David Thacker
No matter the size or scale of your project, a quantity surveyor will be a big help. Inside this guide, you can discover everything you need to know about quantity surveyors as well as the top 5 benefits that come with them. By the end, you’ll be ready to make the call.
Quantity surveyors have been around for a very long time. Believe it or not, they date all the way back to the 17th century when London was restored after the Great Fire. Since then, the role of a quantity surveyor has undergone some changes and ultimately adapted to modern requirements.
So, What Does a Quantity Surveyor Do?
Simple: a quantity surveyor is a professional with expert knowledge of construction and construction costs. Typically, a quantity surveyor will be hired at the beginning of a project (e.g., a home extension) to provide project management services, from cost estimations to timeline mapping. On top of this, quantity surveyors also ensure that legal and quality standards are met, which is extremely important in today’s industries.
Are Quantity Surveyors Expensive?
The fee that quantity surveyors charge depends on the following:
- The company you choose
- What is your specific project is
For example, an office refurbishment project will typically be much cheaper than a 2-year commercial development project. On average, though, you can expect to pay around 2% of the project value, which is impressive when you consider the benefits that come with using a quantity surveyor.
Do you want to discover the top 5 benefits? Then dive into the list below – you won’t want to miss a detail.
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Receive an Accurate Cost Estimation
From the word, a quantity surveyor will get to work on gathering information regarding the project, including:
- Materials
- Equipment
- Staff time
Once all of this information has been gathered, the quantity surveyor can provide you with an accurate cost estimation (e.g., £250,000). This enables you (the developer) to understand the feasibility of the project and what your budget will be moving forward.
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Save Money
As a direct result of this, you can save a lot of money thanks to the estimates (and cost-saving advice) provided by the quantity surveyor. Without a quantity surveyor, it’s incredibly easy to underestimate a budget and then start to spend recklessly. As a developer, this is something you obviously don’t want to happen, which is a why a quantity surveyor is so necessary!
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Tick all the Important Legal Boxes
Next, a quantity surveyor will ensure that you and your team meet the latest legal and quality standards. This means you’ll never have to worry about accidentally getting into legal trouble, such as failing to comply with proper health and safety measures.
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Arrange Staff Payments
Keeping track of staff payments can be quite difficult, especially when it’s a big construction project. Luckily, many quantity surveyors are experts at this and will arrange staff payments and settle the final accounts for you. This makes life easier for all parties involved in the project.
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Monitored Progress
During a construction project, it’s natural for things to change along the way. As a result, plans will need to be tweaked and altered to accommodate these changes. They’ll be no need to worry about this, though, as a quantity surveyor will monitor the progress of your project (from beginning to end) and provide you with updated estimates and advice as the project continues.
