ROLE OF THE QUANTITY SURVEYOR

The Services of the Chartered Quantity Surveyor, published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, summarises the work of the quantity surveyor in connection with building contracts as:

A construction cost adviser who, by virtue of his specialist training and experience, has developed knowledge of construction economics which enables him to:

1. Advice on what a project would cost. 2. Advice on what size and standard of structure can be erected for any given expenditure. 3. Advise on the economics of a project and the preparation of a budget. 4. Co-operate with the designers to ensure that a building can be erected within an approved expenditure.

5. Advise on tendering procedures and contractual arrangements. Prepare documents for obtaining tenders and arranging a contract. 6. Exercise control during the construction so that the cost is not exceeded without authority. 7. Act with the Architect or Engineer to ensure the financial provisions of the contract properly interpreted and applied so that Clients financial interest is safeguarded and the builder is paid a proper price for the work. that are the that

The Quantity Surveyor should have a good knowledge and understanding of the provisions in the standard forms of contract, as most of them are related to financial matters and also he must be able to apply those provisions in a proper & professional manner. It is the duty of a Quantity Surveyor to prepare contract documents, which required particular care and attention. The Quantity Surveyor should be fair and reasonable to both sides when performing his duties during a project as it relates to financial matters.

As a Quantity Surveyor, he should act upon the terms of the contract and all actions taken by him should be within the scope of those terms. The Quantity Surveyor does not have any authority to vary the provisions in a contract although they are disadvantageous to both parties in its practical application. Even a Quantity Surveyor employed by a contractor is equally governed by the terms of the contract although his prime responsibility and loyalty is to his employer. To sum up, whether the Quantity Surveyor is employed by a client or a contractor he should perform his duties in a professional manner.

Functions of the Quantity Surveyor

A clients or a consultants Quantity Surveyor performs a variety of functions at different stages as listed below.
At pre-contract stage:
a). Preparation of approximate estimates of costs at the design stage and giving advice to the design team on alternative materials and types of construction and also the financial aspects of contracts. Cost planning at the design stage to ensure that the client gets the best value for his money. Taking out quantities from drawings and preparation of bills of quantities.

b). c).

At pre-contract stage:
a) Preparation of approximate estimates of costs at the design stage and giving advice to the design team on alternative materials and types of construction and also the financial aspects of contracts. Cost planning at the design stage to ensure that the client gets the best value for his money. Taking out quantities from drawings and preparation of bills of quantities. Preparation of tender documents and calling for tenders. Tender evaluations and preparation of tender reports. Negotiations with contractors on negotiated contracts. Giving advice on the best form of contract for a specific project.

b)

c)

d) e) f) g)

Post Contract Duties:

a) b) Preparation of contract documents for signatures of both parties. Preparation of schedules of Rate of Spend during the construction period & advising on payments to the contractors giving dates and amounts. Preparation of interim valuations and recommending for payments. (In Sri Lanka, checking valuations submitted by contractors and recommending for payments.) Valuing variations and advising on the financial effect on them. Advising on the financial and contractual aspects of contractors claims. Preparation of cost analyses and giving cost information at all stages of the contract.

c)

d) e) f)

After Construction:

Preparation of final accounts and agreeing the totals with the Contractors Quantity Surveyor

The duties of a Contractors Quantity Surveyor differ from that of a clients/consultants quantity surveyor and are given below.
In a small company Quantity Surveyors duties will be:

a)

Preparation of bills of quantities for contracts based on drawings and specifications.

b)
c)

Preparation of interim statements for payments. (In Sri Lanka only)

Collection of information of the various operations and under which conditions they occurred, which can be used for future estimates.

d)

Preparation of lists of materials for projects in hand using bills of quantities or working drawings.

In a small company Quantity Surveyors duties will be:

(Contd.)
e) f)

Assisting the contract manager to prepare construction programme, progress charts etc. Making application to the Architect for conformation of verbal instructions given at site.

g)
h)

Preparation and agreeing on domestic sub-contractors account.

Assisting the contract manager to control the costs of the project.

In large companies:

The contractors Quantity Surveyor does not perform all the functions listed above as different branches handle specific activities.