What does a Quantity Surveyor do?

 Advising on the potential of a site and working out what a client can
afford to build, often termed ‘feasibility’.
 Presenting detailed information on the cost of particular elements of
work on a periodic basis to enable payment for those works carried out to
date. This process is known as ‘valuations’.
 Organising the division of a project into its component work packages,
then awarding these work packages to smaller, more specialised
construction companies (known as subcontractors) and, in that process,
finding out who offers the best deal.
 Dealing with contractual and legal matters.
 Managing costs to make sure that the initial budget isn’t exceeded.
 Arranging staff payments and, at the end of a job, settling the final
accounts.
 Acting as financial advisors and monitoring progress for the client.

DIFFREENT WEBSITE

What does a surveyor do?

As the construction industry grows, more and more skilled roles are becoming available,
especially in positions like quantity surveyor. Quantity surveyors are responsible for the
cost of any building project - from initial estimates, right through to the final acquisition
of materials. Surveying jobs and their associated roles are varied - but focussed on
providing clients value for money while adhering to the strict regulations which govern
every aspect of the construction industry.

The day to day responsibilities of include roles inside the office, on the construction site -
or in meetings with clients and other project personnel. While the very nature of
construction work ensures no two projects are ever the same, a typical work day might
involve:

 preparation of contracts, including details regarding quantities of required 

materials
 on-going cost analysis of maintenance and repair work
 feasibility studies of client requests
 analysing completed work and arranging payment to contractors
 allocating upcoming work to contractors
 site visits, assessments and projections for future work

Quantity surveyors may choose to specialize in a specific area of the construction

industry - and focus on areas like property taxation, costing advice, maintenance of
existing buildings and application to funding sources.

Educational requirements
A quantity surveyor must hold an appropriate qualification, either a relevant university
degree or a professional accreditation from the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors.
Relevant university courses include those in surveying, construction and civil and
structural engineering. The RICS website hosts a list of university courses which
applicants can choose from to begin their path towards a career in quantity surveying.
Each undergraduate course takes from three to four years of full time study to complete.

Graduates of degrees outside the RICS' approved list have the option of taking a
postgraduate conversion course to transfer their existing qualifications into the
construction industry. Postgraduate conversion courses normally take a year of full time
study to complete.

It is possible to move into an associated role in surveying without a RICS accredited

degree. Technical surveyors, for example, are well placed to transfer their skills into a
quantity surveying role but will still need to complete a degree for a professional position
in that discipline, possibly over a period of part time study.

Starting positions in quantity surveying normally come with annual salaries of £20,000 to
£25,000. Experienced surveyors can expect to see this amount rise over the course of
their careers to anything from £30,000 to £45,000. In the trade's most senior positions,
quantity surveyors may attain salaries reaching £50,000 to £60,000 a year.

Skills required

Becoming a surveyor is about more than having the relevant academic experience.
Employers will expect applicants to be excellent communicators and possess impressive
numeracy skills to handle the financial and mathematical demands of the role. Given the
demands of the construction world and its frequent challenges, you should demonstrate
innovative approaches to problem solving and an ability to negotiate across the various
levels of any construction environment.

Obviously, a passion for the construction trade and knowledge of the wider industry are
qualities which should make employers take notice - prospective quantity surveyors can
keep themselves appraised of industry developments through various trade publications.
Work experience is also highly valued - prospective and current students may be able to
seek out roles on construction sites or with quantity surveying firms, who offer structured
placements designed to help applicants find their path into the industry.

ROLES OF A QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Prepares the bills of quantities

Approximates the estimate of costing in every stages of the formation of the

building project.

He plans for the client so that he gets the best value of his/her money for any
construction projects to be carried out ( cost planning)
Examines, the tenders and prices of the BOQ and reports his findings to the
architect

Negotiates with the contractor the desired amount to pay to him for the contract

Advices the client on the selection of the contracton

Values work in progress and recommends payment to be made to the contractor.

(valuation)

Advices on financial aspects of the contract valuation( Cost advise)

Prepares the final account when the contractor finishes the work

He prepares the tender documents

Advises on the form of contract

DIFFREENT WEBSITE

The quantity surveyor is the person responsible for figuring out just what a
construction project is going to cost. They have other roles too, especially making
sure that construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible.

Quantity surveyors have this title because they prepare a ‘schedule of quantities’ —
estimates of the material and labour costs — that contractors’ tenders can be
measured against. (However, contractors are not selected for cost alone.) The
schedule is also called a cost estimate.

Other names for people employed with quantity surveying qualifications include
estimator, cost engineer, cost manager, cost analyst, project coordinator, project
cost controller and cost planner.

Quantity surveyors’ main roles are:

•                    managing the finances for any kind of construction project, whether it’s a
house, a high-rise, a bridge, or a tunnel
•                    working to keep the project on time
•                    working to keep the project within the budget
•                    making sure that construction costs and production are managed as
efficiently as possible
•                    resolving disputes between contracting parties.
•                    preparing insurance replacement estimates for all kinds of buildings,
including houses.
Insuring your house

DIFFREENT WEBSITE

Standard quantity surveying services

According to A Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) the
standard services that can be provided by a professional quantity surveyor are:

Financial viability studies and the initial budget planning prior to the detailed
design to establish whether the project is feasible in terms of the client’s
financial budget;

Preliminary cost studies and comparing alternative designs and materials in

terms of operating and maintenance costs;

Monitoring the design as it evolves to ensure it stays within client’s budget;

Preparing tender documentation for pricing by contractors and advising on

contractual arrangements;

Evaluating the submitted tenders and reporting on the suitability thereof;

Negotiating the contract sums with the individual contractors;