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.
Ready to move from QS to commercial manager? This guide covers exactly what changes in the role, the skills gap you need to close, how much experience you need, and how to position yourself for the jump.
Quantity surveyor or building surveyor? This guide compares both RICS careers side by side — what each role actually does, how they qualify, what they earn, and how to decide between them.
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.
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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.
03 / 06
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.