Roles And Importance Of Quantity Surveyors

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Bridging Course

Academic English for International Students

Assessment 2012/2013

1a. Academic Essay

The Skills, Roles and Importance of Quantity Surveyors in Construction Industry

By. Alagarajah Surenthan

No. 30

(22nd Feb 2013 to 26th Feb 2013)

Introduction

Construction Industry is one of the booming industries in the world since 1980s. Under the construction industry, there are so many types of professional and non professional workers are working as Engineers, Architectures, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Accountant, Technical Officers, Supervisors and Labours etc. It is unlikely that a project can be run successful in construction industry without having those workers.

Profession of a person who is working within the construction industry concerned with construction costs and contracts called as Quantity Surveyor (QS). In construction industry, Quantity Surveyors have more responsibilities than other workers. Therefore this essay analyzed the roles and importance of Quantity Surveyors in construction industry.

Roles, Skills and Importance

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional which regulates property professionals and surveyors in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations) published a report in 1971, according to that, the Quantity Surveyor’s role is "to ensure that the resources of the construction industry are utilized to the best advantage of society by providing, the financial management for projects and a cost consultancy service to the client and designer during the whole construction process".

After that, in 1991, RICS Quantity Surveying Division Declared a report, named QS 2000 -The Future Role of the Chartered Quantity Surveyor and determined the threats and opportunities which the quantity surveying profession may challenge namely, market changes, construction industry changes, changes in client needs and profession changes. (Willis, 1994)

Presence of Quantity Surveyors has the significant affect on the construction projects. In construction industry quantity surveyor’s works are categorized as:

Documentation contract

Tender valuations & procedures

Cash flow forecasting

Financial reporting

Interim payments

Settlement of contractual disputes

Project management

Preliminary cost advice

Cost planning

Therefore, Quantity Surveyor is the only man who responsible for all the parts of the financial sections. As a construction company their emphasis is earn more profits and complete project within given period. Hence, the main care of Quantity Surveyor is obtaining amount of capital, make securing flow of work and preventing losses.

Also their one of main duty is limiting the level of using money and supervising the way that it is being spent. Therefore, Quantity Surveyors have to show a detailed proficiency in terms of financing and economics and the financial efforts on especial type of construction projects.

One of reason is to occur financial crisis in construction industry is poor management in financial sector. Major collision of the financial crisis is falling salaries and job cut on the construction industry. Therefore, it is very important to control and administrate these key factors in order to recover the current crisis especially in the government sector of construction industry.

So the Quantity Surveyors have to play an important role with their knowledge and skills in construction industry. To do that, construction industry should have adequate knowledge and skillful Quantity Surveyors.

The RICS finds a range of skill and knowledge that the Quantity Surveyor wants to carry on in order to maintain its superior place in the construction industry. The needful knowledge includes:

"Construction technology

Measurement rules and conventions

Financial management

Business administration

Construction law

Management

Documentation

Analysis

Appraisal

Quantification

Synthesis

Communication" (Willis , 1994)

In construction industry, Quantity Surveyors are the main consultants for workers. Normally, Quantity Surveyors deal with mastery of projects in a large range size from very big to small works, also maintenance and monitor the works. It is no chance that a project can be successful without effective reasoned advices and efficient consultancies of a Quantity Surveyor. Quantity Surveyor influences on every period of the projects with his relevant core and extended competencies.

"The more skills of Quantity Surveyors such as project management and value management also help clients to achieve their need expectations". (Seeley, 1997)

Therefore completion of project on scheduled time and within determined budget is important especially in the government sector which deals with the big scaled projects and big amount of capital. Quantity Surveyors have this capability to secure success of the projects by their effective technical and financial advices and thus have vital contribution in economic recovery.

Conclusion

Quantity Surveyors have an important role to play in raising the ability of construction work and decreasing conflict by ensuring that the most suitable procurement method is appointed, providing effective cost control system and make certain value for money at all times. Quantity surveyors operate a large range of competencies outside the traditional quantity surveying activities.

Lastly, Quantity Surveyors have a significant role in developing the efficiency of controlling the construction projects by their knowledge of processes conjoined with project and management of their knowledge. Their skills in the field of legal policy, by the application of such techniques as tendering and early stage selection of contractor, all play a huge part in the survival of construction industry from the financial crisis.

References

RICS (1971) The Future Role of the Quantity Surveyor, London: The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Willis, C.J, Ashworth, and Willis, J.A (1994), Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, 10th ed., Oxford: Blackwell Science

Seeley, I.H. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice, 2nd ed., London: MacMillan Press Ltd

Davis Langdon & Everest (1991) QS 2000: The Future Role of the Chartered Quantity Surveyor, London: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

http://www.academia.edu/466357/Importance_of_Quantity_Surveyors_for_public_sector_organisations_in_the_prevaling_recession (Accessed on 06/03/2013)