Published: 31 Jul 2024
There are many reasons why someone would choose to become a surveyor, but one of the chief benefits often cited by people within the profession is the opportunity to get away from the office and visit some interesting places. Surveyors are required to work in a variety of locations, carrying out many different types of survey. Project to project, the landscape is likely to be substantially different – and sometimes even within the same project a surveyor might be dealing with different types of challenges and terrains.
Whatever landscape you particularly enjoy – be that rural or urban – there will always be something that appeals to you if you are a surveyor. In this second article, we will be exploring some of the benefits and challenges of working in urban environments, while if your interests lay more in the rural landscape, you might like to read our previous article.
A different surveying experience
The urban landscape is fascinating, often with all sorts of different features making up the area that needs to be identified and mapped. Within the urban environment you are more likely to be focused on underground utility surveys and measured building surveys, alongside your topographical surveys, than you will perhaps in a rural setting.
The urban landscape can be challenging and working in this environment will require careful planning before going on site. Permissions might need to be sought and things like traffic management might need to be an integral part of the planning process. However, the urban environment is exciting too. Developments within cities and built-up conurbations offer a very different surveying experience, and a chance to make a difference to the living and working environments of lots of people.
Spatial awareness
Whether a surveyor is lone working or part of a surveying team, an awareness of what is happening around them is vital within the urban landscape. The surveyor is not only responsible for their own safety, but they must ensure that their work does not impact on others either. They also need to remain vigilant, as equipment theft is an all to real risk for surveyors – and one that can cost businesses thousands of pounds.
If the thought of working in the towns and cities across the country – if not the globe – appeals to you, perhaps you should consider a career as a land surveyor. Find out more about surveying, visit www.tsa-uk.org.uk
