SEHS 3290 Measurement, Documentation and Estimating

Assignment Questions

Individual Assignment

Assume you are quantity surveying trainee in a consultant firm in Hong Kong. The
architect has revised the entrance of a residential development and Type C Fence Walls
will be extended by 32m (please refer to SK-001 and SK-002). As an opportunity to
train up your measurement and billing skills, you are asked by your senior quantity
surveyor (SQS) to measure and bill the extension of fence wall. As it is the first time for
you to carry out measurement of fence wall, your senior QS asks you to refer to an
incomplete sample BQ, which is prepared by John, another junior colleague, as a basis
for preparation of the BQ.

Task A:
Point out the errors and suggest corrections in the BQ. You should also provide
justifications for your corrections.

Please note that your SQS has checked some of John’s measurement work already and
advised you that the quantities in item F, G, H, I, J and K are correct.

Task B:
Measure and bill the extension of fence wall
Your SQS reminds you the followings:

1. The quantities of reinforcement should be calculated by using steel ratio.

2. All excavation shall be commenced at the site formation level +1.0mPD.
3. No surface excavation is needed
4. You should consider the following items only:
 Excavation
 Concrete
 Formwork
 Reinforcement
 Finishes

You should also prepare a query list to the Architect to clarify any information provided /
not provided in the drawings (if any).

Note:
a. You must use dimension papers to complete the measurement task manually.
b. You must use billing paper to bill the items in a BQ format manually.

Deadline: 8:00pm, 15 March 2024 (Friday)

You must use the Assessment Form as the Cover page of your submission
Drawing: SK-001
Drawing: SK-002
Note:
 All dimensions are shown in millimeters
Name:
Student ID:
Programme: SUV / BEM FT / PT

Sample BQ prepared by John

Ref Descriptions Quantity Unit Rate $

Bill No. 5.5

FENCE WALLS (TYPE B)
A Excavate for fence wall footing not exceeding 1.5m 347 m3
deep

B Excavate for fence wall footing , 1.5-3.0m deep 400 m3

C Backfill selected excavated material around footings 496 m2

in layers and consolidation to make up levels

D Load and remove surplus excavated materials from 351 m3

site

E Concrete in 500mm thick blinding layer under fence 41 m3

wall footing

Reinforced concrete Grade 45/20D in

F Fence wall footing 437 m3

G Fence wall 88 m3

Formwork to

H Fence wall footing 448 m2

I Fence wall 1,176 m2

Deformed low yield steel bar reinforcement

J 13mm bars 38,000 kg

K 16mm bars 57,000 kg

L Spatterdash 1,064 m2

M 25mm cement and sand (1:3) screed on wall to 1,106 m2

receive ceramic tiles

100 x 300 x 10mm porcelain tiles (PT-1) bedded and

joined in cement mortar (1:3) on screeds (measured
separately) including colour cement grouting

N Top and sides of fence wall 1,206 m2

Group Assignment (5 groups of students in one Tutorial Group)

Question 1

“Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems have the potential to revolutionize

current practices and to automate the measurement of quantities from construction
drawings”

Evaluate this statement by scrutinising the relationship between electronic building

measurement system (e.g. BIM) and the roles of professional quantity surveyors in the
construction industry.

Question 2

Site visit during tender stage serves as a valuable opportunity to investigate the physical
conditions of the works. Discuss the information that may significantly affect the
estimate of a tender.

Question 3

Discuss the role of the quantity surveying profession in Hong Kong (or in your country /
region / geographical area), and evaluate the extent to which you believe that traditional
quantity surveying measurement skills can add value to a project and safeguard their future
business.

Question 4

Assume that you work in a quantity surveyor in an international hotel group. Your
Director has found that the construction cost of a five-star hotel in different regions /
countries are very different, given that the quality of the hotel is the same among various
countries. He has also noted that the Tender Price Index in the cost report of RLB has
been fluctuating in recent years. He is concerned about the changes in construction cost
in Hong Kong.

Discuss the reasons behind the considerable difference in construction cost of five-star
hotels in various regions / countries and the give an analysis on the changes in TPI in
Hong Kong in the recent five years.
Question 5

You work as a consultant quantity surveyor and your Associate Director has just issued a
Revised Estimate of an office development to the Employer (ABCB Development
Limited). The Project has been reactivated after being put on hold by the Employer since
your firm issued the Original Estimate in 2016. Your Employer’s representative, Mr.
Chris Wong, raised two questions in a meeting:

1. What are the cost changes when compared to the Original Estimate prepared in
March 2016? Give a detailed elaboration on the cost changes in various building
elements.
2. The height of the office tower has been a controversial issue to the Town Planning
Board. ABCB Development is exploring the possibility of building the office
tower into two separate blocks of equal height with an independent podium,
instead of one single tower, but maintaining the same GFA. Advise on the cost-
impact items flowing from this alternative and briefly recommend the
construction cost would be increased / decreased.

Lucky Plaza Office Development at Wai Chai (The Office Development)

Original Estimate dated March 2016
Construction Floor Area: 88,090 m2
Gross Floor Area: 715,806 ft2

HK$M Cost / m2 CFA

Demolition 6.00
Foundation 87.00
Podium (L1 to L3) 222.33
CFA: 160,90 m2
(comprising retail, main lobby, reception and M&E
plant room)
Office Tower (L4 to L39 office
floors)
CFA: 72,000 m2
Structure 176.04
Elevations (based on single glazing 288.36
curtain wall)
Architectural works and internal 226.80
finishes
Building Services 417.96
Lifts 10.00
1,119.16
External works, external drainage 8.25
and pavement
Open carpark 3.00
Preliminaries (10%) 144.58
Contingencies (5%) 79.52
Total (at Mar 2016 price) 1,669.84
 Lucky Plaza Office Development at Wai Chai (The Office Development)
Original Estimate dated January 2023
Construction Floor Area: 92,890 m2
Gross Floor Area: 715,806 ft2

HK$M Cost / m2 CFA

Demolition 7.38
Foundation 107.01
Basement wall construction 36.72
Carpark (basement floor) 22.60
CFA: 4800 m2

Podium (L1 to L3) 273.47

CFA: 160,90 m2
(comprising retail, main lobby, reception and M&E
plant room)
Office Tower (L4 to L39 office
floors)
CFA: 72,000 m2
Structure 216.53
Elevations 394.68
including (extra $40M for double
glazing curtain walls)
Architectural works and internal 278.96
finishes
Building Services 514.09
Lifts 12.30
1,416.56
External works, external drainage 10.15
and pavement
Preliminaries (10%) 187.39
Contingencies (5%) 103.06
Total (at Jan 2023 price) 2,164.34

Tender Price Index

2016 2023 2024

Q1 1,856 Q1 2,085 Q1 2,283 (provisional)
Q2 1,970 Q2 2,111 Q2
Q3 2,005 Q3 2,212 Q3
Q4 2,037 Q4 2,254 Q4

Deadline of written report: 8:00pm, one week after your group presentation