grumpyfrog wrote:Chris,
See that's where I just have to giggle, whilst I have worked with a few, and I mean a few, bean counters that can actually deliver a project, the rest are just spreadsheet jockeys that couldn't even tell you the difference between a block and a brick.
Suppose it's just the way some of the old trades have been brought up.
I'm a civil (not a pleasant one) engineer/ PM, old school from peg bashing upwards. I had a "cant" of an old boss who just treated his engineers as slaves, probably got me to where I am now and know one end of a site from another.
Best tip in work/life: never ask someone to do something that you won't do yourself.
Now we get feckin graduates that want to go straight to being my boss as he has a degree in Project Management. WTF!
So if you want something leveled or smashed I'm your man.
Oh 1 mile HDDS, new bridges, high voltage cabling, windfalls, roads, that kind of Crap.
BTW Chris. Know any QS'S looking for a 6 month gig in Inverness, like hens teath up here.
Now where's me bead gone.
The stuff I do is pretty specialised. I don't mean that's it's difficult, just it's niche. It's all in the leisure sector, pubs, hotels, bars, clubs, student accommodation etc.
We do the QS stuff for loads of clients, you have to have decent building knowledge and a pretty good knowledge of market rates to do a good job.
As I say I know how a building is put together in theory, how much the items cost and how much labour it'll take. Ask me to do it myself? Lol no chance.
We do PM stuff for some of the clients and I enjoy that side more. It's not so much managing one project, but managing an overall programme.
E.g. we're currently managing the roll out of 4K AV equipment into around 140 pubs and bars. Each site will cost less than £40k, but it all needs to be done before the Euros in June and we only got the funding approved last month!
We put together teams of contractors on a regional basis and programme the dates, liaising with the pub managers and area managers, plus the contractors and direct contractors like furniture / flooring etc.
It's quite hectic but enjoyable.
We're looking for QSs too....I might know of one up in Scotland, but to be honest, he'll probably not be what you need as I say, it's quite niche, very few of the people I know in this industry do civils.