r/quantitysurveying

No doubt alot of us have been around the block. Shit project? Been there. Prick of a Commercial/Operational Manager/Director?Got t-shirt. A job that burnt you out? Tell me about it. 60/90 min commute? What's new. Absolute useless PM? I could cry.

Here are some situations ive been in:

1. Average pay - whilst everyone else earning more.

2. Shit Project Location (more than 1hr +commute).

3. Shit PM/Senior Management Tea - don't follow procedures, inept, or just ruthless cvnts.

4. Poorly run company - treats employees poorly, or, doesn't run jobs properly, or, never hires enough QSs for a job so spreads you thin.

5. Shit job (project) - working on a boring job, based on a compound that looks straight out of Beirut.

6. Inept staff - fellow team members who dont know how to put a proper ITT pack together, or write a scope of works properly.

So, if you absolutely had to say no to 3 of those in the list, what would they be and why? Any particular stories or examples would be good.

I've experienced them all. Pains me wherever I land, I end up having 1 of the above I'm not happy with (construction for you).

I'm currently in the position where I have a piss poor incompetent PM - BUT - my positives are;

1. I WFH 2 days a week;

2. I'm 35 mins from office:

3. and rest of team are lovely.

So come on, what are absolute no's for you? What will you put up with, and won't?

Hi I just finished yr13 and I’m about to enter uni to study quantity surveying. I’m just really curious as to how people found the experience. Was it more exams or coursework? Does a lot of it relate to the actual working life? Is the course enjoyable? Should I do any preparations before starting the course?

Hey all

Im a 29yo career changer looking into retraining as a QS, I previously worked in the corporate auto collision repair industry as an estimator and parts manager and wanted change due to burnout.

Been researching studying QS in NZ and it appeals to me as its very common for people to work while they study and it possible to become fairly experienced by the time you graduate. Whats also appealing is that it qualifies you for a few different roles and industries

- i am considering the degree from Massey Uni by the way

Are there any other career changers out there who successfully pivoted to the world of construction?

In 2026 with the current job market is it still worth pursuing this as a profession?

Hi all. Any advice for someone who is starting a quantity surveying degree apprenticeship.

All advice is appreciated- whether it’s ex or current apprentices or anyone with an idea lol.

Thanks.

Hi, I have posted a few times on here about not landing a job since graduating.

Does anyone know how I can get unpaid experience as I am running out of options. Ive tried cold calling, emailing places in the northwest (Im from Liverpool) for any work experience but nothing.

Ive been told on here to get a cscs card (which I got a few months ago) and work in construction to work my way up, but I’ve applied to quite a few labourer roles now and I get no replies.

Any advice would be appreciated.

How common is it to deal with/administer interest as a QS? For religious reasons, I cannot deal with or be involved in administering interest, e.g calculating interest for late payments, recommending/provisioning for interest clauses in contracts for clients etc.

How often do you guys deal with interest?

Is this the only mechanism for late payments?

Is this something I can avoid if I am to pursue a career in QSing?

I’m curious as to how you approach running early warning meetings on your contracts.

Do you literally screen share and then work through the list top to bottom, assigning actions live whilst on the call, or are you just taking notes and doing the updates after?

I’m looking for ways to become more efficient and capture the relevant info without becoming fat fingered whilst screen sharing!

I’ve had Mark Manson’s: The life changing magic of not giving a fuck sat on my shelf for about 5 years unread.

Then this week gave it a read, and found it really helpful for our profession.

so today… open email

“I’m so disappointed you didn’t pay our bullshit overvalued application in full, because my director wants improved cash flow this month for his annual bonus”

Now my normal response would be to get into some slagging match explaining why their QS was an incorrect and incompetent dickhead and their commercial director can take his pressure on his team and shove it up his ass, but rather my response was:

I applied the contract to best of my knowledge now I need to move on.

The end result was so much less stress. It was almost empowering not getting wrapped up in other parties problems and demands.

Just focus on the things I can influence, and doing the best job I can. Another's emotional overreaction to not understanding the contract is LITERALLY not your problem.

(You could also point out that by my writing of this post, it has slightly affected me, but you could also point I'm still unable to use my QSing degree to make £300k or shag Margot Robbie yet.

I recently entered the Data Centre sector with no previous experience in DC but several years on resi and commercial projects.

The senior on the job has been promoted and I've been told I will be expected to take on the day to day commercial running of the current project, contract value over £1.5 billion. It was indicated that there would be no time for training into the position so it's a case of sink or swim.

As yet, I have had very little support in getting up to speed with the commercial management processes and procedures as they pertain to the company and client expectations and have been effectively working on pricing documents and budgets for the past few months. Although, I've been told I'm performing well.

I requested a handover email from the guy who has been promoted a couple of weeks ago and he dismissed this suggestion saying ' don't worry, I'll call you the next time I'm doing X or Y and take you through it' as yet this hasn't happened in a meaningful way, other than sporadic 2 min whizzing through various processes.

