A Building Quantity Surveyor oversees and regulates construction expenses from the initial planning through to the final stages, guaranteeing that projects remain financially viable while maintaining high-quality benchmarks. They serve as the financial foundation of a project, harmonizing costs, risks, and value throughout the entire construction process.
Roles and responsibilities at a glance
Financial Oversight and Cost Control
A Quantity Surveyor (QS) estimates, monitors, and verifies construction expenses from the initial concept through to project completion. By tracking expenditures, they ensure that the scope, quality, and timeline stay aligned with the budget, advising on necessary modifications.
Leadership in Procurement and Contracts
The QS develops procurement strategies tailored to the project’s risks, schedule, and market dynamics. They oversee the tendering process and provide guidance on contracts, ensuring that risks are fairly distributed and projects are delivered efficiently.
Assurance, Governance, and Compliance
Adhering to professional standards such as those set by RICS, a QS delivers independent cost efficacy checks and clear valuations. Their commitment to strong ethical practices, audits, and comprehensive documentation reinforces effective project governance.
Global Professional Landscape
Quantity surveying is governed internationally by professional organizations that maintain uniform qualifications and ethical standards. Despite variations in job titles across countries, the emphasis remains on achieving proficiency in cost management and professional conduct.
What Is a Building Quantity Surveyor? Scope of the Role Across the Project Lifecycle
A QS embedded from concept to completion
A building quantity surveyor works end-to-end across development projects—residential, commercial, industrial, and public infrastructure—within the construction industry and the building trade. Engaging a building quantity surveyor early improves financial feasibility and procurement outcomes, while sustained involvement through delivery supports cost control, contract administration, and compliance with governance. The QS acts as the client’s commercial interface with the design team and the contractor throughout the construction project.
Core competencies in measurement and valuation
A QS measures and benchmarks scope to produce accurate bills of quantities, develops the cost estimate, and maintains the baseline through subsequent design iterations. Competence in valuation of construction work, material cost forecasting, and market testing enables realistic pricing and timely budget insight. These skills anchor effective cost management and transparent payment certification.
Client representation and contractual advice
Representing the client’s financial interests, the QS provides contractual advice on procurement routes, contract conditions, and commercial risk allocation. They translate technical design into clear, biddable documents, advise on liabilities such as insurance requirements, and support negotiations to secure fair, firm, and deliverable contracts.
Pre-Construction: Feasibility Studies, Cost Planning, Risk and Value Management
- Financial Viability and Initial Cost Projections: A Quantity Surveyor (QS) evaluates a project’s feasibility by assessing the project scope, available funding, and anticipated construction expenses from the beginning. Preliminary cost assessments inform decision-making on whether to proceed and pinpoint major cost influences prior to finalizing the design.
- Budget Management and Total Cost of Ownership: The QS establishes and oversees detailed budgets to ensure that the design remains financially viable while preserving quality. Total cost of ownership considerations weigh initial expenditures against the long-term value derived from operation and maintenance.
- Risk Assessment and Value Optimization: A QS identifies and measures potential risks, allowing them to allocate suitable contingencies. Through value optimization, they enhance project scope and specifications to boost performance, longevity, and cost-effectiveness.
Procurement & Tendering: Bills of Quantities, Contract Strategy, and Bid Evaluation
Bills of quantities and tender documents
Measured bills of quantities and comprehensive tender documents convert design intent into a biddable, comparable work scope. Consistency of descriptions, measurement rules, and pricing schedules enables like-for-like evaluation across bidders and supports subsequent valuation of construction work throughout delivery.
Key tender documents and contract conditions
- Instructions to tenderers and tender forms
- Bills of quantities and pricing schedules
- Technical specifications and drawings
- Proposed contract conditions, amendments, and schedules
- Programme requirements, warranties, and insurance provisions
Contract strategy and tender management
The QS recommends the most suitable contracting model (e.g., lump-sum, design and build, CM, target cost) based on risk profile and market appetite. They run tender management processes—shortlisting, clarifications, addenda, and pre-award negotiations—while safeguarding probity. Clear contract management provisions are established to handle variations, payments, and claims efficiently.
Bid evaluation and recommendation
Using price, programme, capability, and risk criteria, the QS conducts balanced bid evaluation. Normalization clarifies exclusions and qualifications, while commercial risk registers track residual exposures. The outcome is a reasoned award recommendation that aligns value, deliverability, and contractual protection.
