architecture or Construction
Architectural Technician or Site Technician transferring into surveying

Advancement To:

Senior Building Surveyor
Associate / Principal Surveyor
Head of Building Surveying / Director of Property Services
Technical Director / Partner (in consultancy practices)

Lateral Moves:

Project Manager (construction / refurbishment)
Facilities Manager / Asset Manager
Quantity Surveyor / Commercial Manager
Compliance Manager / Health & Safety Advisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct detailed measured building surveys and condition surveys across residential, commercial and industrial assets, producing accurate drawings, photographic records and annotated plans to RICS and client standards.
Carry out defect diagnosis and root-cause analysis for issues such as damp, structural movement, roof failure, façade deterioration and M&E interface problems; recommend pragmatic remedial strategies.
Prepare RICS-compliant condition reports, schedules of dilapidations, pre-acquisition surveys and Schedules of Condition to support lease negotiations, acquisitions and sales.
Deliver Party Wall Act surveying services: serve notices, prepare Awards, negotiate with adjoining owners and manage party wall disputes where necessary.
Produce detailed specifications, repair schedules and bill of quantities for remedial and refurbishment works and prepare tender documentation for contractor procurement.
Project manage repair, maintenance and refurbishment works on behalf of clients: develop programmes, monitor budgets, administer contracts (JCT/NHS/NEC), and supervise on-site quality and safety.
Undertake regular site inspections and supervision during construction and defects liability periods; prepare snagging lists and verify completion and handover.
Coordinate and interpret specialist investigations (structural engineering, geotechnical, asbestos, timber surveys, invasive testing) and integrate findings into final recommendations and costed programmes.
Prepare feasibility studies, technical reports and cost estimates (including reinstatement cost assessments) to support business cases and insurance claims.
Use CAD, Revit/BIM and measured survey tools (laser scanners, total stations, drones) to produce deliverables and maintain building information models that support refurbishment and asset management.
Ensure all work and advice complies with Building Regulations, planning conditions, CDM regulations, fire safety and current health & safety legislation.
Provide advice on planned preventive maintenance, life-cycle costing and long-term asset management strategies to reduce risk and total cost of ownership.
Lead dilapidations negotiations and settlements, produce terminal schedules and advise landlords/tenants on liability, scope and settlement strategies.
Support procurement and contractor selection processes, evaluate tenders, support value engineering and recommend contractors based on competency and compliance.
Produce high-quality technical reports and client-facing documentation that explain defects, recommended works, timescales and cost implications in plain English.
Act as the client’s technical representative during installations, statutory inspections and compliance audits to ensure contractor performance and regulatory conformance.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of building materials, retrofit techniques, sustainable technologies and energy efficiency improvements; advise clients on decarbonisation and retrofit pathways.
Provide expert witness, dispute resolution and mediation support where required: prepare expert reports, attend mediations, tribunals and court, and liaise with legal teams.
Maintain asset registers, planned maintenance schedules and condition databases to support portfolio-level decision-making and capital planning.
Mentor junior surveyors and technicians, support APC training programmes, perform quality assurance reviews of outputs and contribute to team development.
Liaise proactively with clients, tenants, local authorities and statutory bodies to expedite approvals, inspections and remedial actions.
Monitor and manage health, safety and environmental risks on inspection and project sites, prepare RAMS and ensure contractors follow safe systems of work.
Deliver business development support: prepare proposals, attend client meetings, deliver presentations and build long-term client relationships to grow consulting work.

Secondary Functions

Support business development by preparing technical content for bids, case studies and proposals focused on building surveying services (condition surveys, party wall, dilapidations, retrofit).
Contribute to internal digital transformation by implementing and improving use of mobile survey tools, PIM/BIM workflows and survey data capture standards.
Assist with internal knowledge-sharing initiatives, creating standard templates, toolkits and training materials for repeatable survey tasks.
Help maintain accreditation and quality systems (RICS compliance, ISO processes) and support internal audits.
Participate in cross-disciplinary project meetings to align building survey outputs with architecture, structural and M&E design teams.
Provide ad-hoc technical advice to sales, facilities and asset teams to inform leasing, insurance and maintenance decisions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Building surveying expertise: condition surveys, forensic investigation, defect diagnosis and repair specification
RICS guidance and standards (RICS HomeBuyer/RICS Condition Reports, Dilapidations, Party Wall procedures)
Measured building survey techniques including laser scanning, total station, photogrammetry and drone surveys
CAD and BIM skills: AutoCAD, Revit and the ability to produce and manage BIM Level 2 deliverables
Specification writing and preparing bills of quantities / tender documentation
Contract administration experience with JCT / NEC or equivalent forms of contract
Knowledge of Building Regulations, fire safety standards, accessibility and statutory compliance
Experience coordinating specialist investigations (structural engineers, asbestos analysts, geotech)
Cost estimating and budgeting for repair, reinstatement and refurbishment projects
Project management and programme control tools (MS Project, Primavera or similar)
Familiarity with health & safety and CDM 2015 duties and preparing RAMS
Use of mobile data capture, condition survey software and asset management systems
Experience advising on sustainability measures, energy efficiency and retrofit/retrocommissioning
Preparation of expert witness reports and experience supporting dispute resolution or litigation

Soft Skills

Strong client-facing communication and stakeholder management skills
Clear technical report writing and the ability to translate complex issues into actionable recommendations
Negotiation and commercial awareness for dilapidations and contractor procurement
Analytical problem solving and practical decision-making on site
Attention to detail and rigorous quality assurance mindset
Time management and ability to prioritize multiple projects and deadlines
Leadership and mentoring for developing junior staff and APC candidates
Resilience and adaptability in changing project environments
Collaboration and teamworking across multi-disciplinary project teams
Ethical judgment and professional integrity, particularly in expert witness and compliance contexts

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree or HND/HNC in Building Surveying, Construction, Architecture or a related discipline plus relevant on-the-job experience.

Preferred Education:

RICS-accredited degree (BSc/MSc) or membership (MRICS) with completed APC/chartered status.
Postgraduate qualifications in Building Conservation, Structural Assessment, or BIM advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Building Surveying
Civil Engineering / Structural Engineering
Architecture / Architectural Technology
Construction Management / Quantity Surveying
Property Management / Real Estate

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

Junior Building Surveyor: 0–3 years relevant surveying and site experience
Building Surveyor / Mid-level: 3–7 years providing condition surveys, specification and site supervision
Senior / Principal: 7+ years with demonstrable project management, dilapidations and party wall expertise

Preferred:

Chartered status (MRICS) or active progress towards APC.
Proven experience across commercial and residential portfolios, refurbishment projects and statutory processes.
Experience in contract administration, tender evaluation, and providing professional expert witness services.