Development Surveyor

Also known as a “Developer” or “Project Manager”

A development surveyor advises clients through the whole property process – from the buying of land through to the full completion of the building development. You might hear this role called a project manager or a developer too. You’d like this job if you enjoy working with a variety of people, researching solutions and opportunities, and seeing a project through from the beginning to the end – amongst other things!

Development surveyors work with a whole range of people on a project, such as planners, quantity surveyors, and architects. They advise the client on all the different aspects of the development: what to build, where; how much it will cost; the layout; what features it will have.

Beneficial skills & interests in this role:

  • Communication skills
  • Entrepreneurial approach
  • Numeracy
  • Willingness to learn

They also help with all the marketing and sales of the development (because they know it inside out). Then they finish the project with the handover to buyers and the customer service that follows the sale. So it’s really a job that gives you hands-on experience with the journey of a development from start to finish. Your job would include:

  • understanding what a client needs and advising them on how to meet them
  • managing relationships between all the different people involved
  • researching opportunities for development
  • making sure a development is cost-effective and sustainable environmentally

How much can I earn?

Depending on where in the UK you decide to work, your salary will be higher or lower. Check out our salary map to see what you could earn in different locations.

Click a region on the map

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London Development Surveyor salaries*
Apprentice (L6):£17,800
Graduate:£27,000
Newly qualified:£34,000
Partner / Director:£75,000
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London Development Surveyor salaries*
Apprentice (L6):£17,800
Graduate:£27,000
Newly qualified:£34,000
Partner / Director:£75,000

* Salaries are an estimate and may vary

Career paths into this role

  • Apprentice route
    You could qualify as a development surveyor whilst working in a supporting role. You study alongside your practical experience.
    You could also get into it through working towards the role as a surveying technician, or through a college course like a Level 3 Diploma in Construction or similar.

  • Graduate route
    You’ll usually need an RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) accredited undergraduate or postgraduate degree. You’ll usually need 5 GCSEs (9-4) and 3 A-Levels to get onto a degree course, but you might be able to use other qualifications.You could also get into it through a graduate training scheme with a specific company, or you could do distance learning through the University College of Estate Management.

Looking for a Development Surveyor Role?

Below are our partners who all have a range of vacancies available. Have a look through them, you may discover the perfect Development Surveyor role for you!

Other roles you might enjoy

Agency Surveyor

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  • Purchase land and secure funding
  • Ensuring compliance with the conditions of the tenancy
  • Negotiate terms for landlords and tenants

Building Surveyor

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  • Advise on energy efficiency, environmental impact and sustainable construction
  • Deal with planning applications and advise on property legislation and building regulations
  • Determine the condition of existing buildings, identify and analyse defects, including proposals for repair

Want to take a look around?

If you’d like to see all the jobs that the property industry has to offer, why not browse everything?