[b]Greetings Nairalanders,

A popular saying goes thus,...He who fails to plan plans to fail.
Are you or your company planning to embark on a construction project? If you do not make adequate plans about the proposed cost and expenditure for that project and the best ways to go about starting and completing that project, given the peculiarities of your situation, you have already programmed that project to fail before it even started.

AVOID FAILED PROJECTS!

MAKE A WISE DECISION TODAY!

TALK TO A QUANTITY SURVEYOR TODAY FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ABOUT CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF YOUR PROJECTS! [/b]

[b][b]Greetings Nairalanders, hope you're having a lovely day.

Here's the 2nd topic that I'm bringing up for enlightenment and discussion on this thread. [Previously on this thread, I promised to explain in detail the services Quantity Surveyors can provide to clients and contractors. Due to their large number, I shall be bringing them up in batches as the days go by.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS

1) Project Feasibility Studies

The Quantity Surveyor gives professional advice to the client on how viable the project concept would be based on nature, location, expected return on investment, etc of the project. It is important to determine how feasible and viable a project is, especially if it is meant for investment purposes; if this is not done, the client may commence and complete the project and at the end, may not make adequate return on investment or even break-even.

2) Preliminary Cost Advice

The Quantity Surveyor prepares preliminary budget estimate based on available cost data of past projects and/or sketch plans provided by the architect to inform the client ahead of time of the likely financial commitment required to undertake the proposed project from inception to completion, so as to enable the client determine if he has available resources to complete the proposed project.

This helps the client determine the budget to complete the project and thereafter decide whether he can go on with the project based on the design/scope he has in mind or if otherwise, the scope of the project should be reduced, reviewed and revised.
[/b]

NEXT UP....Cost planning/Design-Cost Control; Choices of Procurement system....

Please STAY TUNED TO/FOLLOW/BOOKMARK THIS THREAD![/b][b][/b]

My brother, please kindly change your formatting.

Blue and Bold both strain the eye.

Well done OP!

My Father is a/an FNIQS and I can barely explain what quantity surveyors do I'm learning much here.

BuddhaPalm:
My brother, please kindly change your formatting.

Blue and Bold both strain the eye.

Okay, I'll do that going forward.

Thanks.

olumide4christ:


That's quite funny and interesting!!

I meant barely there.

I have a question - Between the Architect, Engineer and Quantity surveyor, which of them have the most stressful work?

Good job professional colleage. I'm impressed with the way u're educating nairalanders n others about the profession. Well done.

Kudos olumide4christ, please can you give me an estimated cost of laying a foundation of a storey building ( 4 nos of 2 bedroom flat each, 2 flat up and 2 down

homesteady:


I meant barely there.

I have a question - Between the Architect, Engineer and Quantity surveyor, which of them have the most stressful work?

[b]Hmmmn, very interesting and controversial question... Let me see how best to answer you.

Well, generally, the work of all consultants are stressful, none is less stressful than the other. The architect and engineer spend days, weeks or even months (depending on the magnitude of the project) designing, reviewing and redesigning the buildings architecturally and structurally. The quantity surveyor also spends days or weeks computing bills of quantities and contract documents. All these activities are mentally and physically challenging.
However, if we consider the entire duration of the project, the Architect and Quantity Surveyor spend more time on the project i.e. they stay on the project till the end while the structural engineer's work ends when the all structural elements (carcass) of the building and external works are completed. The only engineer that remains till the end of the project is the Mechanical & Electrical engineer due to the need for monitoring of the plumbing and electrical installations. Infact, after the carcass is completed, the finishing stage commences and here, the Architect is required to be more frequent on site in order to ensure that specifications are adhered to.
The Quantity surveyor stays back at the end of the project to reconcile final accounts with the contractor.
Therefore, the work of all consultants are stressful, just that at different stages of the project, some are more involved than other.

I hope I have been able to answer your question. [/b]

Omonomose1:
Kudos olumide4christ, please can you give me an estimated cost of laying a foundation of a storey building ( 4 nos of 2 bedroom flat each, 2 flat up and 2 down

@Omonomose, Thanks for your enquiry.

I have answered a similar question like this asked earlier in this thread.

