A field journal for UK quantity surveyors
Honest, well-researched writing on careers, contracts and craft — for the surveyors construction left to figure things out alone.
New to the term or weighing up your next move? Here's exactly what a commercial manager does in UK construction, from budgets and contracts to team leadership, plus the skills and salary you need to know.
Agreeing a subcontractor final account means reconciling the original subcontract sum against every variation, claim, contra charge and retention item until both parties sign off a single figure. Here's the process, the documents you need, and where these negotiations usually go wrong.
Most QSs can build a CVR in their sleep but freeze when asked to read a profit and loss account. This guide breaks down what a contract P&L contains, how it connects to the CVR, a worked example, and why the skill matters for commercial management.
IR35 status shapes how much a freelance QS actually takes home from a contract. Here is how the off-payroll working rules apply in construction, who decides your status, and what changes from April 2026.
Construction risk assessment isn't just a site safety form - it's a commercial discipline that protects programme, budget and reputation. Here's how UK QS and commercial teams identify, score and manage risk properly.
A risk register is the working document that turns construction risk from a vague worry into something you can score, own and act on. Here's how to build and run one, with a worked example and a free template.
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Enter your day rate and contract structure to see exactly what lands in your bank account after tax — comparing Ltd Company, Umbrella and Inside IR35 side by side using the latest 2026/27 HMRC rates.
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Promotions, pay rises, transitions, and the long arc of a surveying career. Honest writing on what the job pays, where it leads, and how to get more from it.
02 / 06
The working knowledge of quantity surveying, from fundamentals to specifics. Cost planning, measurement, valuation, variations, CVRs, final accounts — the practical craft that fills a working week.
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CostX, Bluebeam, Causeway, BIM, Excel for QS, and the AI tools changing the workflow. Honest reviews and practical workflows, not vendor talking points.
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Market reports, sector analysis, and interviews with senior surveyors. What the construction pipeline, regulation, and economy actually mean for the people doing the measuring.
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For graduates, apprentices, and career-switchers. The universities, degree apprenticeships, and entry routes that actually lead to working QS roles — and what to expect in your first year.
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JCT, NEC4, FIDIC, and the clauses that show up on real projects. Plain-English guides for surveyors who need to understand a contract by Monday morning, not pass an exam.