Pearson BTEC Levels 4 and 5
Higher Nationals in
Engineering
M odule N ame - Quantity S urvey ing P rac tic e
S es s ion N o 0 1 - Introduc tion
Lec turer N ame - Hes hara J ay awardhana (M s c , B .S c . (Hons ) QS , N C T , HN D)
Module – Learning outcomes
B y the end of this module s tudents will be able to:
Introduc tion to Quantity S urvey ing - T he role of the Quantity
s urvey or
T he ac tivities of a quantity s urvey or in the pre- c ons truc tion phas es
of a projec t
T he proc es s es of quantity s urvey ing during the c ons truc tion phas e
of a projec t
A c as e s tudy that c ons iders the role and ac tivities of a quantity
s urvey or
History of
Quantity
Surveying
An Overview of the E volution and Impac t of the
Quantity S urvey ing P rofes s ion
Origins of Quantity
Surveying (18th Century)
E volution in the 18 th C entury
Ancient civilizations, from the Egyptians
constructing the pyramids to the Romans’
architectural feats, relied on early forms of
quantity surveying to allocate resources
efficiently.
During the 18th century, roles involving
measurement, estimating, and cost control
began to emerge.
Individuals started taking on tasks that would
later be formalized under the profession of
quantity surveying.
Emergence in England
(Early 19th Century)
T he E mergenc e of the Quantity S urvey or
In England, the first firm of quantity
surveyors, Henry Cooper and Sons, was
established in 1785.
The first recorded usage of the term
"quantity surveyor" was in 1859.
Prior terms included "measure", "custom
surveyor", or simply "surveyor".
In 1802, Scottish quantity surveyors
developed the first method of measurement.
The Rise of the Profession (19th Century)
F ormal R ec ognition of Quantity S urvey ing
T he 19 th c entury s aw the es tablis hment of quantity s urvey ing as
a rec ogniz ed profes s ion.
T he indus trial revolution brought about s ignific ant c hanges in
c ons truc tion prac tic e and projec t c omplexity , leading to an
inc reas ed demand for profes s ionals who c ould manage c os t,
c ontrac ts and projec t financ es .
19 2 2 marked the public ation of the firs t S tandard M ethod of
M eas urement.
The Role of RICS (Founded in 1868)
T he R oy al Ins titution of C hartered S urvey ors (R IC S )
T he R IC S founded in 18 6 8 in United
kingdom, play ed a c ruc ial role in
s haping the quantity s urvey ing
profes s ion.
P lay ed a c ruc ial role in s haping and
profes s ionaliz ing quantity s urvey ing.
E s tablis hed profes s ional s tandards
and c redibility for quantity s urvey ors .
Global Expansion (20th Century)
E xpans ion of Quantity S urvey ing W orldwide
T he profes s ion expanded globally in the 2 0 th c entury .
Quantity s urvey ors began to play key roles in major
c ons truc tion projec ts worldwide.
T he role divers ified to inc lude meas urement, c os t
management, c ontrac t adminis tration, projec t management,
and dis pute res olution.
Technology and Modernization (Late 20th
Century to Present)
T ec hnologic al Advanc ements in Quantity S urvey ing
S ignific ant tec hnologic al advanc ements
from the late 2 0 th c entury onwards .
T he adoption of C omputer- Aided Des ign
(C AD), B uilding Information M odeling (B IM ),
and other tec hnologies .
E nhanc ed ac c urac y and effic ienc y in the
work of quantity s urvey ors .
What is Quantity
Surveying
QUANT IT Y
Implies , Amount, N umber, M eas ure
S UR V E Y OR
Denotes Ins pec tor, E xaminer, E valuator
● Quantity S urvey ing is a profes s ion
that involves meas uring and c os ting
the quantities of materials , labor, and
equipment required for c ons truc tion
projec ts .
Who is Quantity Surveyor?
A quantity s urvey or (QS ) is a c ons truc tion indus try profes s ional who
s pec ializ es in meas uring, c os ting, and managing the financ ial as pec ts
of building and infras truc ture projec ts .
T hey make s ure that s truc ture meet legal and quality s tandards . T hes e
s urvey ors are often involved at eac h s tage of a projec t.
T hey make s ure that a projec t does not exc eed its s et budget by
c ommunic ating with c lients .
T hey often vis it c ons truc tion s ites to monitor a projec t' s progres s and to
ens ure that c ons truc tion ac tivities fall under a pres c ribed budget.
What is
Construction?
C ons truc tion is a s eries of ac tion
c arried out by c ons truc tion
c ompanies and c ons ultants , whic h
produc es or alter buildings or
infras truc ture.
C ons truc tion ac tion are c omplex
interplay of people, equipment, tools
& materials c oordinated with eac h
other for s uc c es s ful management.
What is Project?
A projec t c an be s imply defined as an endeavor that involves
c ompleting tas ks to ac hieve an objec tive with a limited s et of res ourc es
and a finite timeline.
T hes e tas ks are c ompleted by a group of people known as the projec t
team, whic h is led by a projec t manager, who overs ees the planning,
s c heduling, trac king and s uc c es s ful c ompletion of projec ts .
