The Quantity Surveyor, also known as a
Construction Economist, or Cost Manager, is one of a team of professional
advisers to the construction industry. As advisers, they estimate and
monitoring construction costs, from the feasibility stage of a project through
to the completion of the construction period. After construction they may be
involved with tax depreciation schedules, replacement cost estimation for
insurance purposes and, if necessary, mediation and arbitration.
Quantity
Surveyors work narrowly with Architects, Financiers, Engineers, Contractors,
Suppliers, Project Owners, Accountants, Insurance Underwriters, Solicitors and
Courts and with all levels of Government authorities.
Quantity
Surveyors get their name from the Bill of Quantities, a document which itemizes
the quantities of materials and labour in a construction project. This is
measured from design drawings, to be used by the contractors for tendering and
for progress payments, for variations and changes and ultimately for statistics,
taxation, and valuation.
At the
feasibility stage, quantity surveyors use their knowledge of construction
methods and costs to advise the owner on the most economical way of achieving
their requirements. Quantity Surveyors may use techniques such as cost
planning, estimating, cost analysis, cost-in-use studies, and value management
to establish a project budget.
During design,
the Quantity Surveyor ensures that the design remains on budget through cost
management. Essential additions are offset by identified other savings. On
completion of design and drawings, the Quantity Surveyor may prepare a Bill of
Quantities, which is issued with the specification, for use by contractors in
submitting tenders. The contractor's quantity surveyors/estimators generally
prepare tenders and may price alternatives for consideration.
During
construction, the quantity surveyors are called on to fairly value progress
payments at regular intervals. They will also value changes to design or
quantities which may arise by reference to appropriate Bill of quantity rates.
The contractors, Quantity Surveyor / Contract The administrator will have
prepared claims for progress payments and additional work.
When construction
is complete the quantity surveyor can produce depreciation schedules of the
various project components and advise on realistic insurance replacement costs.
In the case of construction disputes, the quantity surveyor is often called on
as an expert witness, and some Quantity Surveyors act as Arbitrators. Both the contractors
and owners Quantity Surveyors will be involved in this.
In addition to
new projects, Quantity Surveyors also use their skills in the refurbishment of
old buildings, alterations to existing buildings and insurance replacement
estimates. In public authorities they maintain cost statistics on a state or
nation-wide basis, and there are opportunities for academic careers in the
building disciplines.
Quantity
Surveyors must have orderly and analytical minds and be prepared to work to
very rigid time schedules. As decisions involving large sums of money are often
made using information produced by them they must be accurate in all aspects of
their work.
Quantity
Surveyors work in the private sector with consulting firms, in the public
sector mainly with the State Government Departments / Authorities, and
increasingly with Building Contractors, Financiers, Property Developers,
Project Managers, and Universities.
