QS | What does a Quantity Surveyor Do?

QS Rules state that a "Quantity Surveyor" means a person educated, trained and qualified, and who is particularly and regularly engaged, for the purpose of livelihood, in the following work:

• The preparation of Bills and/or Schedules of Quantities of materials, labour and services required in the construction and equipment of building, or engineering works, and;
• The preparation and valuation of progress and final payments in connection with any contract or sub-contract, and;
• The appraisal of the value of proposed constructions or other structures already erected, and;
• The preparation of specifications when required so to do, and;
• Acting as arbitrator in cases of dispute in connection with building, or engineering work, when required so to do, and;
• To advise from time to time on cost management, or value management.
• To carry out such other duties as may properly be those of a Quantity Surveyor.

So just what does a Quantity Surveyor do and how do you become one? Basically, the Quantity Surveyor is the person responsible for figuring out just what a building is going to cost and in some cases for making sure that construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible. In some of today's projects there may be many millions of dollars involved.

A Quantity Surveyor can identify and collate the costs involved in order to develop an overall budget for any project. They can then undertake cost planning which aims to help all members of the design team arrive at practical solutions and stay within the project budget. It is the final detailed estimate prepared by the Quantity Surveyors, in consultation with a project architect, which forms a basis on which subsequent tenders can be evaluated. Schedules of quantities translate the drawing, plans and specifications produced by the design team to enable each contractor to calculate tender prices fairly, on exactly the same basis as the competitors.

Once tenders have been accepted, the Quantity Surveyor can provide cash flow data to enable a client to programme his resources adequately to meet contract commitments. In other words, the Quantity Surveyor decides how much of a job should be paid for at any one time. With interest rates the way they are, no one wants to hand over money before it is due.

In most construction contracts, the contractor is paid monthly and the Quantity Surveyor can value the work carried out each month submitting a recommendation for certified payment.

The Quantity Surveyor can also be called on to assess cost effects when changes occur and agree on variation with contractors.

Following completion of a contract, the Quantity Surveyor prepares a statement of final account, summarising the cost charges that have occurred and arriving at a final contract sum.

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Quantity Surveyor Job Description

A quantity surveyor manages all costs relating to building and civil engineering projects, from the initial calculations to the final figures. Surveyors seek to minimise the costs of a project and enhance value for money, while still achieving the required standards and quality. Many of these are specified by statutory building regulations, which the surveyor needs to understand and adhere to.

A quantity surveyor may work for either the client or the contractor, working in an office or on-site. They are involved in a project from the start, preparing estimates and costs of the work. When the project is in progress, quantity surveyors

The title of the job may also be referred to as a construction cost consultant or commercial manager.

Typical work activities

Typical tasks may include:

• preparing tender and contract documents, including bills of quantities with the architect and/or the client;
• undertaking costs analysis for repair and maintenance project work;
• assisting in establishing a client’s requirements and undertaking feasibility studies;
• performing risk and value management and cost control;
• advising on procurement strategy;
• identifying, analysing and developing responses to commercial risks;
• preparing and analysing costings for tenders;
• allocating work to subcontractors;
• providing advice on contractual claims;
• analysing outcomes and writing detailed progress reports;
• valuing completed work and arranging payments;
• maintaining awareness of the different building contracts in current use;
• understanding the implications of health and safety regulations.

Areas requiring more specialised knowledge include:

• offering advice on property taxation;
• providing post-occupancy advice, facilities management services and life cycle costing advice;
• assisting clients in locating and accessing additional and alternative sources of funds;
• enabling clients to initiate construction projects;
• advising on the maintenance costs of specific buildings.

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Salary for a Quantity Surveyor

Career and Remuneration

The typical salary of a quantity surveyor depends largely on the level of experience of the individual and the sector or region they are working in. A 2010 survey of the construction and built environment industry showed that the average annual salary for a quantity surveyor in the UK is £38,121. The average salary varies depending on experience, those with between 3 and 6 years’ experience earn on average £25,791, whereas those with 20 or more years, £43,514.00.

There are many quantity surveyors who run their own business. For example, Chanada Consultants Inc. in Ontario, Canada provide a range of services including quantity surveying, estimating, cost consulting, mortgage monitoring and life-cycle costing. In recent years, many quantity surveying companies have become more recognized because they are a critical link between trade contractors, construction companies, builders and financiers. They monitor the costs and evaluate the progress of building projects for their clients in the financing and construction industries. Therefore, the salary of self-employed quantity surveyors will vary depending on the scope and location of the projects and their hourly rate.

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Contractor's quantity surveyor

A contractor's QS is responsible for the performance of operations that mirror those of the owner's QS; i.e., the measurement and pricing of construction work, but specifically that actually performed by the contractor (and the contractor's subcontractors) as opposed to the construction work described and measured in the construction contract between the owner and the contractor. Such a difference in quantity of work may arise from changes required by an owner, or by an architect or engineer on an owner's behalf. Typically, the settlement of a change (often referred to in a contract as a 'variation'). (See the following reference sources: "Fundamentals of Construction Estimating and Cost Accounting," by Keith Collier (2nd ed.) (Prentice-Hall, 1987); "Construction Contracts," by Keith Collier (3rd ed.) (Prentice-Hall, 2001) These two texts each contain a comprehensive glossary.)

The role of a contractor's QS will extend further than the day to day running of building projects and will cover such other areas as sub-contract formation, forecasting of costs and values of the project, cash flow forecasts and the collation of the operation and maintenance manuals of the project (O&M manuals). This increase in the capacity of the surveying profession has led to an increased demand for qualified personnel and goes some way to explaining the popularity of related degrees at university.

