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A field journal for UK quantity surveyors

Building your path to success in quantity surveying.

Honest, well-researched writing on careers, contracts and craft — for the surveyors construction left to figure things out alone.

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A construction contractor reviewing a status determination statement and contract terms on site

Inside vs Outside IR35: A Construction Worker's Practical Guide

Inside or outside IR35 changes how much of your day rate you actually keep. Here's how control, substitution, mutuality of obligation and financial risk are weighed in construction contracts, plus a worked take-home pay comparison.

Date8 Aug 2026CategoryCareer Development
A quantity surveyor completing company registration paperwork on a laptop at a desk.

Setting Up a Ltd Company as a QS: Step-by-Step Guide

Thinking about contracting as a limited company quantity surveyor? This step-by-step guide covers Companies House registration, business banking, accountants, IR35 and the ongoing admin you need to budget for.

Date8 Aug 2026CategoryCareer Development
Project team reviewing risk documentation during a construction site meeting

How to Create a Risk Register for a Construction Project (Step-by-Step)

Knowing what a risk register is isn't the same as knowing how to build one. This step-by-step guide walks QSs and commercial managers through running the workshop, scoring risks, assigning owners and setting a review cadence that actually holds up on site.

Date7 Aug 2026CategorySkills & Practice
A construction professional reviewing contract documents on site, representing the employer's agent role in UK design and build projects

Employer's Agent vs Quantity Surveyor: What's the Difference?

Employer's Agent and quantity surveyor get used almost interchangeably on site, but one is a contractual appointment and the other is a profession. This guide untangles the two roles, shows where they overlap, and explains what it means for your career when you're asked to act as EA.

Date7 Aug 2026CategorySkills & Practice
A construction programme marked up with delay events - the starting point for any delay analysis

Delay Analysis Methods in Construction: A Practical Guide

Delay analysis decides who pays for lost time on a construction project. This guide walks QSs and commercial managers through the SCL Protocol methods, when to use each one, and how to build a claim that survives scrutiny.

Date7 Aug 2026CategoryContracts & Law
Quantity surveyor reviewing a construction payment application on site, UK commercial construction project

Application for Payment in Construction: A Complete Guide

A practical guide to applications for payment in UK construction contracts — what they are, how they fit the HGCRA payment cycle, and how to avoid the disputes that cost contractors cash flow.

Date7 Aug 2026CategoryContracts & Law

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