Companies in industries like engineering and construction require the advice of experts in different aspects of their projects. Businesses in such industries have to keep a close eye on variables like costs, the methodologies used, material quantity and so on. It can be difficult to manage these aspects of a project if you are too close to it, and this is where quantity surveyors come in. In this article, we will look at the different roles they play in construction projects.
Preparing Bills of Quantity
A bill of quantity is a document that provides an itemised list of materials that will be used in the construction. It itemises not only equipment and material but also the estimated manpower required to complete a project. The bill of quantities is often presented as a quote estimate when companies are bidding for a project.
The bills of quantity are prepared by companies providing quantity surveying services. They are often prepared in a process that also provides an estimate for the cost of the project. These estimates are made from measurements provided by the project’s architect.
The bill of quantity is critical for the estimation of the cost of a project when taking into account the size of the walls and floors, the number of doors and windows, as well as different systems like plumbing and heating.
Helping with Procurement
Every construction project can be divided into program, design, procurement, and production stages. The procurement phase is where a client chooses a contractor to work on the project. They will then sign a contract before the project begins.
A quantity surveyor not only produces a feasibility study but also produces a cost estimate for any material to be procured. They work with the rest of the team to do this, ensuring their clients do not accept bids that are too high. By doing this, they help eliminate issues such as an increase in costs and delays.
Determining if Objectives Were Met
Quantity surveyors are also involved at the end of a project. At that stage, they do what is known as a life cycle analysis that helps them determine if the financial objectives we met. In other words, did the client receive the best value from their investment? To determine this, they look at the quality of the construction as well as its residual and disposal costs, maintenance reusability, operational cost and much more.
Preparation of Waste Management Plans
Every construction project produces waste. This is material that has no value and cannot be used in the project. These types of waste have to be disposed of properly to ensure they do not damage the environment. A quantity surveyor can be tasked with preparing waste management plans. They do this at the beginning of the project and continue to update these plans as the project continues. Once the project completes, the construction company might also ask for the plan to see if they are doing their part in protecting the environment while also following the law.
Quantity surveyors often do much more than people think they do. In construction projects, they help keep costs down, help with the procurement process and can also be involved in waste management before, during and after a project.
