General practice surveyor
General practice surveyors are involved in the management, valuation, buying, selling and development of land and property.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- negotiate deals for buying, selling and renting property
- act as an agent, buying and selling property and land on behalf of clients
- assess the environmental impact and economic viability of developments
- value land and property
- compile reports for valuations, mortgages, rent reviews and investment potential
- advise on property values, land purchase, tenancy issues and related legislation
Working environment
You could work in an office or on a construction site.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and you'll travel often.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Career path and progression
You could move into management, or a specialist area like auctioning land, property or plant and machinery, or the valuation and auctioning of fine arts and antiques.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- maths knowledge
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of geography
- analytical thinking skills
- customer service skills
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- 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
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- a graduate training scheme
You'll usually need a degree or professional qualification approved by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to become a general practice surveyor.
Relevant degrees include:
- real estate management
- property development and valuation
- building surveying
- quantity surveying and commercial management
If your degree is in a different subject like economics, law or maths, you could take an accredited postgraduate qualification in surveying.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
More Information
You could do a chartered surveyor 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
If you have a higher national diploma or foundation degree in surveying or construction, you may be able to work as a surveying technician with a company and take further qualifications to fully qualify.
You could get a postgraduate qualification through a graduate trainee scheme with a company, or through distance learning with the University of the Built Environment.
Registration
- you can register with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to become a chartered surveyor through the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) scheme
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a general practice surveyor from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Related videos
Suggested videos
Coffee With is in early release mode with a limited number of videos. New videos are being added every week, so please check back for updates.
External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.