Are you looking to apply for an online quantity surveyor job? Or perhaps you’re having difficulty adjusting as a home-based quantity surveyor? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this article is for you. In this article, I will provide you with four pieces of advice that you can use for your quantity surveyor online work.
But before we begin, let us discuss what a quantity surveying job is first. A quantity surveyor is an engineer who specializes in making sure that construction projects remain within the allocated budget. They ensure the acquisition of resources such as labor, materials, and equipment are on time and within budget.
Their role is similar to that of estimators in that they too manage the construction projects finances and keep the project running smoothly. One main difference between the two is scale. A quantity surveyor deals with larger and more complex building projects, while an estimator usually deals with smaller commercial and residential projects.
Duties and Responsibilities.
Yes, I know this is still not the main topic of this article. But aside from knowing what your role is, you should also know your duties and responsibilities. Your duties and responsibilities include:
- Prepare tender documents, contracts, bills of quantities, budgets, and other critical documents to be presented to clients or site engineers.
- Keep track of materials and order more if required.
- Liaise with site managers, contractors, clients, and subcontractors.
- Ensure the best deals are made by scrutinizing contracts and maintenance and material costs.
- Document any design and budget changes and update the budget accordingly.
- Establish and maintain professional relationships with external and internal stakeholders.
- Advise managers and clients on improvements and new strategies for the construction project.
- Remain proficient in using Microsoft Office tools, Microsoft Excel in particular, and Computer-Aided Design tools such as Planswift, AutoCAD, and Revit.
With such duties and responsibilities comes an appropriate salary. The salary range for a new full-time online quantity surveyor job is from Php 18,000 to Php 23,000. An experienced home-based quantity surveyor can expect to earn from Php 37,000 to Php 52,000.
Store your Data in a Secure yet Easily-Accessible Location.
After discussing your duties and responsibilities, let us proceed with this article’s main topic. And where better to start than on an often overlooked yet crucial part of your job? Of course, I am talking about data storage. Because you’re in charge of managing the construction project’s finances and design updates, you need to store all your data in a secure yet accessible location.
If you have a traditional office, this wouldn’t be a problem. But since you’re working in an online quantity surveyor job, this could be an issue. To avoid this, establish a proper workstation in your home and arrange your data by classification. Doing this prevents you from misplacing important data and prevents others from accidentally viewing them.
Yes, you may say that you trust your family, and they won’t know what to do with the data anyways. But it is a matter of professional courtesy to your clients that you should still keep your company’s data secure anyways.
Communication is Key for your Job.
As a quantity surveyor, a large part of your job requires you to interact with a wide variety of people. These interactions can range from reporting to your clients about the construction project’s status to negotiating with suppliers. To present yourself properly during these scenarios, you will need to hone your communication skills.
When I say communication skills, I’m not just referring to your ability to present your ideas and suggestions with confidence to your listeners. I’m also referring to your ability to listen and understand the other person’s side as well. Honing your communication skills allows you to avoid misunderstandings and establish a good rapport with your clients, suppliers, etc.
Taking a Break is Not a Bad Thing to Do.
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you have to work extra hours to prove you’re productive. If you’re already feeling exhausted from your work, it won’t hurt to take a step back and get some rest before working again. Of course, if you have immediate deadlines, then accomplish them first before resting.
Once you have finished all of your tasks, don’t hesitate to take a much-deserved rest. Doing so allows you to regain your strength and focus, which improves your productivity when you get back to work. You can use this time to either sleep, do your hobbies, or spend time with your loved ones. Whatever activity you choose, be sure that you will have fun doing them.
Keep Up to Date With your Deadlines.
And finally, remember to remain up to date with your deadlines and the tools available to you. This advice connects to my previous one, as too much break with no work is also not good. Be sure to strike a balance between rest and work so that you don’t suffer from burnout.
One great advantage of remaining up to date with your deadlines is it allows you to work at your own pace. Combine this with your remote work setup, and you can modify your work shift to suit your preferences. Of course, if you have a meeting with your clients or suppliers at a specific time, you’re required to prioritize these first.
Conclusion.
And we’re done! Here are four pieces of advice that you can use for your online quantity surveyor job. I know that adapting to this new work setup can be difficult. But with enough practice, you can regain your old work rhythm again. I hope that you will find these pieces of advice to be of use to you, either while you search for work or while you are working.
