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.
Confused about the difference between a quantity surveyor and an estimator? Both roles manage construction costs, but they sit at completely different stages of a project. Here's what sets them apart — and which role might suit your career.
Is a degree apprenticeship or university the best route into construction management? This guide compares salary, timescale, debt, and long-term earning potential across four proven entry pathways — and shows you exactly which one matches your goals.
Choosing between CIOB and RICS? Both are prestigious professional bodies, but they serve different career paths. Quantity Surveyors and property professionals favour RICS. Project Managers and construction managers often lean toward CIOB. Here's how to decide.
A compensation event (CE) is the NEC contract mechanism for adjusting price and time when something happens that is not the contractor's risk. Understanding how to notify, price and implement CEs correctly is one of the most commercially important skills a QS can develop.
The best NEC4 course for a quantity surveyor depends on your role: beginner, site-based QS, Senior QS, commercial manager, compensation event lead or future NEC Project Manager. This guide explains which route to choose.
Yes, MRICS is worth it for many quantity surveyors in 2026 — but not because the letters are magic. It is worth it when it improves your credibility, commercial judgement, salary ceiling and access to senior opportunities.
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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 2025/26 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.
04 / 06
Market reports, sector analysis, and interviews with senior surveyors. What the construction pipeline, regulation, and economy actually mean for the people doing the measuring.
05 / 06
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.