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 QS find employment include property surveys for hidden defects on behalf of potential purchasers, 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.
History
The profession developed during the 19th century from the earlier "measurer", a specialist tradesman (often a guild member), who prepared standardized 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.The professional institution with which most English-speaking quantity surveyors are affiliated is the UK-based Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Others are the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Quantity Surveyors International (QSi) and Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) [1]. Those who are qualified members of the RICS are allowed 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. QSes 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, and assessment of claims.
Some QSes are trained in techniques of cost control. Those QSes 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 QSes who operate in the broader field of project management often adopt other titles such as "Contracts manager" or "Construction surveyor". A number of QSes 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 QSes specialise in project management, 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 QSes 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 QSes is between:
- Those who carry out work on behalf of a client organisation: often known as a "professional quantity surveyor", "professional QS" or "PQS", 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 Professional Quantity Surveyor or Private Practice Quantity Surveyor they are broadly concerned with contracts and costs on construction projects. The methods employed, however, cover a range of activities which may include cost planning, value management, feasibility study|feasibility studies, cost benefit analysis, lifecycle costing, tendering, valuation, change control, dispute resolution and cost estimation.The QS's traditional independent role on the team comprising client, architect, engineer, QS 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, avoid disputes and ensure the effective progress of a project.
Quantity surveyors control construction costs by accurate measurement of the work required, 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, 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. Many larger QS firms have their own in-house methods of measurement and most bills of quantities prepared today are in an abbreviated format from the one required by the SMM.
The benchmark for quality for a Private Practice Surveyor is the RICS' 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.
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 contractors 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.
Responsibilities and roles of staff of the construction site
Project manager
Project managers, also known as site managers or site agents, supervise and direct operations on a construction project to make sure it is completed safely, on time and within budget.
As a manager on smaller sites, you would often have full responsibility for the whole project. On larger sites, you may be in charge of a particular section, reporting to the senior manager.
Your duties would typically include:
Discussing plans with architects, surveyors and buyers before building work starts.
Planning work schedules for the job, using project management software.
Preparing the site by hiring staff, installing temporary offices and taking delivery of materials.
Working closely with the site workforce once building is underway.
Monitoring progress, costs and checking quality.
Making sure the work meets legal requirements and Building Regulations.
Reporting regularly to the client.
Quantity surveyor
As a quantity surveyor you would play a key role in a building project, a quantity surveyor (QS) is a professional person working within the construction industry. The role of the QS is, in general terms, to manage and control costs within construction projects and may involve the use of a range of management procedures and technical tools to achieve this goal.managing the costs from the early design plans right through to the building's completion. Your main priority is to make sure that projects meet legal and quality standards and that client get good value for money.
You could work on:
Housing and industrial sites
Retail and commercial developments
Roads, rail and waterways.
On most projects, your main responsibilities would include:
Carrying out feasibility studies to estimate materials, time and labour costs.
Negotiating and drawing up bids for tenders and contracts
Monitoring each stage of construction to make sure that costs are in line with forecasts
Providing financial progress reports to clients.
Advising clients on legal and contractual matters.
Acting on clients' behalf to resolve disputes .
Assessing the financial costs of new environmental guidelines, such as using timber from
Sustainable supplies.
You would use computer software packages to carry out some of these tasks, and to keep records, prepare work schedules and write reports. You might also deal with the maintenance, renovation and demolition costs once buildings are in use. Quantity surveyors control construction costs by accurate measurement of the work required, 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.
Building control officer
Building control officers, also known as building control surveyors, make sure that buildings meet construction regulations. These regulations cover areas like public health, fire safety, energy conservation and building accessibility.
As a control officer, you would work on the planning and construction phases of a building project. Projects could range in size from a small housing extension to a large city centre redevelopment.
Your key duties would include:
- liaising with architects, designers, builders and engineers on planning proposals
- suggesting ways to improve the cost-effectiveness of materials and energy use
- carrying out regular inspections at each stage of the building process
- maintaining records and issuing completion certificates.
You would also be responsible for surveying potentially dangerous buildings that have been damaged by fire or bad weather. If necessary, you could approve their demolition. Other responsibilities may include authorising entertainment licences, and checking safety at sports grounds, open-air events, cinemas and theatres.
On all projects you would have to take into account the implications of your decisions on contractors' time and costs. However, if you decided that a building project was no longer meeting regulations, you could start legal proceedings to change or stop the work.
General practice surveyors
General practice surveyors are involved in the management, valuation, buying, selling and development of land and property.
As a general practice surveyor, you could work in either the private or public sector. Your tasks would typically include:
- negotiating deals connected with buying, selling and renting property
- acting as an agent, buying and selling property and land on behalf of clients
- assessing environmental impact and economic viability of development
- valuing land and property
- compiling reports for purposes such as valuation for mortgages, rent reviews and investment potential
- advising on property values, land purchase, tenure issues and related legislation.
