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.
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.
Wondering how to go from QS to commercial manager? This guide maps the full career ladder, typical salaries at each stage, the skills you need and the fastest routes to the top of the commercial function.
The JCT Design and Build Contract puts design and construction responsibility in one hand. This guide explains how it works, who carries design risk, how payment and the Employer's Agent role function, and what changed in the 2024 edition.
NEC or JCT? This guide breaks down how the two dominant UK contract suites differ in drafting style, risk allocation, payment mechanisms and dispute resolution — with a side-by-side table and practical guidance for QSs.
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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.