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Building control officer

Alternative titles for this job include Building control surveyor

Building control officers make sure building regulations are followed.

Average salary (a year)

£22,000 Starter

to

£60,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

38 to 40 a week

You could work

on call on a rota

How to become a Building control officer

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • applying directly

University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a relevant subject like:

  • building studies
  • civil engineering
  • structural engineering
  • building control
  • building surveying

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, maths and a science
  • 2 to 3 A levels for a degree

More information

College

You could do a college course, which could help when you apply for trainee jobs in building control. Courses include:

  • Level 3 Certificate in Construction and the Built Environment
  • Level 4 Diploma in Building Control Surveying
  • Level 4 Diploma in Civil Engineering

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for a level 3 course
  • 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course

More information

Direct application

You could move into building control from another job in construction, like quantity surveying or site management.

More information

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or The Chartered Institute of Building to help with your professional development.

Further information

You can find out more about careers and training in building control from:

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of building and construction
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • knowledge of English language
  • analytical thinking skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

  • usually have a driving licence 

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day duties could include:

  • working closely with architects, designers, builders and engineers
  • suggesting ways to make building projects more cost effective 
  • carrying out site inspections
  • writing inspection reports and issuing completion certificates
  • surveying unsafe buildings, giving advice or approving their demolition
  • authorising entertainment licenses and checking safety at public venues and events

Working environment

You could work in an office or on a construction site.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and at height.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could specialise in a particular field, like fire safety, or move into technical and planning roles in other departments, like town planning.

You could work as a consultant.

Training opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Civil Engineer Apprentice

  • Wage : £224.00 Weekly
  • Location: Manchester M23 9LF

Civil, Structural and Architectural Technician

  • Wage : £230.00 Weekly
  • Location: Bristol BS3 4AQ
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Civil Engineer Degree Apprenticeship - Subject to Validation

  • Provider: UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE
  • Start date: 03 September 2019
  • Location:

Civil Engineer BEng (Hons) Degree Apprenticeship - University of Greenwich

  • Provider: UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH
  • Start date: 01 September 2019
  • Location: Chatham Maritime
Find courses near you

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