- development – working with other professionals such as town planners, architects, and highways and structural engineers to consider new developments and their financial implications
- management – managing property on behalf of a landlord, collecting rents, dealing with maintenance and repair and making sure tenancy agreements are followed
- investment – advising clients on buying and selling individual investments or managing large property portfolios
- Valuation Office Agency work – valuing property on behalf of the government, local authorities and public bodies for business rates, capital taxation, purchase and sale.
Building Surveyor
Building surveyors advise clients about the design and construction of new buildings and the maintenance, repair, renovation and conservation of existing ones. Clients can range from home owners to large commercial and industrial companies with property assets.
Your work as a surveyor would usually focus on three main areas – surveying, legal work, and planning and inspection. Your duties could include:
- surveying properties, identifying structural faults and making recommendations for repairs
- assessing damage for insurance purposes, for example as a result of fire or flooding
- assessing dilapidation liability (who is responsible for building repair costs)
- advising clients on issues such as property boundary disputes
- acting as a client’s advocate or standing as an expert witness during legal proceedings
- checking properties to make sure they meet Building Regulations, and fire safety and accessibility standards
- dealing with planning applications, and improvement or conservation grants
- assessing homes for energy efficiency and producing Home Condition Reports (see the profiles for Domestic Energy Assessor and Home Inspector for details about these roles).
Depending on the size of your company, you may cover all of these tasks, or you might specialise in just one.
Other duties would include supervising a surveying team made up of assistants and technicians.
Site inspector
As a clerk of works, or site inspector, you would oversee the quality and safety of work on a construction site, making sure that building plans are being followed correctly.
Your duties would include:
Performing regular inspections of the work on site.
Measuring and sampling building materials to check their quality.
Recording results either on paper or a hand-held PDA.
Identifying defects and suggesting ways to correct them.
Liaising with other construction staff, such as contractors, engineers and surveyors.
Monitoring and reporting progress to construction managers and clients.
You may also be responsible for supervising the workforce on the building site during a project.
Computer aided design (CAD) technician
As a computer aided design (CAD) technician, you would use software to create design plans for buildings and machinery in a wide range of industries, such as engineering, construction and manufacturing. You could work in 2D design, which is known as surface modeling, and 3D design – called solid modeling.
You would use surface modeling to draw a flat representation of a product, for example a design for a new motor vehicle. Clients could then see the plans and give feedback before engineers build and test a prototype.
In solid modeling, you would create a 3D display of a structure or component. Engineers can then use this, for example, to take a ‘virtual tour’ around the inside of a new building to plan where to fit electrical cabling, or to 'look inside' a piece of manufacturing machinery to see where improvements to parts could be made.
You would also use your designs to help prepare cost estimates on projects, and produce assembly instructions and maintenance manuals for installation, service and repair technicians.
CAD work could have different names depending on the industry, including:
Computer aided industrial design (CAID)
Computer aided engineering (CAE)
Computer aided styling (CAS)
Computer aided manufacturing (CAM ).
You would normally work in a small team, with each person working on a different part of a project under the guidance of a design engineer.
Architectural technicians
Architectural technicians and architectural technologists use their knowledge and expertise to make sure building designs are practical and useable. They work on domestic, commercial and industrial projects.
As an architectural technician you would support architectural technologists, architects and other professionals in the construction industry.
Your work would include:
Collecting, organizing and investigating technical information for use during project development
Preparing drawings
Creating plans
Developing specifications for construction work.
Using computer aided design (CAD) as well as traditional drawing methods.
As an architectural technologist you would have a broader range of skills than a technician, and would be able to set up in practice on your own. You could negotiate the construction project and manage the whole process from conception to completion.
Your work could include:
Assessing clients' needs
Collecting and analyzing technical data.
Advising on legal requirements.
Getting tenders and negotiating contracts.
Advising on materials.
Carrying out land and building surveys.
Making drawings for use on site.
Checking progress and inspecting completed building work.
You could also work with clients after construction, getting feedback and appraising the performance of buildings.
Civil engineer
As a civil engineer you would plan, design and manage construction projects. Projects could range from the relatively small-scale, such as bridge repairs, through to large national schemes, like the building of the new Olympic stadium.
Civil engineering covers several specialist areas of engineering, so you could be employed in any one of the following branches:
Structural – dams, buildings, offshore platforms and pipelines
Transportation – roads, railways, canals and airports
Environmental – water supply networks, drainage and flood barriers
Maritime – ports, harbors and sea defences
Geotechnical – mining, earthworks and construction foundations.
These branches can overlap, but in all areas, your typical duties could include:
Discussing requirements with the client and other professionals like architects, surveyors and building contractors
Analyzing survey, mapping and materials-testing data with computer modeling software
Drawing up blueprints, using computer aided design (CAD) packages
Judging whether projects are workable by assessing materials, costs, time and labour requirements
Assessing the environmental impact and risks connected to projects
Preparing bids for tenders, and reporting to clients, public agencies and planning bodies
Managing, directing and monitoring progress during each phase of a project
Making sure sites meet legal guidelines, and health and safety requirements.
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