Building surveyors hard to find, even as pay tops $80,000

While the spectre of widespread layoffs haunts many sectors, a qualified building surveyor would have little trouble finding work, if advertising is any indication.

The New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors is advertising a string of positions and almost every one is for a qualified building surveyor. Firms have posted "wanted" ads on the institute's website.

The surveyors are being sought by property consultants Prendos, Maynard Marks, Hampton Jones and Alexander & Co. CoveKinloch wants an experienced building consultant for building disputes, failure analysis and quality assessments.

Most employers want people with a diploma, at least two years' experience, Institute of Building Surveyors' membership and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors accreditation.

Good interpersonal skills, ability to write reports and present information are essential for most of the candidates who may have to know about due diligence and dilapidation surveys, sinking fund analysis, building dispute resolution, building pathology and project management.

Auckland building and construction consultancy firm Prendos is using the NZ institute as a finder forum.

The Takapuna-headquartered business, which works in the Bay of Plenty, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, has been struggling to fill at least two new positions. Philip O'Sullivan, one of the bosses, said highly qualified people were still being sought but were not easy to find.

Prendos was offering more than $80,000 a year for a quantity surveyor with experience in building forensics and building contract disputes, he said. Harder times for the construction sector spelled the need for more dispute resolution specialists.

The firm was also hunting for design technicians or draftspeople to work on leaky-building remediation plans.

Mr O'Sullivan said the firm needed extremely well-qualified staff. He was reluctant even to say he was employing staff, fearing a deluge. "We don't want to have everyone ringing us," he stressed.

British migrants drawn to work here by territorial authorities had also been employed by Prendos. Mr O'Sullivan said Prendos advertised in the New Zealand Herald and job hunters also found positions via the institute and Prendos websites.

"This is a very labour-intensive business," he said of his sector.

* What they earn

Carpenter/joiner $38,900

Construction manager $74,200

Builder's labourer $32,500

General labourer $25,500

Graduate engineer $55,000

Experienced engineer $200,000+

Project manager $200,000+

Sources: Department of Labour/Fletcher Building