A chartered surveyor is a professionally qualified property specialist who provides expert advice on buildings, land, construction and other property-related matters. Depending on their specialism, they may inspect buildings, identify defects, advise on repairs, manage construction projects, assess costs, or provide wider property consultancy services. In the UK, Chartered status is awarded through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), following the relevant qualification, experience and assessment requirements.
The title covers a surprisingly wide range of work. A chartered building surveyor dealing with defects in an older property, for example, may have a very different day-to-day role from a quantity surveyor managing the costs of a major development.
For property owners, buyers and businesses, that expertise can be particularly useful when a decision involves significant money, technical risk or a building that needs more than a basic visual inspection.
What Is a Chartered Surveyor?
A chartered surveyor is a surveying professional who has achieved chartered status through RICS. RICS describes chartered surveyors as professionals who have demonstrated a high level of skill or competence within their chosen field and achieved formal accreditation. Chartered Members use the MRICS designation.
It is worth stressing the phrase “chosen field” here.
There isn’t one standard job description for every chartered surveyor. Surveying is a broad profession covering land, property and construction, with numerous specialisms. Some professionals concentrate on buildings and defects, while others work with valuations, commercial property, construction costs, project delivery or other areas.
For a client, the important question isn’t simply “Is this person a Chartered Surveyor?” It is also: “Does their experience match the property or project I need help with?”
That distinction can save a lot of confusion when choosing the right professional.
What Does a Chartered Surveyor Do?
The work depends on the surveyor’s specialism, but common responsibilities include:
- Inspecting buildings and assessing their condition
- Identifying defects and potential maintenance issues
- Advising on repairs and refurbishment
- Preparing property condition reports
- Carrying out building surveys
- Supporting technical due diligence
- Monitoring construction projects
- Managing aspects of building contracts
- Advising on project costs and budgets
- Supporting procurement and tendering
- Providing facilities or asset management advice
Some surveyors are involved at the very beginning of a property transaction. Others stay involved long after a building has been completed. That is one reason the profession is often more varied than people expect.
What Is the Difference Between a Surveyor and a Chartered Surveyor?
Surveyor is a broad professional term. It can refer to people working across many surveying disciplines and with different levels of qualification and experience. A chartered surveyor has achieved “Chartered” status through RICS and has met the relevant professional requirements for that status.
The distinction can be summarised simply:
| Surveyor | Chartered Surveyor |
| Broad term covering different surveying roles | Surveyor who has achieved Chartered status through RICS |
| Qualifications and experience can vary | Has met the applicable requirements for Chartered membership |
| May specialise in a particular area | Demonstrates professional competence within their chosen pathway |
| May or may not have RICS membership | Chartered Members of RICS use the MRICS designation |
There is another distinction worth knowing if you are appointing a surveying practice.
Chartered status and RICS regulation are not exactly the same thing. A chartered surveyor is an individual who has achieved chartered status. RICS also operates a regulatory framework for firms and professionals, and clients should check the relevant credentials rather than assume that every firm offering surveying services is RICS-regulated.
If professional regulation is important to your appointment, check the status of both the individual and the firm.
What Types of Chartered Surveyor are there?
Because surveying covers so many areas, there are several different types of chartered surveyor. For someone buying, developing or managing property, four specialisms are particularly relevant.
Chartered Building Surveyor
A chartered building surveyor focuses on the physical condition and performance of buildings. They may investigate defects, advise on repairs, carry out building surveys, prepare schedules of condition, assist with refurbishment projects or provide maintenance advice.
This can be valuable when a problem isn’t as straightforward as it first appears. A crack in a wall, for instance, tells you that something has changed. It doesn’t necessarily tell you why.
A building surveyor’s role is to investigate the condition, consider the likely causes and explain what further action may be appropriate.
MBS Surveyors provides building surveying services across residential and commercial property, including property condition surveys, defect analysis, project monitoring, dilapidations, schedules of condition and planned maintenance.
Commercial Property Surveyor
Commercial property surveying deals with buildings used for business and investment purposes, including offices, industrial premises, retail properties and other commercial assets.
