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What Are The Duties Of A Quantity Surveyor?

Duties of a quantity surveyor.

What are the duties of a quantity surveyor … well, a quantity surveyor can wear many different hats during the construction of a project. The term “quantity surveyor” is like an umbrella phrase that covers many different duties that they may conduct over the course of the job.

If you want to know a little more about what a quantity surveyor is then please go back and read my last blog post explaining this question.

What are the main duties of a quantity surveyor?

Let’s start by looking at one of the first duties a quantity surveyor (QS) in construction will perform which is a quantity or material take off. These duties require the QS to use the design drawings to measure the number of quantities that will be required for the project.

As an example, how many bricks, concrete, and steel might be needed.

The duty of the quantity surveyor during the measurement process is to produce a bill of quantities in a methodical way. Skill and accuracy during the measurement phase are crucial to the correct budgets being allocated in the next stage.

Quantity take-off is essential to the second duty a quantity surveyor will be required to do which is estimating. Estimating use takes the quantities to build up the pricing for the project.

For instance, if we need 10 cubic meters of concrete and the cost is $ 100 per cubic meter of concrete then the cost of the concrete will be $ 1,000 for the job.

During estimating the duty of the quantity surveyor is to make sure they have covered all the materials, plant and labour within the estimated rates for the project. This step is essential for business and project profitability.

Finding the correct market rates for the quantities is called procurement which is another very important duty of a quantity surveyor. This duty is the sourcing of pricing for the materials or packages of works from the market in order to put the total cost of a project together.

What this may entail is dissecting the project work packages as mentioned above. So, as an example, sending the plumbing works to the plumbing companies or maybe the carpentry package to a carpentry company. These companies will then return their price or quote to complete the work on the job.

During the estimating stage is again crucial to the profitability of the project to capture all costs for plant, labour, materials, overheads, insurances, and bonds. This cost can really amount to a lot of money. The skill of doing really lies in the experience of the estimators and the quantity surveyors.

Duties of a quantity surveyor.

In procurement writing, detailed scopes of works that clearly outline and identify the boundaries of the work packages are critical to the success of the project. This will help reduce the number of disputes and delays within the project.

These scopes of works, which is usually a quantity surveyors’ duty, are used in putting together the contracts for a project which is our next duty to look at.

Contracts are what bind the client and the company or person providing the product or service.

As an example, a contract may be with the homeowner and the builder for which the builder is going to provide the product and services required by the owner for a fee. It may also be between the builder and supply for the supply of the concrete as mentioned above.

The duty of the quantity surveyor when it comes to the project contracts is to make sure the right contract is selected for its intended use. So, in terms of the material supply, a materials supply contract might be required.

Other contracts might be a major works contract for the works to be completed by the builder.

Duties of a quantity surveyor in construction.

The negotiation of these contracts can be simple or sometimes very complexed depending on the scope of the works we discussed above. The quantity surveyor’s duty would be to go through the terms and conditions of the contracts and make sure both parties are happy prior to signing.

During this process, it is the QS’s duty to make sure their employers’ best interests are kept in mind during the negotiations.

Certain terms and conditions in contracts may be set up to protect one party but not the other which would mean they are seemingly unfair to the smaller party. These clauses are generally the ones that take the must negotiations between the parties.

If an agreement cannot be made, then one party may walk away from the project. The duty would be to prevent that but sometimes it can not be presented to the party’s business interests.

Poorly negotiated contracts can cause various disputes, delays, and disruption to the project which is not good for anyone. So due time and care must be taken during this stage as once the contracts are signed, they become legally binding on all parties.

Once the contracts have been signed and executed the project can begin which leads us to the duties during the project.

During the project, the duty of a quantity surveyor maybe called a contract administrator. Once the contracts are signed and the work in underway, the contract will have certain deadlines that must be met.

The administration is again an important duty as it will help the project flow with minimal disputes between the parties. The QS’s duty is to make sure the contract is administered to the full effect for their employers’ benefits.

Once the project is completed the QS will have to finalise the contract, settle the outstanding monies, known as the final account and make sure the project is finished from a paperwork point of view. Generally, after the contract is finished the parties move onto the next project.

During the project and if disputes arise between the parties to the contract the duty of the quantity surveyor may be to assist with resolving these disputes. They would have a detailed and sometimes complexed understanding of the project. This means they would be able to offer advice and reasoning during the disputes.

Sometimes disputes cannot resolve by the QS. This would then lead the parties to use legal teams to argue the disputes which may end up in legal battles taking years to resolve. As a quantity surveyor, you may be called upon to give information or potential be an expert witness during these cases.

In order to minimise disputes, delays, disruption and cost escalation on projects it would the quantity surveyor’s duty to identify risks before, during and after construction to manage these risks throughout the life cycle of the project.

The duty of the QS would be to maintain a project risks register. The risk register would identify potential problems that may occur on the job, things like bad weather or a delay in a major supply item like a steel frame.

The register would focus on the risk and likelihood of the problem happening. There would then be a strategy to minimise the risk impact on the project.

Another and final duty of a quantity surveyor would be the help their client’s value manages the project. This means that the quantity surveyor would be tasked with finding alternative methods, products, supplier or builders for the project that are cheaper but retain the quality.

As an example, certain brands of paint may be cheaper than the top well know the brand, but the quality is the same overall.

