Building Control = Larger Salary?

domrush

Hi,
I'm wondering what the general salary range these days is for the Civil/Structural engineering area, for both graduates and experienced chartered engineers. With the increased building control regulations I would have expected it to be become a more restricted profession, and for salaries to rise in accordance with this. Has this happened? And what effect has the pickup in the economy had, if any? I've looked up past threads but they are all more than 2 years old and the most recent salary survey results from EI are from 2012.
Soon to be graduate asking ,thanks

godtabh

Salaries wont go up as a result of the building regs for salaried engineers. Fees will go up

Dardania

Civil & Structural are typically the least well paid members of a construction design team, from what I can make out. Quite unfair for them...
They will not have as much increased responsibility due to the building control regs as say the architect or the M&E engineers. Fire engineers will also be quite involved also.

godtabh

Dardania wrote: »

Civil & Structural are typically the least well paid members of a construction design team, from what I can make out. Quite unfair for them...
They will not have as much increased responsibility due to the building control regs as say the architect or the M&E engineers. Fire engineers will also be quite involved also.

As design certifiers structural/civil engineers have as much responsibility as the other professions

2011

Dardania wrote: »

Civil & Structural are typically the least well paid members of a construction design team, from what I can make out. Quite unfair for them...

+1

Not so long ago I was told just how badly paid a civil engineer was and I was astounded.

domrush

Had it in my head that structural engineers earned a good wage, clearly not . I suppose a lot of them would move into project management as their careers progress?

Dardania

domrush wrote: »

Had it in my head that structural engineers earned a good wage, clearly not . I suppose a lot of them would move into project management as their careers progress?

They do, and in doing so progress financially. A friend of mine did so, and he would have doubled salary in a few years...

I feel, as a stupid electrical engineer, the reason civil/strucutral engineers don't make as much (and this is a conjecture opinion make of it what you will) - there is probably a perception that it is "simple" and so is valued less. People see large masses of concrete etc. and can readily "understand" it (i say with tongue on cheek), whereas with mech/elec/controls etc. less is visibile / understandable, and so people will pay a higher premium for it.

Please don't flame me for this opinion - it's completely unfair - I have enough knowledge of C/S engineering from watching them work to know that there is a huge degree of nuance and skill in it (same friend used quote me: any idiot can build a bridge, with enough materials. It takes a a C/S engineer to build a bridge without wasting materials, that won't fall down)

Very pertinent to this discussion: http://www.irishjobs.ie/Jobs/Building-Regulations-Compliance-Engineer-7476668.aspx?adobeid=jajob&jacid=289269-01-2015&utm_source=JobAlert&utm_medium=clicks&utm_campaign=Jbe+Applications

Turbulent Bill

Dardania wrote: »

I feel, as a stupid electrical engineer, the reason civil/strucutral engineers don't make as much (and this is a conjecture opinion make of it what you will) - there is probably a perception that it is "simple" and so is valued less. People see large masses of concrete etc. and can readily "understand" it (i say with tongue on cheek), whereas with mech/elec/controls etc. less is visibile / understandable, and so people will pay a higher premium for it.

I'd guess it's more to do with demand and supply for civils. The collapse in construction activity since the bust probably destroyed salary levels, particularly for new grads. Hopefully they'll pick up as building starts again.

There's weak correlation between being good at your job and your salary. I've seen plenty of good engineers 'promoted' to project managers, where the role didn't suit their skills and nobody wins. There are clearly some excellent PMs, but for many the Peter Principle definitely applies.

The Megaphone

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

they'll pick up as building starts again.

I think the best new graduates can hope for is the return of annual increments, but for many will mean little due to their low starting salary.

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

I've seen plenty of good engineers 'promoted' to project managers, where the role didn't suit their skills and nobody wins.

+1 - Technical expertise in certain disciplines is not fully appreciated in this country, unfortunately to advance your career you have to go down the project management route.