Depending on the appointment, a chartered surveyor may advise on:
- Property condition
- Technical due diligence
- Acquisition risks
- Maintenance requirements
- Refurbishment
- Asset management
- Lease-related matters
- Development opportunities
For a commercial property owner or investor, understanding the physical asset is an important part of understanding its wider financial and operational risks.
Project Management Surveyor
Some chartered surveyors specialise in managing construction and development projects.
They can become involved from the early stages of a project, helping establish the brief and coordinate the professional team, through to procurement, construction and handover. The exact responsibilities vary, but can include programme monitoring, contract administration, site inspections, change management and progress reporting.
MBS provides project management and Employer’s Agent services, supporting clients through design, procurement and construction while keeping the project requirements and commercial considerations in view.
Cost Management and Quantity Surveying
A quantity surveyor or cost management specialist focuses on the financial side of construction. That could mean preparing early cost estimates, developing budgets, reviewing tenders or monitoring costs as construction progresses.
It can also involve:
- Cost planning
- Feasibility studies
- Procurement strategy
- Value engineering
- Risk management
- Cost control
- Valuations
- Change management
- Final accounts
The benefit is not simply knowing what a project costs today. Good cost management helps a client understand where costs could move and what decisions may affect the final figure.
What Services Does MBS Surveyors Provide?
MBS Surveyors brings several areas of property and construction expertise together, supporting clients across residential, commercial and public-sector projects in the UK and internationally.
Its services include Building Surveying, Project Management, Facilities Management and Cost Management.
Building Surveying
MBS’s building surveying work covers both residential and commercial requirements.
Services include RICS Level 2 and Level 3 HomeBuyer Surveys, commercial property condition surveys, defect analysis, dilapidations, schedules of condition, project monitoring, contract administration and planned maintenance.
Project Management
Construction projects involve many moving parts. MBS provides project management and Employer’s Agent services to help coordinate the process from early planning through procurement, construction and completion.
Facilities Management
A building still needs to perform properly once construction is finished. MBS provides facilities management and asset management consultancy covering areas such as operational performance, procurement, sustainability, compliance and risk.
This extends the firm’s involvement beyond the initial construction or acquisition decision and into the ongoing performance of property assets.
Cost Management
MBS also provides cost management advice covering feasibility, cost modelling, benchmarking, procurement, value engineering, cost control, valuations and final accounts.
For a development or construction project, having a clear view of costs early can make later decisions much easier.
Need professional property or surveying advice? Speak to MBS Surveyors.
When Do You Need a Chartered Surveyor?
You may not need a chartered surveyor for every property decision. But there are situations where professional surveying advice can make a real difference.
You’re buying a property
A survey can give you a clearer picture of the building’s condition before you commit to a purchase.
For residential property, the appropriate survey depends on the building and the level of inspection required. Commercial acquisitions may require more detailed building surveys or technical due diligence.
You have discovered a building defect
Damp, cracking, water ingress or deterioration can have several possible causes. Before spending money on repairs, it can be useful to understand what is actually happening.
A building surveyor can investigate the issue and advise on the appropriate next steps.
You’re planning refurbishment
Refurbishment often reveals problems that were difficult to see beforehand. Understanding the existing building can help inform the scope, budget and sequencing of proposed works.
You’re starting a construction project
A project manager or Employer’s Agent can help coordinate consultants and contractors, manage information and monitor progress as the project develops.
You’re concerned about project costs
If a project’s design changes or unexpected issues arise, the financial impact can quickly become difficult to track.
Cost management support can help clients understand the implications of those changes and maintain better control of the project budget.
You’re dealing with dilapidations
Commercial lease obligations can create important responsibilities for landlords and tenants. A surveyor with relevant experience can help assess the condition of the property and advise on dilapidations matters.
You need a maintenance strategy
Buildings don’t become easier or cheaper to maintain simply because they have been completed.
Planned maintenance can help property owners understand what needs attention, when it is likely to be needed and how it fits into longer-term asset management.
