Quantity surveyors provide expert advice on all aspects of the economics of buildings and construction costs. They may be engaged to advise clients at any point in the life cycle of a building from the initial construction costs including procurement, tendering and contract administration through to life cycle costing or cost planning for refurbishment or maintenance.
Their expertise can be applied to a building of any size and age from a vast new build sports stadiums and high rise office buildings to a single storey house extension or an ancient church. They may be instructed by the owners of residential property from a new build home to a large grade I listed stately home on a country estate.
A residential home owner who instructs a quantity surveyor will rely on their expert judgment to assist the smooth running of their project and safeguard that the outcome of the planned construction or maintenance is best value for money. Although they are at the centre of the design process liaising with the design team the quantity surveyor remains independent, providing a direct reporting line from the client to the project manager.
A quantity surveyor’s role on a construction project can include any of the following:
- Liaising with clients to identify their needs
- Estimating quantities, costs and time scales for material and labour
- Preparing tender and contract documents
- Identifying and weighing up commercial risks
- Assigning work to subcontractors
- Valuing completed work, managing budgets and overseeing payments
- Ensuring projects meet legal and quality standards
- Ensuring that clients get value for their money
- Advising on the maintenance costs of specific buildings
- Submitting regular budget reports
- Assisting with the settlement of disputes.
When a quantity surveyor is engaged at the start of a project they will study the drawings and specifications which have been prepared by the architects or engineers. These documents will give them the information that they need to calculate the quantities of materials for the build. They will also provide accurate labour and work costs. All the quantity surveyor’s calculations are set out in a document called an initial cost estimate.
As the construction project progresses a quantity surveyor can assist the client to choose a construction contract that should give the best outcome from their project (although there are never any guarantees). With a thorough understanding of Building Regulations a quantity surveyor can assist a contractor to adhere to the regulations so that the project passes Building Control. During the build they keep a constant check on costs.
The quantity surveyor is responsible for keeping the design team informed regarding budget, identifying any future risks, and challenging on buildability and value engineering issues when necessary, so that their client receives value for money.
Proactive not reactive
It is important that the quantity surveyor has a good understanding of the internal environment in which their client works and needs to understand their client’s attitude to risk. Although unexpected things can happen on any construction project, the quantity surveyor will be thinking ahead and anticipating any potential problems. A quantity surveyor understands that from a client perspective, cost management is not one-dimensional: cost versus budget is important, but so is cash flow and risk management.
A good quantity surveyor is not just technically competent they will also be good leaders who are able to challenge the design teams constructively. They have good communication skills so that they can report clearly and accurately. The best quantity surveyors are trusted partners of the client. They are always looking forward and anticipating issues for the client so that any problems can be managed effectively, from the start of the project right through to the final account. When potential issues with the project are identified at an early stage those problems can be tackled proactively without overspecifying or delaying the project.
However, as experts in the art of costing a building at any stage of a construction project a quantity surveyor may also be engaged at a later stage of the build to assess whether the construction is on budget. This means that they may also be engaged if the client wants to check that the construction is progressing satisfactorily or if they are unsure whether they should have to pay additional costs or variations that have been claimed.
Smooth running of the project and best value
Whatever the size or overall value of the construction project a quantity surveyor’s role is to provide the client with an estimate of costs, assess what quantity of building materials and labour will be required and to prepare project timelines. For a client, the quantity surveyor is the person watching and managing any costs associated with the project, while safeguarding the client’s position in any cost-related discussions.
