A Quantity Surveyor is a person responsible for figuring what a construction project is going to cost. A quantity surveyor (QS) is a construction industry professional with expert knowledge on construction costs and contracts.
The area of contribution for a QS may include all of the following:
The area of contribution for a QS may include all of the following:
- Scrutinizing and study of total drawings of the project
- Preparing the items of works based on the class of structure i.e a residential building, a commercial structure, a school etc
- Preparing the BOQ with each and every item of work with detailed quantities.
- Rate analysis for each and every item of work based landed prices at the location of the site.
- Preparation of BOQ based on specifications laid down by Architects and Consulting Structural and MEP engineers.
- Preparation the total budget of the project in question.
- Placing the budget before the management for fine tuning and approvals.
- Once the budget is approved by management, then it should be linked to the schedule for enabling of procurement of man, machinery and materials as per the desired time.
- Next is the preparation of the tender document in consultation with the contracts department.
- Approval from the management after tender preparation for sourcing of the contractors/vendors etc.
- Issue of tenders and inviting the sealed bid from contractors.
- Clarification meeting if required in connection with the tenders
- Once filled up tenders are received, then a comparative statement is prepared with L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 ( L refers to lowest so based on the final cost the numbering is given)
- Procurement advise and assistance during the tendering procedures
- After the comparative a round of site, visits is planned to ascertain the quality of works which is done along with the technical team.
- Once the technical team is satisfied with the contractor's previous works then the tenders are shortlisted based on the lowest to the highest value of the tenders.
- Then maybe one round or two rounds of negotiations are carried out thereafter the final 3 contractors and vendors are shortlisted and presented before the management for finalization of the vendor.
- Following up with the contract department for the issue of work orders/purchase order to the shortlisted vendors.
- Cost planning and commercial management throughout the entire life cycle of the project from inception to post-completion.
- Risk management and calculation
- Reconciliation of items of work on a monthly basis and reporting to the project manager for his analysis and review.
- Advice on contractual disputes, Assistance in dispute resolution
- Asset capitalization
- Assessing the additional costs of design variations
- Estimating
- Monitoring Budget on quarterly, half yearly and yearly basis and presenting the variations if any to the management.
- Preparation of Payment Invoice and certification and processing for payments to the vendors.
- Assessment of variations, Interim valuations, and payment assessment
- Preparing feasibility studies wherever required and as called for by the management.
- Cost control
- Value engineering
- Advice on cost limits and budgets
- Whole life cycle costing
- Valuation for insurance purposes
- Preparation of final account
- Provide procurement and contractual advice
- Provide 'Order of Magnitude' costs for construction projects
- Refine, monitor and control costs during design development
- Identify cost-risks in tender returns
- Estimates tenure of the project
- Checking the retention amounts every bill cycle and final settlement with contractors at the time for final bill as per the retention period.
- These are some of the major roles of the QS at construction sites if any point is missed out then request all our learned friends in the fraternity to contribute for information to all.
