The role of a land or building surveyor is to provide professional property and construction advice. The job role of a surveyor includes overseeing the design and development of land or new buildings, as well as maintaining and restoring existing developments. Land and building survey work entails covering a wide range of properties and developments, which often includes surveying and advising at various stages of construction and development. Here is what to expect in each role:
Building surveyor
A building surveyor is trained to understand and interpret building laws. They have the authority to assess building plans to check if they comply with local building regulations. They will hold an accredited degree in building surveying, and be registered with a professional body. Their job role will include interacting with other professionals such as architects, engineers and builders, in order to ensure that buildings are designed and constructed within stipulated building regulations. They will analyze a construction based on building legislation law and technical codes, and diagnose any possible design issues, or problematic construction techniques and materials. A surveyor will repeatedly analyze the construction at various stages of its development, from the foundation stages through to its completion. As for pre-existing constructions, a surveyor will carry out an inspection to determine if the building still meets stipulated safety standards. If not, they can assess what work will need to be carried out to meet safety requirements, or set in motion the steps required for the building to be demolished.
Land surveyor
A land surveyor will check an area of land prior to any development work requested to be carried out upon it. They will hold a degree in surveying technology or onsite surveying, and be registered with a professional body. A land surveyor works in an office setting as well as in out in the field. When checking a land area,a land surveyor will use a variety of devices to help them scan and map the area. These devices record data via satellite and GPS to locate boundaries and record other data required for the survey. Once back in the office, this information is then transferred into a computer program which accurately maps out the area digitally in two and three dimensions. Once mapped, a land surveyor will work with architects and engineers assigned to the project to assess the next step in development.
If you decide to study to be a land or building surveyor, check which universities offer the course you require, or consider online study options. If you have concerns about study fees, a government student loan can be applied for, to help cover the cost of the course. The loan will accumulate interest only when the course of study has ended, and at a much more reasonable interest rate than a conventional loan.
If any building regulations have been breached or there is a dispute regarding survey aspects of the land or construction your account of the situation will be extremely important.
