Quantity surveyor
Also known as
Work environment
- Usually work regular business hours
- Usually work in offices and may travel locally
- May work in dirty, dusty or loud conditions in all weather
- Need to be accurate, methodical and organised
Salary information
Typical tasks
- Calculate costs and materials for building projects
- Manage budgets for building projects
- Keep building projects to schedule
- Study building plans
- Resolve client disputes
- Prepare reports for building projects
- Visit building sites to monitor progress
- Compare costs of buildings
Outlook
Quantity surveying is influenced by New Zealand’s need for housing, infrastructure maintenance and more resilient buildings. Construction costs, material availability and changing regulations continue to affect project planning. Digital tools such as building information modelling, cloud-based cost systems and data analytics are improving estimating and cost tracking. Sustainability and reducing construction waste are also becoming more important across the industry.
What employers and industry want in graduates
- Strong numerical skills and attention to detail
- Ability to estimate costs and manage budgets
- Understanding of construction materials, contracts and regulations
- Confidence using cost-estimating and digital modelling tools
- Clear communication and negotiation with project stakeholders
- Practical problem-solving when costs or plans change
AUT programmes
The above is a suggestion only and a starting point. You may need to meet other criteria or take additional steps to work in this career.
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This data is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahtu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Some of the information has been modified by AUT. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this data.