Career guide on how to become a quantity surveyor right from education, certification to job related information.

Who is a Quantity Surveyor?

A Quantity Surveyor is a construction professional with knowledge in construction costs and contracts. The main role of a Quantity Surveyor is to figure out how much a construction project is going to cost.

The journey of becoming a quantity surveyor begins and ends with.

• Completing your education
• Getting certification
• Get experience and be hired

Field of study

You need to have graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Quantity Surveying or Building construction.

The expected job Job Salary is Average of 122,544 KES per month

Responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors

They include;

• Monitoring sub-contractors at various stages of construction work
• Preparing Bill Of Quantities for different construction projects
• Estimating and calculating the costs required to complete a certain construction project
• Writing regular reports on costs and preparation of project accounts
• Negotiating contacts and work schedules with different service providers among other duties.

Steps of becoming a Quantity Surveyor

1. Education: To pursue a career as a quantity surveyor, you will require to have passed in Mathematics, English and Physics with an average of C+ and above in KCSE so as to land a direct admission to the university. You will pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying which takes four years.
2. Training and Certification: Once you are done with your undergraduate degree, you are expected to take an exam offered by the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS where you will get a certificate. Some countries do have this professional body and others do not have.
3. Jobs: Quantity Surveyors can find employment opportunities in Quantity surveying firms, building and construction firms, architectural firms, Government ministries and agencies, project management firms, engineering firms, evaluation and costing firms, Private sector or opt to start their own quantity surveying business among others.

There are a number of institutions that offer quantity surveying related courses. What differs are the admission requirements and course units.