Some contractors and others may attempt to rely on a general accountant to deal with construction costs, but usually this is not effective, primarily because an accountant does not have the technical knowledge to accurately allocate costs to specific items of work performed, especially at times prior to the particular work's completion as required to make accurate assessment of the amounts to be paid to the contractor during the course of the work.

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History of Quantity Surveying

The profession developed during the 19th century from the earlier "measurer", a specialist tradesman (often a guild member), who prepared standardised schedules for a building project in which all of the construction materials, labour activities and the like were quantified, and against which competing builders could submit priced tenders. Because all tenders were based on the same schedule of information, they could be easily compared so as to identify the best one. As a profession quantity surveying emerged around the 1820s with one of the earliest QSs being Sir Henry Arthur Hunt who was involved in work on the Houses of Parliament. After the fire in 1834 that destroyed the old Palace of Westminister Henry Hunt came up with an estimate cost of £724,984 (changes by Parliament put it up to £1.5m). 

The professional institution with which most English-speaking quantity surveyors are affiliated is the UK-based Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In Australia, the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) has over 4300 members, both domestically and overseas and the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS) a further 1300. Others are the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES). Those who are qualified members of the RICS are entitled to use the term "Chartered Quantity Surveyor" or simply "Chartered Surveyor".

The QS usually reports to Project Manager or Project Director and provides advice in the decision-making process throughout the management of a project from initial inception to final completion. The QS handles estimating and cost control, the tendering process and, after contract award, the commercial interface. QSs should be able to carry out estimating and measurement of construction works prior to tender, producing the bill of quantities; produce tender documentation and manage the tender process; clarify and evaluate tenders; and manage the resultant contract through monthly valuations, variations control, contract administration and assessment of claims.

Some QSs are trained in techniques of cost control. Those QSs who emphasise the cost discipline often use the term "Construction Cost Consultant". They ensure that projects are designed and constructed in such a manner as to secure value for money, cost certainty and programme dates.

Others emphasise contracts management. Trained to draft, interpret and administer complex contracts, those QSs who operate in the broader field of project management often adopt other titles such as "Contracts manager" or "Construction surveyor". A number of QSs work in procurement in the oil & gas industry, process and power industries, and civil engineering. Their preferred title, in countries where the QS profession is less known, is "Contracts engineer".

Some QSs specialise in project management and running multi-disciplinary projects, the QS background being a good foundation for understanding the complexities of modern large-scale projects.

As well as in professional quantity surveying practices, the QS finds employment in all parts of industry and government including primary and secondary industry, national and local government bodies and agencies, contractors and subcontractors, developers, and financial and legal companies.

Although all QSs will have followed a similar course of education and training (for those entering the profession today, this is usually to degree level), there are many areas of specialisation in which a QS may concentrate. The main distinction amongst QSs is between those who carry out work on behalf of a client organisation, often known as a "professional quantity surveyor", and those who work for construction companies, often known as a "main contractor's quantity surveyor".

The functions of a consultant quantity surveyor :

Traditionally referred to as a Contractors Quantity Surveyor (QS), Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) or Private Practice Quantity Surveyor (PQS) they are broadly concerned with contracts, measurement and costs on construction projects. The methods employed, however, cover a range of activities which may include cost planning, value engineering, value management, feasibility studies, cost benefit analysis, life-cycle costing, tendering, valuation, change control, dispute resolution, claims management, project management and cost estimation.

The QS's traditional independent role on the team comprising client, architect, engineer, PQS and contractor has given him a reputation and appreciation for fairness. This, combined with his expertise in drafting and interpretation of contract documents, enables him to settle issues, value the works fairly and regularly, project final costs, avoid disputes and ensure the effective progress of a project.

QS control construction costs by accurate measurement of the work required on a regular basis, the application of expert knowledge of costs and prices of work, labour, materials and plant required, an understanding of the implications of design decisions at an early stage to ensure that good value is obtained for the money to be expended.

The technique of measuring quantities from drawings, sketches and specifications prepared by designers, principally architects and engineers, in order to prepare tender/contract documents, is known in the industry as taking off.The quantities of work taken off typically are used to prepare bills of quantities (BoQ), which usually are prepared in accordance with a published Standard Method of Measurement(SMM) as agreed to by the QS profession and representatives of the construction industry. This activity is usually completed before the commencement of work on site on a traditional (BoQ) project, the Contractor will then price this document in competitive tender and be paid according to a measure undertaken on site and applied to each specific work item.

In Australia, the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) is the peak body for the Quantity Surveying profession. All Members of the AIQS are assessed for membership against strict criteria, and must adhere to a Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct to ensure the highest standards of professional excellence. The AIQS website contains details of all members and is a useful source of information relating to the profession.

The benchmark for quality for a Private Practice Surveyor is the RICS's Chartered Membership MRICS & FRICS. The RICS also has the entry level non Chartered Membership AssocRICS. AssocRICS acts as a qualification in its own right however also offers a progressive route to Chartered RICS membership for able and willing candidates.

A number of surveyors who work with Contractors will not hold formal qualifications or RICS membership as in the past project based training was more widely undertaken and considered sufficient, this is slowly changing. Many of these surveyors will hold Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) membership instead.

QS is prevalent in many industries (not just construction) as they are procurement and contract specialists with the ability to adapt techniques to suit the form of contract or work being undertaken.

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What is Quantity Surveying ?

A quantity surveyor (QS) is a professional working within the construction industry concerned with building costs.

The profession is one that provides a qualification gained following formal education, specific training and experience that provides a general set of skills that are then applied to a diverse variety of problems. Predominantly these relate to costs and contracts on construction projects. Other areas in which QSs find employment include property surveys for hidden defects o n behalf of potential purch asers, running estates, valuing the mineral deposits for mining companies, selling property and even Leasehold Reform Act work.

There are around 75,000 professional QSs working in the UK.

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