Quantity surveyor, technical architect or architect? Differences and similarities

Quantity surveyors and architects are professionals closely tied together by the construction and property development industry, but it matters that you tell them apart, because their role is not exactly the same.

Delivering a full building project calls for several professional profiles working together, and among them are the quantity surveyor —the aparejador or technical architect— and the architect. The two professions share a good deal, but they come from different training and pursue different objectives within the site team.

Learning to tell the two profiles apart, along with their training and their objectives, is essential for anyone working in property and construction.

Below we set out each profile, what characterises it and the main differences between them, so you can easily distinguish the competences each profession requires.

Differences and similarities between an architect and a technical architect

Many people assume both professions serve a single purpose, and it is true that the differences are small next to the similarities. However, anyone who owns property and has a building or renovation project in hand needs to tell them apart, because their role in the team is different.

What does a technical architect do? And an architect?

A technical architect —aparejador in Spanish, closest to a quantity surveyor or building surveyor in the UK— is an essential figure throughout the construction process.

They are responsible for supervising the quantity of materials used during the project and for checking their quality, so that the safety and integrity of the structure are assured while the works go ahead. Their job is to control every process on site, making sure the workforce builds to the requirements of the project. That makes them indispensable in guaranteeing the quality of the construction.

The architect, on the other hand, is the one who designs the project. They set the foundations of the construction and keep overall control of the whole scheme.

They hold a broader view of the work to be carried out and oversee the technical and aesthetic aspects it requires. They are also the one who applies for and manages the building licences and permits.

In broad terms, then, the architect designs and directs the plan a construction project follows, and the technical architect supervises that every process in that plan is carried out as specified. The two have to work together: the architect holds the more complete overall view, and the technical architect is the one who spots deviations or new requirements as the building goes up.

Kairós Arquitectura provides technical architecture services in Málaga.

Technical architects in Málaga

What competences does each profile have?

The objectives of the technical architect and the architect are different but complementary, so the competences of each profile have to work together to make a capable, versatile team.

Competences of the technical architect

Looking at the competences a technical architect needs, on site they will have to:

• Produce expert reports and complete the relevant energy performance certificates.
• Appraise and value a property, taking into account its quality, materials and structure.
• Draw up health and safety plans for construction works.
• Carry out quality control and coordinate the work teams on site.
• Ensure the budget set by the architect is met.
• Provide technical advice to both builders and owners.
• Issue the certificates required to obtain licences.
• Issue certificates of a property’s age.
• Control the materials used during the project, so that they match what the architect specified.

Competences of the architect

The architect, meanwhile, brings other competences to the team on a building project. The main ones are:

• Designing the plan of action and setting the objectives and requirements of a construction project.
• Drawing up the construction budget.
• Advising on the permits and licences required to carry out the project.
• Specifying the materials to be used and detailing the technical and aesthetic aspects of the works.
• Supervising the project as a whole and working with the technical architect to correct any deviations.

Both profiles are necessary, and both need specialised technical training if mistakes on a construction project are to be avoided. Their academic background is therefore different and specific in each case: they are separate university degrees.

What does a technical architect study?

Now that you know what a technical architect or aparejador does, you are probably wondering what a professional has to study in order to acquire the competences the role demands.

The technical architect is responsible for executing a building project and must hold technical knowledge in order to fulfil their part in a construction.

There is currently a broad range of training available to professionals who want to specialise in this field. As a rule it means completing a degree in Technical Architecture and Building or a degree in Building Engineering; only then can they begin to practise on site.

Once a professional holds one of these qualifications, they can manage the production of a building project, organise a work team or carry out technical audits to advise builders, among the many other competences described above.

Why is it important that the architect and the technical architect work together?

You now know the difference between an architect and a technical architect on a construction project. Their professions are similar and are easily confused, but each professional needs to know their own duties and competences in order to fulfil their role successfully.

Both profiles are indispensable in the construction and development of new buildings, and their academic training is complementary: the architect has to be able to design an overall plan, while the technical architect needs technical competence and, at the same time, the ability to organise different teams and processes so that the plan is carried out properly.

The architect is obliged to stay in continuous contact with the technical architect on site to check that the plan and the direction set are being followed. That contact is also especially important for detecting deviations or changes in the project’s initial budget, in the materials selected or in the technical aspects that come up as the work progresses.