It all depends on your design, location, topography of your site and a host of other factors; all these factors can increase or decrease the cost of your project and information about them will also help the QS to make accurate estimates.

I'm sorry I can't give you even an estimated figure now because I don't even have your dimensioned drawings or even a floor plan. Only with that, alongside some other required specifications can we determine what it will cost to complete your foundation. Its done scientifically and not arbitrarily. So, your drawing (floor plan at least) is required.

I have planned soon to discuss a topic on this thread on "Factors that determine accuracy or otherwise of estimates of building projects" - which would major on the issue mentioned above and others.

Regards.

Good job @op for this educative thread. I'm a level two student in ABU Zaria, QS dpt. It's my pleasure meeting you here sir.

[b]Greetings Nairalanders,

SERVICES PROVIDED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS (CONTINUED)


3) Cost Planning and Design/Cost Control

The Quantity Surveyor utilizes data obtained from budget estimates and gives advice to the architect during the design stage, such that the projected cost of the architect's final design would be within the client’s proposed budget. This service is necessary because it is common for architects to make so many inputs into a design such that the cost of the project if it is to be built, would far exceed the client's budget.
Since we know that every client has a budget, it is essential to advise the architect on the client's behalf on the magnitude of the design of various constituents of the project and cost-saving alternatives that can be designed, such that the cost of the final design would be within the client's budget.

4) Advice on choice of procurement system/method

Procurement system is the procedure or processes which a client decides to deploy or use in carrying out the construction of the project. The Quantity Surveyor gives the client professional advice on which procurement system best suits the proposed project vis-à-vis the peculiarities of the project which could include client's budget, scope of the project, time frame of the project, etc.
Examples of procurement systems are traditional, design and build, direct labour, labour-only contract, turnkey, etc.
The peculiarities of the project, as mentioned above, go a long way in determining which procurement system best suits a particular project and the Quantity Surveyor, based on experience and training, is best positioned to advise the client on the best option.

NEXT UP....Preparation of Bills of Quantities & Material Schedules ;Preparation of Contract Documentation ....

Please STAY TUNED TO/FOLLOW/BOOKMARK THIS THREAD![/b]

[b]SERVICES PROVIDED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS (CONTINUED)

7) Tender/Bid Analysis and Reporting

The Quantity Surveyor is trained to, on behalf of a client, thoroughly analyze tenders (quotations or priced bills of quantities) submitted by prospective contractors for the purpose of awarding the construction of a project to a successful contractor and submit a report on this analysis to the client. This is usually done when the traditional method of procurement is being used to carry out the project construction, which involves inviting one or more contractors to tender/quote for a proposed project using a prepared bill of quantities and choosing a successful contractor based on some parameters.

Bid Preparation (Estimating, Pricing of Tender Bills of Quantities)

The Quantity Surveyor primarily provides this service for contractors. This involves building up of all-in unit rates based on current prices of materials, plant/equipment hire rates, labour rates and thereafter, inserting such rates in blank bills of quantities previously given to a contractor by a client or his representative, for the purpose of submitting tender/quotations for a proposed project, within a specific period of time.[/b]

homesteady:


I meant barely there.

I have a question - Between the Architect, Engineer and Quantity surveyor, which of them have the most stressful work?

In my own opinion Civil Engr (mind you I'm a qs)
@Olumide, good job, you should be a lecturer

[b]Greetings Nairalanders, hope you're having a nice weekend!

SERVICES PROVIDED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS (CONTINUED)

9) Tender Negotiations

The Quantity Surveyor has the requisite numerical and bargaining skills to successfully negotiate contracts, prior to contract award, with clients or contractors during tender negotiation meetings, depending on who they are representing. In tender negotiations, Quantity Surveyors can provide services in two (2) major forms:
 To represent the interest of a client, in which case they may function as an independent consultant or in-house quantity surveyor in the client’s company. Here, the Quantity Surveyor is in an authoritative position and employs various measures to obtain the best bargain from the contractor.
 To represent the interest of the contractor, in which case they may function as an independent consultant to the contractor or in-house quantity surveyor in the contractor’s company. The Quantity Surveyor’s aim here is to provide a more competitive bid over and above other contractors, such that will win the contract for the contractor, obtain a good bargain from the client that will result in optimum profit for the contractor, in the long run.[/b]