# Quantity Surveying Services



## kkelliher (4 Jul 2007)

hello all

I would welcome peoples perceptions of quantity surveyors and the services on offer. 

If you have used them how did you get on, would you recommend to others.

If you have not what would make you interested, what service do you think you would like.

As a quantity surveyor I am interested in what people would like to be offered. Quantity Surveying is very benifical to all builders (professional, self builder etc etc) but it appears that most people dont know what they do. How can we change this. Everyone knows what an architect does but most dont know what a QS does?

I would welcome comments.

Regards

keith


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## sydthebeat (4 Jul 2007)

kkelliher said:


> Everyone knows what an architect does .....


 
but they dont know what an Architectural Technician does...... 

the problem as i see it Keith, is two fold...

1. the client doesnt want to spend the fees on a service they expect the builder to provide

2. it suits the builders to continue the ad hoc, word of mouth, contractural system that most residential projects in this country are built by.... they will never recommed a QS to the client....

there should be a statutory requirement on every employee / employer situation to sign a detailed contract..... therefore if a bill of quantities and detailed construction spec and drawings are included its at the builders expense if the build goes over his quotation.....

theres very few builders out there that would agree to that....

it pisses me off totally when i send out detailed tender packages... the builders seem too scared to either price it or they stick a grossly overpriced quote in......


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## kkelliher (4 Jul 2007)

syd

good points and they are some of the reasons i taught. 

keith


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## sydthebeat (4 Jul 2007)

lets try to change the status quo then......


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## kiwijbob (4 Jul 2007)

dealing with a builders QS is usually grand pre-contract, then 
once the contract is signed it seem as though the gloves are 
off.... If I ever see a variation claim of €3 *AGAIN* for a draw wire I'll 
pull someones head off


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## kiwijbob (4 Jul 2007)

I'm assuming that this discussion is regarding small works? 



sydthebeat said:


> 1. the client doesnt want to spend the fees on a service they expect the builder to provide



All the client needs to do is request that the builders quoting submit a detailed breakdown as part of their tender? hasn't failed me yet



> 2. it suits the builders to continue the ad hoc, word of mouth, contractural system that most residential projects in this country are built by.... they will never recommed a QS to the client....


why should they? they're just builders, this is where the clients representitive/architect should advise.  Sure on most small works 
you don't need a BOQ and on many larger works too.  the client does have duties as well.


> there should be a statutory requirement on every employee / employer situation to sign a detailed contract..... therefore if a bill of quantities and detailed construction spec and drawings are included its at the builders expense if the build goes over his quotation.....



total madness  nothing would ever get built, lawyers would do best 
out of this



> it pisses me off totally when i send out detailed tender packages... the builders seem too scared to either price it or they stick a grossly overpriced quote in......



it's up to them what they quote and up to the client to 
accept it. so if it's grossly overpriced then they shouldn't 
get the job...next price


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## sydthebeat (4 Jul 2007)

The problem, kiwijbob, is that i know these builders would have no problem pricing up crappy planning drawings which leaves them with lots of scope for extras..... if they see a tight tender package they get scared (in my experience anyway)...

any builders breakdown ive ever seen doesnt get as detailed as a bill of quantities..... 

why do you think it would be total madness to expect a contractor to sign a contract??? i find it madness not to expect a contract to be signed..... if everything is tied down perfectly in a bill of quantities, detailed spec and construction drawings then any outlay not included by the builder should be at the builders expense... thats the way it works for larger projects and thats the way it should work for smaller ones.... (obviously im not talking here about unknown extras {special founds etc} but rather known items that the builder hasnt included enough for...)

if the above was the situation it would squeeze al lthe cowboy builders out and keep the onus on the high standard professional contractors... an optimal situation in my opinion....


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## kkelliher (4 Jul 2007)

syd

as you are obviously on my side of the fence i have to agree with you 100%. I always feel that it is the misunderstanding and miseducation of the role of a bill of quantities in all aspects of construction that causes problems.

When in fact taking a step outside the box a bill of quantities gives everybody and I mean everybody an equal playing field and a straight forward list of items that they are getting and the associated price for that item.

I dont know if making it statutory is the way to go but i do feel there should be more education put into this side of a build by architects and eingeers. It cannot in these times be simply ok for some architects to design something without advising a client on exactly wht the cost should be. Its always a budget.......Why.


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## bats (12 Aug 2007)

Hi guys,

just wanted to know at what stage does a QS generally become involved in a self-build project.  My husband is insisting that we have a QS involved with our build.  We have had planning approval but are now tinkering with the internal layout, but need some guidance as to the costs involved with some of our decisions and spec.  Could a QS help?


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## kkelliher (13 Aug 2007)

bats,

the best time to gt involved from a QS point of view is the earliest possible moment. Cost considerations start from the minute you decide to build and therefore a QS should be involved from the outset.

Regards

KKelliher


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