Clerk of Works FAQ | Simple Answers about being a Clerk of Works

Clerks of Works are in-demand throughout the UK, with many top construction companies actively looking for the right skilled individuals. This article answers many of the common questions about Clerks of Works and to how become one.

What is a Clerk of Works?

A Clerk of Works (CoW) is a construction quality professional who inspects building work to help ensure it’s built to the contract, drawings, specification, and required standards; their job is to represent the interests of the client on site.

What does a Clerk of Works do on a construction site?

A Clerk of Works will usually:

• Undertake inspections of building work in progress
• Identify defects or non-compliant work
• Keep site records (photos, site diaries, inspection notes), typically using a tablet
• Report to the client, project manager, employer’s agent, or contract administrator
• Track snagging and remedial works through to completion

What’s the difference between a Clerk of Works and a Site Manager?

A Site Manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the site in order to deliver the build (programme, labour, coordination, health & safety, and daily site control).

A Clerk of Works monitors quality and compliance independently. Their job is to inspect, observe, record, and report; not to run the site.

Is a Quality Technical Inspector the same as a Clerk of Works?

Sometimes different job titles are used for Clerk-of-Works-related roles. Whilst a Quality Technical Inspector has the same duties as a Clerk of Works, the difference is that the role often requires a greater breadth of experience and encompasses multiple build sectors. Essentially, a Quality Technical Inspector is a Clerk of Works, but employers may wish to use a different job title to distinguish the role as pertaining to a broad range of projects.

What qualifications does a Clerk of Works need in the UK?

Specific qualifications are not necessarily required to become a Clerk of Works, however there is professional membership that functions like a chartership.

The professional membership organisation for Clerks of Works in the UK is the Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate (ICWCI), which has several tiers of membership: Student, Associate Member, and Member, in addition to others. Relevant qualifications may be necessary in obtaining membership.

How to become a Member of the Institute of Clerk of Works and Construction Inspectorate?

There are different requirements to become a member of the ICWCI depending on the grade of membership and previous experience. 

To become a full Member (MICWCI), you are required to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• 3 years’ relevant experience and a relevant Level 5 qualification (e.g. Higher National Diploma, bachelor’s degree, NVQ 5)
• 4 years’ relevant experience and either a relevant Level 4 qualification (e.g. Higher National Certificate, NVQ 4) or a formal construction trade qualification
• 8 years’ relevant experience

To become an Associate Member (Assoc. ICWCI), you are required to have at least: 

• 1 year’s relevant experience and a relevant Level 4 qualification
• 2 years relevant experience and either a relevant Level 3 qualification or construction Trade qualification
• 4 years relevant experience.

Relevant experience refers to post-qualification responsibility in a construction role involving inspection, management, surveying or similar. Relevant qualifications (typically NVQ/HNC/HND) are qualifications related to site management, site supervision, construction/built environment, building surveying, or similar.

Individuals that satisfy the criteria can apply directly to the ICWCI website.

How to become a Clerk of Works? 

There are many routes to become a Clerk of Works, with many employers looking for:

• Strong trade or technical background (e.g., joinery, brickwork, MEP, finishing, roofing)
• Experience inspecting or supervising works, such as a Site Manager role
• Knowledge of drawings/specifications and construction methods
• Progression towards or membership of other relevant professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) or Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE)

Note: Employers often care more about relevant project type experience (housing, education, healthcare, commercial) than a specific qualification alone.

What skills make a good Clerk of Works?

The best Clerks of Works typically have:

• A sharp eye for detail and pride in workmanship
• Confidence to challenge issues professionally
• Strong reporting and record-keeping
• Understanding of building regulations, standards, and specifications
• Calm communication under pressure

What types of projects use Clerks of Works?

Clerks of Works are common on residential, commercial, education, health, and even highways projects.

What’s the difference between a Clerk of Works and Employer’s Agent?

An Employer’s Agent manages the contract administration role on behalf of the client, such as dealing with payments, change control, programme, and formal contract processes.

A Clerk of Works focuses more narrowly on site quality inspection, recording, and reporting. Many projects use both: the EA runs the contract, and the CoW strengthens quality assurance.

What is the typical salary for a Clerk of Works?

Typically, a Clerk of Works on a permanent salary in the UK working full-time will earn between £45,000 and £55,000, depending on experience and location, with opportunities to progress into a Senior Clerk of Works or Lead Clerk of Works role where pay is higher. Other Clerks of Works function as independent consultants working on day rates, however this does not necessarily provide the reliable pipeline of work compared with working for a consultancy, housing association, or other organisation that employs Clerks of Works.

What’s the next step after Clerk of Works?

A common progression is to become a Senior/Lead Clerk of Works, where you take greater ownership of inspection strategy, produce higher-level client reporting, lead a team of Clerk of Works, and often mentor others.

Many Clerks of Works also progress by taking specialist courses such as in the areas of:

• Passive fire protection / fire stopping inspection training
• Façade / cladding / building envelope
• Retrofit and energy efficiency
• MEP quality inspection

How do I become a Senior Clerk of Works?

Most people step up to Senior/Lead Clerk of Works level by proving their competency in owning quality on a project.

Employers typically look for:

• Strong project experience in a Clerk of Works role (similar sector/build type and enough time on site to show depth)
• Evidence you can prioritise inspections and focus on high-risk details, not just snagging
• Membership in the Institute of Clerk of Works
• Specialist CPD that adds value (commonly passive fire protection/fire stopping, building envelope, or similar)

What’s the difference between a Clerk of Works and a Project Manager?

A Clerk of Works focuses on site quality and compliance, inspecting workmanship and materials against the drawings/specification and reporting defects to the client team.

A Project Manager focuses on overall delivery, managing programme, budget, risks, stakeholders, and coordination to get the project completed successfully.

In short, a Clerk of Works ensures the build is suitable for the client, whereas a Project Manager is responsible for the complete delivery of the project.

What should a good Clerk of Works CV include?

Clerks of Works need to be proficient in report-writing, so a clear, well-written CV is crucial for giving off the right impression. Specifically, if you want to stand out you should highlight:

• Key projects you’ve worked on (values, sectors, new build vs refurb)
• Technical strengths (e.g., externals/façade, internals/finishes, M&E interfaces, fire safety focus)
• Professional memberships, ongoing training, or accreditation (e.g. MICWCI, IFE, MCIOB)
• Enthusiasm to progress as or become a Clerk of Works, linking previous experience to duties such as snagging, report-writing, and reading drawings

Conclusion

At Maxim Recruitment, we are actively recruiting Clerks of Works throughout the UK. If you have experience as a Site Manager, Project Manager, or other site-based roles, you might have exactly the skills we are looking for.

I am always happy to give advice and offer CV feedback if you are interested in applying to any of our Clerk of Works positions. Just get in touch, and myself or any other member of the Maxim Recruitment Team will be happy to help.

Hugh Duffield
Graduate Recruitment Consultant
Maxim Recruitment
LinkedIn

Hugh is a Graduate Recruitment Consultant based in the Maxim head office in Leicester, UK. Day-to-day responsibilities include researching, shortlisting, contacting, and interviewing premium construction industry candidates. Working with the UK team to help construction industry job seekers move into premium construction jobs with market-leading UK and international clients.