Working In London
An Overview Of London For Construction Professionals
Landing your dream job in the UK construction industry can often mean changing your home location or increasing your travel time to and from work, and as the UK construction industry continues to grow large cities like London are seeing an increasing demand for engineering and construction professionals. Working in the UK’s capital has both advantages and disadvantages, but there is no doubt it can help grow your career and provide excellent progression opportunities.
Some people who work in London choose to commute into the city, this often means you’re able to live somewhere with more space and less congestion than in the city, however it also means you’re likely to spend a fair amount of time travelling to and from work either by car or train. But living outside of London can help lower living costs particularly in terms of accommodation expenses, and can often prove more attractive for families with young children. The opposite can be said for living in central London which is often the preference for young single professionals looking to meet new people and experience city living to the full.
But what is it really like to live and work in the United Kingdom's biggest city. For those construction professionals thinking of taking their next role in London it’s worth considering a few factors before making the move.
Accommodation
Finding a good place to live in London can be a challenge. Although if you’re flexible and able do your research early it’s no harder than finding a place to live in any other city. With a little effort and prior planning it’s perfectly achievable to find the perfect flat within a few weeks.
The ideal scenario is to find a place to stay while you’re flat-hunting: ideally with friends or family. However if that is not possible there are plenty of websites offering cheap temporary accommodate by way of flat shares. Once you have a good base you can get started with the task of finding a permanent place to live.
The next decision is deciding if you want to share your accommodation or have your own space, this decision will be driven by money, individual circumstances and personal preference, but both options have their benefits. Sharing is a great way of getting to know people and make friends in a city you may be new to, lots of people in London flat share. It’s also a lot cheaper than renting your own flat and probably the best option unless you’re earning good money and have lots of disposal income you’re willing to spend.
Transport
London is a well-connected for those living within the city and provides various means to get around. The tube can be a busy place during rush hour, but is otherwise a pretty convenient way to travel around the city. There are also various buses which can often be as quick as the tube. For those commuting into London it can often be a time consuming journey depending on the method of transport and route you choose. It is also worth considering any extra costs you may incur for parking and congestion charges etc if you decide to commute.
Office or Site Based
Construction jobs are usually site based or head office based. Site based roles require you to be stationed on the construction site for the duration of the project after which it is likely you will be assigned to another project, often this can be in a completely different location within the city. It is worth considering the length of the project when taking up a site based role in London as this may affect where you want to live and for how long. Changing locations within the city could easily increase to travel to work time by another hour! If you’re based in head office it should be easier to plan the best area to live that balances travel to work time against the rental prices in any specific area.
Salary vs. Living Costs
Before accepting a new job in London it’s essential you understand how your earnings will compare to your living costs. It’s fair to say London salaries for construction professional are higher on average that than in other parts of the UK, and it can also be common for certain employers to provide “London weighting” to your salary to help offset the higher costs of living. They may also assist by providing some sort of travel allowance or subsidy in your salary package. It’s worth considering all these elements before accepting a job offer.
With continuing growth in the UK construction industry, particularly in London and the South East, now is a great time to find your next job opportunity. With large scale civil engineering and infrastructure projects due to take place over the coming years there are plenty of great opportunities for both experienced and newly qualified construction professionals to choose from. If you’d like to find out more about the exciting opportunities available in the UK please get in touch and we’d happy help.