Have any of you been in a similar position? Obviously I don't want to throw anyone under the bus or rock the boat, I'm still the new person in the company.

What would you consider to be a fair handover in this circumstance?

Hey everyone, wanted to come on and ask a few questions

1. So I’m a second year student based in the uk and haven’t been able to land a summer internship.

How does everyone go about getting work experience since many applications are closed now?

Is there any networking events I should attend that could land me something?

What kind of emails should I be sending to firms?

How is LinkedIn networking to land some work experience?

I don’t even mind doing some unpaid work experience since I have no experience within the construction industry yet

2. I know this may sound crazy to some but have been wanting to move out of the uk asap. I live here with my parents not moved out to uni. I was considering trying to apply for grad roles in Sydney Australia next year. I have a decent amount saved up and continue to do my retail job. I believe it’s best I try move next year as I have time and savings. Just want to know what it would be like living alone as a grad in Sydney.

How does the job market look for in a graduate?

What is a good yearly salary for an independent life? (Rent, groceries all the normal things I don’t really go out)

What is the housing market like I have heard it’s quite rough like it is in London and what’s a good enough wage to let’s say even get a one bed apartment for rent per month?

Does Sydney have good public transport like London or is it better to have a car?

Do most places require experience and what do they look for in grads?

What are the pros and cons of living in Sydney as a QS?

Hi, everyone

i'm looking at a career change and doing a one year MSc QS course with Salford. I come from a healthcare background, so never worked in construction. Would this be enough to secure a job upon completion of my MSc? From what I understand people generally reach out during the degree?

thank you :)

Has anyone taken Postgraduate advanced diploma in professional practice in contract management from College of Contact Management.

Their curriculum looks good but it’s very expensive, has someone studied it.

What are your reviews ?

i had no guidance on my dissertation and i didnt do to good on it, i was on track for a strong 2:1 before lol.

any ways its done now, my degree is rics accredited at least, and at a decent uni.

will i just face constant rejection and never be able to get a job because of this.

ive got 4 years on site doing other construction work not quantity surveying and i have a driving license and just a general consistent work rate.

just be brutally honest

Why does the UK job market seem so difficult at the moment?

Across multiple industries, I keep seeing people with degrees, experience, and strong CVs struggling to find work. There are stories of people sending hundreds of applications, being ghosted after interviews, and companies advertising roles that never seem to get filled.

From my own experience as a recent Quantity Surveying graduate, it feels like many companies want experienced candidates but are reluctant to invest in graduates or junior staff. At the same time, we constantly hear about skills shortages, which seems contradictory.

What do you think are the main reasons?

Companies cutting recruitment budgets?

Higher interest rates affecting investment?

Too many applicants for too few jobs?

Or something else?

I'd be interested to hear from people in different industries as well as those in construction. Has the job market genuinely become worse over the last couple of years, or is this something that's always happened?

Just a Question that I feel is not being answered enough by the decision makers in the UK.

Hi everyone,

I’m 26, currently living in London (originally from Belarus), and looking to completely pivot my career into Quantity Surveying.

I’ve never been to university, and honestly, I barely remember the high school curriculum. Starting this September, I’ll be taking Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths to get my GCSE equivalents sorted.

I’m incredibly confused about the entry paths and future job prospects, so I’d really appreciate some real-world advice from people in the industry:

1. Job Market & Demand: Is Quantity Surveying still highly demanded in London/UK? Will I genuinely have a solid chance of finding a stable job after graduation, even with English as my second language?

2. Access Course vs. Foundation Year: Since I don't have A-Levels, should I go for an Access to HE Diploma (Construction/Business) at a local college first, or apply directly to a university for a 4-year degree with a Foundation Year? Which path is smoother for mature students?

3. What to study this year: While I spend the next year getting my Functional Skills certificates, what subjects or skills should I actively revise or self-learn? Should I focus heavily on basic maths/Excel, or is there something else that would give me a head start?

I don't mind hard work, but I'm looking for a stable, office-based Monday-to-Friday career with less on-site chaos. Is QS the right choice, or should I be looking at other options?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

I'm making the move to the consultancy side soon as an SQS after over a decade of main contractor experience, also at SQS level.

I understand the NEC and contract / commercial management and have practiced it for years, also working alongside consultants of my clients, but I want to brush up on as much as I can before I start my next role.

Can anyone suggest helpful reading material to help me prepare for the PQS side please? I read RICS guidance notes and CECA documents etc but I wanted to reach out for some solid recommendations or suggestions that might be really good for the consultancy side that I may not be aware of.

Thanks in advance.

I have a client who negotiated a commercial deal last year that the contractor included a specific VE item within that deal.

The deal was a verbal offer and handshake at the time, later confirmed in writing (and then formally in the contract).

But now the client is stating they never agreed to this, that the contractor is being dishonest and they want a word with the contractors MD (fairly big contractor - Tier 1A or so).

How do you manage a client like this? The client is wrong and is actually holding up progress now. But even worse, the contractor now naturally doesn’t trust them, so any goodwill gestures are out the window.