The duty would be to advise their employer of this so that they can decide whether to use the product in the project at all. This important duty means that the client may have a high-quality project but at a reduced cost over.

So, let us take a refresh on the main duties of the quantity surveyor in the construction industry:

Material and quantity takeoff

Estimation

Procurement

Contracts

Dispute resolution and claims

Risk management

Value management

With the above bullet points, it is the main duty to be accurate in the information, reports, and advice that a quantity surveyor provides to their clients. In the next blog, we will look at the roles of a quantity surveyor in the various companies they can work for.

Companies such a client-side or practice quantity surveyor, a builders or contractors quantity surveyor, a subcontractor’s quantity surveyor or a few other types of roles they can play.

Source URL: https://measuremanage.com.au/what-are-the-duties-of-a-quantity-surveyor/

#quantity surveyor #quantity surveyors #quantity surveying #quantity surveying perth

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measuremanage-blog · 5 years ago

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What Does A Quantity Surveyor Do In Construction?

What does a quantity surveyor actually do?

What does a quantity surveyor do in construction is a widespread question we get asked all of the time. This blog should explain to you in detail what they do and for more information about the job read our other blog here on what is a quantity surveyor.

As a project stakeholder, you need to be sure your construction project is on time and on the budget, and that you’re getting the best quality for your money – but how do you achieve this? In a nutshell, you call in a quantity surveyor: a professional, whose job it is to ensure that you receive maximum value for your money.

Quantity surveyors will help you acquire premium quality materials and labour at the most cost-effective rates. From years of experience, they know that virtually any project can at any time be subject to unexpected costs, and they are there to keep things running smoothly whatever the situation.

Here’s a list of the main things a quantity surveyor would do during any construction project:

Quantity take-off

Estimation

Cost control and management

Contract Management

Risk management

Procurement

Project management

Let’s take a look at each one in isolation.

1. Quantity take-off – this is when a quantity surveyor uses drawings and designs to work out the amount of material and work items that need to be performed in order to complete a task. After measuring all the quantities, the quantity surveyor transfers them into a Bill of Quantities (BOQ). This is basically a shopping list. But instead of your groceries, it lists all the items that need to be completed in order to finish a task.

2. Estimation – once your BOQ is ready, an estimator can use it to build the rates in line with the list of quantities. So, for example, if the BOQ shows that there is 10m3 of concrete to be poured into a foundation, the estimator works out the cost of performing that task. This would include working out the cost of the concrete, the labour required to put the concrete in the right place, and the plant required to do the job.

3. Cost control and management – can occur at any stage during the project. As soon as a construction project has been initiated, the challenge of cost control and management starts, and with it comes another key role for our quantity surveyor. Controlling the cost from the very start is vital if the project is to be completed within a particular budget.

Having been involved in setting the budget for a project, the quantity surveyor must ensure that the budget remains realistic as the project progresses. Unforeseen hurdles can increase costs. The quantity surveyor’s job is to minimize these costs throughout the project. This can be achieved by allocating risks to other parties.

4. Contract management – The quantity surveyor may also act as a negotiator during the construction. For example, if a certain change in the project is likely to affect costs, the surveyor may negotiate with the party concerned and reach a mutually beneficial solution. Sometimes, if the owner is running short of cash, the quantity surveyor can work with the bank to acquire extra financing for the project.

5. Risk management – another important part of the construction that involves quantity surveyors. The ability to identify risks requires experience and knowledge of the challenges that have faced former projects. Identifying risks is a challenge in itself within an industry notorious for having so many.

The quantity surveyor must also understand and take steps to compensate for any impact the risk may have on the project. At the start of a project, the quantity surveyor would generally populate a risk register, which would be managed throughout the construction process.

When faced with absolutely unforeseeable risks – such as a key subcontractor going out of business – arising during the project, quantity surveyors have to manage as best they can.

6. Procurement – the purchasing of all the elements required in order for the project to go ahead. The quantity surveyor will generally be tasked with putting together subcontractor packages, scopes, lettings, and procurement schedules.

This includes preparing the correct project documentation and information to be sent out to other parties for pricing. Once the parties have submitted their tenders, the quantity surveyor reviews the prices and deals with any items that need clarification.

After reaching a decision on the best value for money, the quantity surveyor negotiates a contract with the winning bidder. This process can take from one day to six months depending on the complexity of the items being procured.

7. Project Management – This is where a quantity surveyor can really get a hold of a project and make sure that it runs properly. Project management makes demands on all the quantity-surveyor skills discussed so far.

A quantity surveyor is genuinely one of the most valuable members you can have on your team. An experienced quantity surveyor will have all the qualities needed in order to succeed in the fields listed above. Thus making them a valuable asset to any construction team.

Conclusion

As a quantity surveyor on a construction project, you are part estimator and part negotiator. It is therefore important to be an effective team player. Having strong quantitative skills helps candidates to prepare accurate budgets and reports that help stakeholders keep up to speed with project spending. With state-of-the-art construction projects being initiated in the year 2018 a quantity surveyor can play an effective role in the country’s economy.

Source URL: https://measuremanage.com.au/what-does-a-quantity-surveyor-do-in-construction/

#quantity surveyor #quantity surveying services #quantity surveyor services #quantity surveying

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