Why Choose an Independent Chartered Surveyor?
Property decisions rarely exist in isolation. A building defect may affect maintenance costs. A design decision can change a construction budget. The condition of a property can influence an acquisition decision. A lease obligation can have financial consequences at the end of an occupation.
This is where specialist advice can be useful.
An appropriately qualified chartered surveyor can help you:
- Understand the condition of a property
- Identify potential risks before they become larger problems
- Interpret technical information
- Assess repair or maintenance requirements
- Make more informed investment decisions
- Monitor construction work
- Understand and manage project costs
The word independent also matters. The right adviser should be able to assess the circumstances objectively and explain the implications clearly, without simply telling you what you want to hear.
Of course, no survey can eliminate every risk from a property decision. What it can do is give you better information on which to base that decision.
Chartered Surveyors for Residential and Commercial Property
The needs of a homeowner and a commercial property investor can be very different, but both can benefit from specialist surveying advice.
Residential Surveying
For residential buyers, surveying is often about understanding what they are actually buying. A home may look well maintained during a viewing while still having defects or maintenance issues that are not immediately obvious.
MBS provides RICS Level 2 and Level 3 HomeBuyer Surveys to help clients understand the condition of residential properties and make more informed decisions.
Commercial Surveying
Commercial property often brings a wider set of considerations. A business or investor may need advice about building condition, acquisition, technical due diligence, development, project delivery, costs, maintenance or ongoing asset performance.
MBS’s multidisciplinary approach means these areas can be considered alongside one another rather than as completely separate issues. The practice’s project experience also extends well beyond standard residential surveying, including commercial, public-sector and major international projects.
How to Choose the Right Chartered Surveyor
Finding the right surveyor isn’t just about searching for the closest firm.
Before appointing one, consider:
- Professional credentials: Check relevant qualifications, RICS membership and, where applicable, firm regulation.
- Specialism: Make sure the surveyor has experience in the type of work you need.
- Property experience: An adviser experienced in residential homes may not be the right choice for a complex commercial development.
- Relevant track record: Look for projects or case studies that demonstrate comparable experience.
- Scope of work: Make sure you understand exactly what will be inspected, assessed or managed.
- Deliverables and fees: Ask what you will receive and how the service is priced.
- Geographical coverage: Particularly important for commercial portfolios or projects involving multiple locations.
A good appointment starts with a clear understanding of the problem. From there, the right surveying specialism becomes much easier to identify.
Need Professional Chartered Surveying Advice?
Whether you’re buying, managing, developing or refurbishing property, the right professional advice can help you understand the building, identify potential risks and make decisions with greater confidence.
MBS Surveyors provides specialist building surveying, project management, facilities management and cost management services for residential, commercial and public-sector clients.
What is a Chartered Surveyor?
A chartered surveyor is a professionally qualified surveying specialist who has achieved chartered status through RICS and provides expert advice within their area of property, land or construction expertise.
What does a Chartered Surveyor do?
Their work depends on their specialism. They may inspect buildings, identify defects, advise on property condition, manage construction projects, assess costs or provide specialist property consultancy.
What is an RICS Chartered Surveyor?
An RICS chartered surveyor is a professional who has achieved Chartered status through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Chartered Members are entitled to use the MRICS designation and must maintain the professional standards expected of RICS members.
What is the difference between a surveyor and a Chartered Surveyor?
Surveyor is a broad term covering different surveying professions. A chartered surveyor has achieved formal Chartered status through RICS.
When do I need a Chartered Surveyor?
You may need one when buying or managing property, investigating defects, planning refurbishment, undertaking construction, managing project costs or dealing with specialist property matters such as dilapidations.
What types of Chartered Surveyor are there?
Chartered surveyors work across numerous specialisms, including building surveying, commercial property, valuation, quantity surveying, project management and other areas of the built environment. RICS currently recognises 22 different sector pathways.
Can a Chartered Surveyor help with commercial property?
Yes, depending on their specialism, they can provide services such as commercial building surveys, technical due diligence, project management, cost management, facilities management and property consultancy.
