The quantity surveyor is the person responsible for figuring out just what a construction project is going to cost. They have other roles too, especially making sure that construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible. Quantity surveyors have this title because they prepare a ‘schedule of quantities’ — estimates of the material and labour costs — that contractors’ tenders can be measured against. (However, contractors are not selected for cost alone.) The schedule is also called a cost estimate.

Other names for people employed with quantity surveying qualifications include estimator, cost engineer, cost manager, cost analyst, project coordinator, project cost controller and cost planner.

Quantity surveyor’s main roles are:

• Managing the finances for any kind of construction project, whether it’s a house, high-rise, bridge, or tunnel
• Working to keep the project on time
• Working to keep the project within the budget
• Making sure that construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible
• Resolving disputes between contracting parties.
• Preparing insurance replacement estimates for all kinds of buildings, including houses.

Learning Touch Points:
Content of course:

• Contract Management
• Finding quantities
• Finding unit rates

Contract Management:

• Administrative approval
• Technical sanction
• Tender notice and Tender Specification
• EMD, Security Deposit, Additional Security Deposit.
• Statutory documents
• Pre bid/ Technical bid Analysis
• Price bid Analysis
• Price escalation
• Price variation
• Supplemental Quantities
• Extension of time proposals
• Preparation of work bills
• Managing M-Book.

Quantities:

• Central line method and Individual wall method Quantities of Excavation
• Shuttering quantities
• Quantities of PCC and RCC
• RR Masonry, Brick work
• External and Internal plastering and painting
• Flooring, skirting and dadoing quantities
• Stair case quantities
• Steel quantities for different members viz. Foundations, columns, beams, slabs and stair case.
• Preparation of detailed estimate sheet

Unit rates:

• Using Data book and Standard Schedule of rates book.
• Preparation of item unit rates.
• Preparation of Abstract estimate for finding Estimated contract value (ECV) and other statutory taxes viz., Service Tax, Vat, EPF & ESI etc.