Why use a Quantity Surveyer?

The quantity surveyor emerged in England at the beginning of the nineteenth century, although the firm of Henry Cooper and Sons of Reading was established as early as 1785. The Quantity Surveyor (QS), can also be known in the development and construction industries as a Construction Economist or even a Cost Manager.

The Quantity Surveyor is the financial consultant of the construction industry and his training and experience qualify him to advise on cost and contractual arrangements and to prepare tender procurements and contract documents.  He acts in conjunction with the architect, consulting engineers, other professional consultant and contractor to safeguard the clients interest.

The title quantity surveyor was reserved under the Quantity Surveyor's Act of 1970 for exclusive use by those who had obtained the necessary qualifications and experience prescribed under the Act.  In terms of it, such persons must register with the South African Council for Quantity Surveyors before they may offer their service as consultants to the public.

Quantity surveyors are required to comply with a strict code on professional conduct which includes responsibility to their employers or clients and to their profession having full regard to the public interest, conducting themselves so as to uphold the dignity and reputation of the profession and discharging their duties to their employers and clients in an efficient and competent manner with complete fidelity and without undue delay.

The range of services offered by Quantity Surveyors

Firms generally offer a wide range of services.  SVP specializes in and can provide you with the following services:

Standard Quantity Surveying Services:

• Initial budget and financial viability studies prior to detailed design
• Preliminary cost studies, comparing alternative materials and designed in terms of capital, operating, maintenance and depreciation costs.
• Monitoring and evaluating design as it evolves, to ensure compatibility with the clients budget.
• Advising on contractual arrangements and preparing tender procurement documents (these documents may or may not include bills of quantities, according to the circumstances)
• Investigating, checking and reporting on the suitability of submitted tenders
• Negotiating contract sums
• Cash flow predictions
• Cost management and reporting
• Valuation of work done during construction
• Determining final costs
• Settlement of final building costs with the contractor and sub-contractors

Other Services:

Many professional quantity surveyors are also experienced in providing the following specialist services:

• Acting as Project Manager
• Advising on property development
• Evaluating buildings, i.e. replacement valuations for fire insurance, risk management, value engineering, etc.
• Acting as Principal Agent
• Settling of disputes i.e. acting as expert witnesses etc.
• Assisting with fast track\turnkey construction projects
• Advising on maintenance programs and cost predictions for buildings and installations
• Full services for projects in heavy engineering, mining and petro-chemical industries

Quantity Surveyors Fees

The fees charged by professional quantity surveyors are commensurate with the work done for their clients and are base on the following options:

1. Percentage fee based on the tariff recommended by The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession.
2. An agreed percentage of the contract value
3. A time charge
4. An agreed lump-sum fee
5. Any other agreed fee negotiated between the client and the quantity surveyor

Advantages of Employing a Quantity Surveyor

How to select a QS

• Make sure they are a member of your country's Institute of Quantity Surveyors.
• Meet and discuss your project
• Discuss the range of services you require and if you don't understand the service, ask for an explanation
• Ask about the likely fees you will have to pay.  At this stage you will not get firm fee as the project parameters have not been determined.
• Make sure you feel comfortable and get the responses you want.
• Ask to look at examples of projects they have done and talk to former clients