B es ides the projec t team, projec ts require res ourc es s uc h as labor,
materials and equipment.
It involves defining and planning a s et of tas ks and ac tivities , as s igning
res ourc es s uc h as time, money , and pers onnel, and then exec uting and
monitoring progres s until the projec t is c ompleted.
The Construction Project
A projec t is defined, whether it is in c ons truc tion or not, by the
following c harac teris tic s :
A defined goal or objec tive
S pec ific tas ks to be performed
A defined beginning and end
R es ourc es being c ons umed
P rojec ts begin with a s tated goal es tablis hed by the owner and
ac c omplis hed by the projec t team. As the team begins to des ign,
es timate, and plan out the projec t, the members learn more about
the projec t than was known when the goal was firs t es tablis hed.
The 5 Phases
of a
Construction
Project
Who are involved in Project?
C lient/Owner - T he individual or entity who initiates the projec t, has
the final s ay , and financ es it.
Des ign T eam:
Arc hitec ts : R es pons ible for the overall des ign, aes thetic s , and
func tionality of the s truc ture, ens uring it meets the c lient' s
vis ion and building c odes .
E ngineers (S truc tural, C ivil, M ec hanic al, etc .): P rovide tec hnic al
expertis e for various as pec ts like s truc tural integrity , building
s y s tems (elec tric al, plumbing, HV AC ), and adherenc e to s afety
regulations .
Who are involved in Project?
C ons truc tion M anagement:
P rojec t M anager: Overs ees the entire c ons truc tion proc es s ,
ens uring it s tay s on s c hedule, within budget, and meets quality
s tandards .
G eneral C ontrac tor (G C ): T he main point of c ontac t for the c lient,
manages s ubc ontrac tors , overs ees daily operations , and is
res pons ible for the projec t' s overall s uc c es s .
S ubc ontrac tors : S pec ializ ed c ompanies hired by the G C to
handle s pec ific tas ks like elec tric al work, plumbing, roofing, or
exc avation. T hey may further hire their own s ubc ontrac tors .
Types of Quantity
Surveyors
E xploring the V arious S pec ializ ations within the
P rofes s ion
Types of Quantity
Surveyors
C ons ultant / C lient Quantity S urvey or
or P QS
C ontrac tor’s Quantity S urvey or /
C ons truc tion E s timator
M ec hanic al and E lec tric al Quantity
S urvey or
S ub T rade Quantity S urvey or
C ommerc ial Quantity S urvey ors
R es idential Quantity S urvey ors
P rojec t Quantity S urvey or
Consultant / Client
Quantity Surveyors
P rofes s ional Quantity S urvey or is a
quantity s urvey or who works direc tly for
a c lient or c ons ultant firm, rather than a
c ontrac tor.
T hey provide independent advic e and
expertis e to c lients , ens uring that their
interes ts are protec ted throughout the
c ons truc tion proc es s .
R es pons ible for preparing B ills of
Quantities , c os t es timates , and c ontrac t
adminis tration.
Consultant Quantity
Surveyors
P rovide expert advic e and
c ons ultanc y s ervic es to c lients ,
arc hitec ts , and c ontrac tors .
Involved in c os t planning, value
engineering, and ris k management.
M ay work independently or as part of
a larger c ons ultanc y firm.
Contractor’s
Quantity Surveyors
E mploy ed by c ons truc tion c ompanies
or c ontrac tors .
Foc us on managing c os ts , c ontrac ts ,
and proc urement for the c ontrac tor.
Involved in s ubc ontrac tor
management, progres s pay ments ,
and c ontrac t adminis tration.
Pre-Contract
Quantity Surveyors
S pec ializ e in the initial s tages of
c ons truc tion projec ts .
R es pons ibilities inc lude preparing
c os t es timates , tender doc uments ,
and bills of quantities .
Involved in feas ibility s tudies ,
budgeting, and advis ing on
proc urement methods .
Post-Contract
Quantity Surveyors
Foc us on the c ons truc tion phas e after
the c ontrac t is awarded.
M anage c os ts during c ons truc tion,
inc luding valuations , variations , and
c os t c ontrol.
E ns ure the projec t s tay s within
budget and handle final ac c ounts and
s ettlements .
Mechanical and
Electrical (M&E)
Quantity Surveyors
S pec ializ e in the c os t management of
mec hanic al and elec tric al ins tallations .
W ork on projec ts involving c omplex
M &E s y s tems , s uc h as HV AC , plumbing,
elec tric al ins tallations , and renewable
energy s y s tems .
P rovide expertis e in the pric ing,
proc urement, and ins tallation of thes e
s y s tems .
Construction
Project Managers
Quantity s urvey ors who trans ition
into projec t management roles .
Overs ee the entire projec t lifec y c le,
inc luding planning, exec ution, and
c los ing.
E ns ure projec t goals are met in terms
of time, c os t, and quality .
Dispute Resolution
and Claims
Quantity Surveyors
S pec ializ e in handling dis putes ,
c laims , and legal matters within
c ons truc tion projec ts .
W ork on preparing, defending, and
negotiating c laims related to c os t,
time, and c ontrac t terms .
Often work c los ely with legal teams
and may ac t as expert witnes s es in
arbitration or litigation.
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