History of Quantity surveying

The quantification of building work for the purpose of payment and estimates is a practice which has
existed with people for many centuries.

From the earliest times people have needed some idea of what a new building project was going to cost
before they started working on it.

The Bible.

The quantity surveying profession dates to the bible (Luke chapter 14:28-30)

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if
you have enough money to complete it’

29 ‘For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you’

30 saying ‘this person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’

In ancient Egypt.

Throughout the construction of pyramids and temples, the quantity surveyor was called the ‘measurer of
royal works’ (captured by several writers such as Pliny)

Key tasks of the Quantity Surveyor have always been needed:

 quantity of materials needed (how much material do you need)

 cost of individual materials (how much will you pay for the materials)
 total costs (what will be your total spend)

Solomon’s temple.

A tabulated list of materials used is found in minute details in ancient manuscripts found in Jerusalem’s
Museum

In ancient times computation of quantities was done by mathematicians.

United Kingdom

Before 1666 (the Great fire of London) masons and other craftsman were paid by the day but because of
volume of work (after the fire) involved, it was agreed to be paid on completion.

Until the end of 17th century the practice was to measure and quantify work after completion.

The architect who was then responsible for the erection of buildings used to design the buildings and
prepare sketch plans. During these times and earlier, patrons of building were the noblemen, royals, and
the church.
He then employed several master craftsmen in various trades (carpentry, mason) to do the work. On
completing each master craftsman submitted to the architect his account, materials spent, and labour
employed for the job.

As the industry got more sophisticated and volume of work increased, it became complicated to account
value of money versus claims to the architect. Issues of wastage and extravagancies had to be clamped
down and architects refused to pay some bills.

The master craft man came up with an idea to employ one person to manage all the measurements and
accounting to the Architect.

To manage excessive claims the Architect also started employing their own surveyors to reconcile claims
from the master craft men.

The Industrial revolution in the 19th century, the volume of buildings increased, and the complexity also
increased.

Master craftsmen also evolved to general contractors responsible for the entire construction site, and ass
the economy became more monetary oriented, competitive tendering started, and under these
circumstances, it became usual for one measurer to prepare an accurate bill of quantities on behalf of the
tendering contractors.

RIBA (still referred to as the Institute of British Architects) was founded in 1834 and in 1850 the practice
of employing a single professional person was decided upon – still referred to as the measurer.

In 1871 a convention was held by the Royal Institute of British Architects where the following issues
were considered.

 Should the general practice of employing two surveyors are for the architect and the other from
the builder be amended.
 Should the quantities be prepared by the client’s surveyor and relieve the builder’s surveyor off
the responsibility of quantities
 Should there be a uniform system of quantity taking?
 Should quantity be part of the building contract?

After this convention, quantity surveying was recognized as a distinct institution and profession.

In 1904 the establishment of the quantity surveyors committee began to formally discuss and solve
problems to unify procedures and to establish a professional code of ethics.

In 1909 the Bill of Quantity was incorporated in the first standard form of contract. (Please note it is a
key document in the building contract to date)

Prior different surveyors used their own measuring methods and ways of describing building works. This
brought a lot of confusion in the preparation of bills of quantities and the whole profession at large.

There hence arose a need to have a common measurement convention with the objective of enhancing
communication.
In 1922 a set of rules and principles was put down in the standard method of measurement (SMM).
Quantity surveyors started operating on same principles and bills of quantities were prepared using
uniform rules.

Kenya

Imported to Kenya by the British

AAK was established in 1967 incorporating Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Town planners, Engineers,
Landscape Architects and Environmental design consultants and Construction Project Managers.

IQSK was established in 1994.

BORAQS was established in 1934 under cap 525 laws of Kenya.

Task – Print CAP 525 and familiarize yourselves

Find out – 1st Indigenous registered Architect and Quantity Surveyor by BORAQS.

Core practices

 Prepare tender documents

 Cost control and financial statements
 Valuation of interim payment receipts
 Valuation of variations
 Handling of contractual claims
 Settlement of the final account

Can be defined in three ways; pre and post contract, traditional/ evolved and as a member of the design
team, contractors’ team or client’s team)

The purpose of a bill of quantities

Pre contract

 Tender documents (enables contractors to tender at the same basis)

 Priced to give estimates of the cost of the target
 Can be used as a basis to reduce the tender

Post contract

 Provides a basis for valuation of interim certificates

 Provides a basis for valuation of variations
 Assists to order materials for work and for programming
 As a basis for the final account
 As a basis for the costs plan
 Basis for statistical information on building costs
  Becomes a contract document together with documents and conditions of contract

Traditional Quantity Surveying Roles

 Approximate estimates
 Cost planning
 Procurement advice
 Measurement and quantification
 Document preparations especially Bill of Quantities
 Cost control during construction
 Interim valuation and payments
 Financial statements
 Final accounts preparations & agreement
 Settlement of contractual claims

Evolved roles

 Investment appraisal
 Advice on cost limits and budgets
 Whole life costing
 Value management
 Risk analysis
 Insolvency services
 Cost Engineering services
 Subcontract administration
 Environmental services measurements and costing
 Technical auditing
 Planning and supervision
 Valuation for insurance services
 Project management
 Facilities management
 Administering maintenance programs
 Advice on contractual disputes
 Planning supervision
 Employers’ agent
 Program management
 Cost modeling
 Sustainability advisor
Role of Quantity Surveyors

As a member of the design team (Requirement – accuracy/ professionalism)

 Advice on estimated costs of proposed projects including preparation of feasibility reports

 Cost planning and cost comparisons, including giving cost effectiveness of alternative solutions
 Advice on form and preparation of contract documents
 Prepare bill of quantities from architects and engineer drawings
 Prepares valuations for interim certificates
 Prepares valuations for variation orders and site instructions
 Preparation and settlement of the final account

As part of the contractor’s team (Requirement - increase profit)

 Contracts manager
 Estimates, cost control, tendering, pricing
 Project planner on materials on site

Clients Quantity Surveyor (Requirement /Theme is cost control)

 Preparing approximate estimates in early stages of project formulation and giving advice on
alternative materials and types of construction and financial aspects of contracts.
 Cost planning during design stage to get best value so costs are distributed in the most realistic
way and figures kept within the client’s budget
 Examine tenders and priced bills of quantities
 Negotiate rates with contractors
 Valuing work in progress, advice on financial effect of alterations
 Prepare final account
 Advice on the financial and contractual aspects on claims
 Cost advice and information at all stages

What is a Bill of Quantities?

 A document which fully describes and accurately represents work to be executed in order to
establish its costs
 It gives a list of numbered items, each of which defines the precise nature and extent of work to
be done both in quantity and quality
 It sets out the items of work in a logical sequence and in a recognized manner, in order that they
may be readily priced by the contractor

Once priced the bill is like a cost model of the building works to be done.
In reference to the above, the list, the list of items in the bill of quantities is a matter of fact (hence
the independent QS) whereas the price attached to these items by the contractor is a matter of
expert opinion hence no two tenders are identical.

The purpose of a bill of quantities

Pre contract

 Tender documents (enables contractors to tender at the same basis)

 Priced to give estimates of the cost of the target
 Can be used as a basis to reduce the tender

Post contract

 Provides a basis for valuation of interim certificates

 Provides a basis for valuation of variations
 Assists to order materials for work and for programming
 As a basis for the final account
 As a basis for the costs plan, cost analysis work
 Basis for statistical information on building costs
 It becomes contract document together with drawings and conditions of contract.