Building site inspector
Building site inspectors check the quality and safety of construction work.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you will:
- inspect construction sites
- check that work is following building regulations
- make sure that work is following project plans
- measure and sample building materials to check their quality
- find defects and recommend ways to fix them
- monitor work progress
- write reports for construction managers and clients
Working environment
You could work in an office or on a construction site.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into site management, building surveying, civil engineering or construction management.
You could also set up your own site inspection business and work as a consultant, or move into training.
You may need to become a member of the Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate (ICWCI).
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- knowledge of building and construction
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- customer service skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- maths knowledge
- analytical thinking skills
- the ability to analyse quality or performance
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- building studies
- construction
- civil engineering
- surveying
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More Information
Once you have some construction experience, you could complete a college course to help you progress to site supervisor and inspector roles.
Courses include:
- Level 3 Diploma in Construction Site Supervisory Studies
- Level 4 Diploma in Construction Site Supervision
- Level 4 Certificate or Diploma in Construction Site Management
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
- 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course
More Information
Apprenticeships relevant to this role include:
- construction site supervisor higher apprenticeship
- construction site engineering technician higher apprenticeship
- construction site management degree apprenticeship
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
You could work as a site tradesperson, building technician or surveying assistant and move up to become a site inspector through on-the-job training.
You could apply directly to work as a building site inspector. To do this, you'll need several years' construction experience. Qualifications in health and safety will also be useful.
Registration
- you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate. They offer professional development and technical advice to people working in the building industry.
Further information
You'll find more advice on how to become a building site inspector from Go Construct.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.