NAME: Matthew Gardner
COMPANY/REGION: Redrow Homes (South West)
JOB TITLE: Chief Quantity Surveyor
DEPARTMENT: Commercial
WHAT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT DO?
The Commercial team is responsible for
· Monitoring and controlling costs on the company’s developments.
· Tender documentation is issued for pricing, and Contracts are placed with Sub-contractors and Material suppliers.
· Produce and report the latest build costs for inclusion in land appraisals to enable new sites to be purchased at the correct price.
· Reporting of any variations in cost from the developments to the company’s board.
· Assist and work together with the site management team to ensure effective and best work practices are being carried out on site in order to construction new homes on time and within the budget.
WHAT DO YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
Controling costs, by awarding contracts to sub-contractors, making sure that they are aware of their duties of work. Answering queries on the telephone from both site and contractors in relation to specification and construction issues. Processing applications for payments from sub contractors for works completed. Visiting site to check and quantity and quality of work produced before payments are authorised. Comparison of cost against work completed.Working with other departments within the company.
· Land - providing all the latest costs for new land opportunities.
· Technical – working together to make best use of new products and techniques.
· Construction – ensure that competent and trained contractors are appointed, and assist with contractual and order issues.
· Sales – pricing of any non-standard upgrades required from potential customers, and answering specification queries.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?
The challenge of being given a piece of land and being set the task of building new homes within part of a team. Aiming to reach targets set from our Group Board in relation to the number of units and the profit margin required. Dealing on a daily basis with both contractors and our own site team, assisting with their requirements to enable the job to get completed, not just on time but to a quality expected by the customer.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS CAREER?
I didn’t choose Surveying as a Career, it chose me, I was working as a Materials Buyer for a house builder, and was doing very well, I was moved sideways into a more challenging role and became an Assistant Surveyor. Whilst learning the new role I worked on my first development in Weston-super-Mare and got hooked by the buzz of controlling the appointment and negation of contracts with trades, working with a very large financial portolio. From that point on, one site of 40 units, became 6 sites looking after over 400 units worth over £40million,
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DID YOU NEED TO GET THIS JOB?
Qualifications are not a legal requirement to get a job within surveying, although I would highly recommend that anyone looking for a job/career in surveying to attend college and work towards both ONC and HNC in building studies with the option of completing a degree in Surveying at University.
IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A GRADUATE OR TRAINEE LOOKING FOR A JOB IN YOUR WORK AREA?
You need to be dedicated, some deadlines can mean longer hours, but the work is enjoyable and rewarding. I would recommend regular visits to site as you can learn more viewing the problems experienced face to face than sat at your desk talking about them.