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Quantity Surveyor — CV Example

A template for cost professionals who keep major projects on budget, from BOQ to final account.

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What Does a Quantity Surveyor Actually Do?

Quantity surveyors control the money on a construction project. They prepare the bill of quantities, price tenders, value the work done each month, settle variations, and protect the margin from first estimate to final account. On a major project they often manage cost packages worth tens of millions, sitting between the contractor, the consultant, and the client. A typical week mixes measurement and take-off, commercial reporting, valuing change, and chasing entitlement under a JCT, NEC, or FIDIC contract. Most report to a commercial manager or project director, and the work rewards people who stay precise, calm under pressure, and comfortable defending a number with evidence.

James Harrison
Senior Quantity Surveyor
📍 London, UK✉️ james.harrison@email.com
Summary

MRICS-chartered Quantity Surveyor with 11 years of commercial experience on major projects worth over GBP 900M. Specialist in JCT, NEC, and FIDIC contract administration, BOQ preparation, and final account settlement. Delivered GBP 4M in value-engineering savings across infrastructure and high-rise packages.

Work Experience
Senior Quantity Surveyor at MultiplexMar 2021 — Present
  • Manage commercial packages worth GBP 180M across infrastructure and concrete works under an NEC4 contract
  • Settled 60+ variations and a GBP 9M extension-of-time claim with full client agreement
Quantity Surveyor at Balfour BeattyAug 2016 — Feb 2021
  • Provided cost management on a GBP 140M mixed-use package across two high-rise towers
  • Prepared tender documents and led commercial evaluation of 9 subcontractor bids worth GBP 40M+
Skills
BOQ PreparationQuantity Take-offFIDIC Contract AdministrationCost Control & ForecastingVariation & Claims ValuationTender AnalysisCostX / CubicostPrimavera P6Value Engineering

What Recruiters Look For

Quantity surveyor CVs need a clear commercial track record: package values managed, cost savings delivered, and the contract forms you worked under. Lead with chartered status (MRICS) if you have it, and name your flagship projects. Quantify everything. "Managed a GBP 180M facade package" beats "responsible for cost control".

Key Skills to Include

BOQ preparation, quantity take-off, cost estimating, cost control and forecasting, tender and commercial analysis, variation valuation, interim payment applications, contract administration (JCT, NEC, FIDIC), and your software (CostX, Cubicost, Primavera P6, advanced Excel). Match the skills to the advert, not to a generic list.

Common Mistakes

Listing duties instead of results. A QS CV that says "prepared BOQs and valuations" tells a recruiter nothing. Give the value, the saving, the claim settled, the variance protected. Also avoid hiding chartered status at the bottom, because recruiters screen for MRICS first.

Formatting Tips

Two pages maximum. Put MRICS and your main contract forms near the top. Use a projects line per role with project name, value, contract form, and your scope. Keep a tight skills block with software. If you worked on a flagship project, say so in the summary.

Average Salary — Quantity Surveyor

United States
$85,000 to $120,000
United Kingdom
$55,000 to $80,000
Canada
$60,000 to $90,000
Australia
$70,000 to $105,000
Germany
$50,000 to $75,000
Ireland
$55,000 to $80,000

Figures in USD. Ranges reflect mid-level experience (3–7 years). Senior roles and major metro areas typically sit at the top of these bands.

Top 5 Interview Questions — Quantity Surveyor

1How do you control cost on a fast-track project where the design keeps changing?
Keep the cost plan and BOQ updated weekly, price every variation the moment it lands, and separate approved scope from potential scope so the team always sees a true forecast. Flag cost risk early, before it reaches procurement or cash flow.
2Walk me through how you handle a disputed variation.
Start with entitlement under the contract, then check drawings, instructions, and site records. Price the change by the contract rules, document the rationale clearly, and negotiate on evidence, not opinion. Reference the FIDIC clauses if the role is FIDIC based.
3What does a strong QS bring to a megaproject specifically?
Accurate forecasting, strict cost control, fast turnaround on valuations, clean contract administration, and clear reporting to the commercial manager and client. Show you can handle large-package procurement and coordinate across disciplines.
4How do you approach value engineering without cutting quality?
Look for savings in method, specification, and procurement, not in corners. Compare lifecycle cost, not just first cost, and bring the design team options with numbers attached. Give an example where you protected a real percentage.
5How do you keep the commercial position visible to non-commercial people?
A simple weekly cost report: committed cost, forecast final cost, variance to budget, and the top three risks with values. Decision makers want the headline and the trend, not a spreadsheet they have to decode.

How to Tailor Your CV

Cost consultancies and client-side teams (Turner & Townsend, Gardiner & Theobald, Currie & Brown, AECOM) want RICS chartered status front and centre, plus contract experience (JCT, NEC, FIDIC) and named projects. Main contractors (Mace, Balfour Beatty, Laing O'Rourke, Kier) care more about package value managed, procurement speed, and how cleanly you settle final accounts. Always put the contract form you worked under and the software you use day to day.

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