Quantity surveyor

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A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a construction industry professional with expert knowledge on construction costs and contracts. They are not to be confused with Land Surveyors or Land Survey Engineers.

Services provided by a quantity surveyor may include:

Cost consulting, cost estimating
Cost planning and commercial management throughout the entire life cycle of the project from inception to post-completion
Value determination
Risk management and calculation
Procurement advice and assistance during the tendering procedures
Tender analysis and agreement of the contract sum
Commercial management and contract administration
Assistance in dispute resolution
Asset capitalisation
Interim valuations and payment assessment
Cost management process
Assessing the additional costs of design variations
Production of company pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) documentation in line with company policies.
assist in establishing a client's requirements

Video Quantity surveyor

Traditional quantity surveying services

Cost estimating
Cost planning
Cost studies
Cost monitoring and controlling
Measurement
Contracts negotiation
Drafting contract conditions
Procurement advice including tendering strategy
Preparing Bill of Quantities (BOQ) and Tender Document
Contract practice
Valuation of construction work including variations
Assessment of contractor's claims
Contractual advice
Dispute resolution
Preparing feasibility studies
Advice on cost limits and budgets
Whole life cycle costing
Valuation for insurance purposes
Project management
Advice on contractual disputes
Preparation of final account
Preparation of final detailed BOQ

Maps Quantity surveyor

Professional duties

Pre-contract

Provide procurement and contractual advice
Provide 'Order of Magnitude' costs for construction projects
Refine, monitor and control costs during design development
Prepare contract documentation

Working in government institutions or public sector

Quantity surveying in the public sector has been put to use right from the early years of Postcolonialism as colonial administrations at the time were handing over control to the new sovereign governments. Major roles of quantity surveyors in public administration are;

Managing construction projects on behalf of the government to ensure that the project is completed on time and within the budget
Giving expert advice on contractual claims arising out of construction projects
Assessing the cost of reinstatement of buildings damaged by fire, war, looting, natural disasters etc and negotiating a settlement
Acting as an independent arbitrator in settling disputes