UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATES AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

BQS 400 QUANTITY SURVEYING PRACTISE AND PROCEDURE

ASSIGNMENT 1

1. Discuss the evolution of Quantity Surveying practice and in the body of your answer
distinguish it from the role of the Building Surveyor (1000 words).

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Evolution of the Quantity Surveying Practice
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Wont you first sit down and estimate the cost to see
if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish
it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying This person began to build and wasnt able to
finish (Luke 14:28-30 NIV). These verses are the oldest reference to a Quantity Surveyor.
According to Seeley (1988), a quantity surveyor is one who ensures that the resources of the
construction industry are utilized to the best advantage of society by providing financial
management and cost consultancy services during the whole process of construction inception
to completion.
The origin of Quantity Surveying as a professional skill dates back to the 17th Century during the
restoration of London after the Great Fire. As history would have it, the fire that engulfed
London for four days began on Pudding Lane. A baker by the name of Thomas Farriner was
blamed for the blaze something he denied for the rest of his life. The small blaze spread
between September 2 and 5 1666 leaving 436 acres of the city completely destroyed
(Wikipedia).
Before 1666, masons, carpenters and other craftsmen used to be paid per day, this happens today
as well. Because of the large amount of labour that was required to reconstruct the city after the
fire, it was decided that each craftsman be paid for the quantity of his work. This meant that one
had to study the drawings and measure the quantity of work each trade contained in the building
then estimate the total cost of the building.
During those times, owners, especially the wealthy started contracting others to build for them.
Those who couldnt afford these Design-build contractors who were popularly known as Master
Builders built their own houses themselves. The Master Builders were usually architects who
employed measurers to prepare for them the resource requirements and make cost estimates.
Measurers made cost estimates by comparing proposed buildings with earlier buildings for
which they could access costing. Those who were invited to bid for work from designs made
their own schedules of resource requirements and bid on the basis of their compilations. Each
builder employed a measurer to prepare a schedule of resources for him.
The bidders submitted widely differing bids thereby making it difficult for the developer to
evaluate the bids. Eventually, invited bidders found it cheaper for them to employ one measurer
and share costs, then bid on the same resource basis. It made the work of the employer easier.
Demand for the Measurer services existed separately from the Master Builders establishment,
the Quantity Surveyor was therefore able to establish himself as a professional.
The first known Measurer firm was Henry Cooper and Sons, and was established in the UK in
1785. The firm was the first to use the term quantity surveying in 1859. In 1834, the Royal
Institute of British Architects was established in order to create exclusivity within the
architectural profession.

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General contractors became established during the industrial revolution in the 19th century and
they submitted inclusive estimates covering the work of all trades. Furthermore, they engaged
surveyors to prepare bills of quantities on which their estimates were based. As competitive
tendering became more common, the general contractors had begun combining to appoint a
single surveyor to prepare a bills of quantities which all the contractors priced. In addition, the
architects on behalf of the building owner usually appointed a second surveyor who collaborated
with contactors surveyor in preparing bills of quantities, which was used for tendering purposes.
In later years, it became the practice to employ one surveyor who prepared an accurate bills of
quantities and measured any variations that arose during the progress of the project. This was the
development of the independent and impartial quantity surveyor as he operates today (Seeley
1989).
In 1922, the Standard Method of Measurement for building works was first published in the
United Kingdom. It provides a uniform basis for measuring building works as well as giving
detailed information where necessary, in order to define the exact nature and extent of the work
required. The Standard Method of Measurement applies to both proposed and completed works.
The quantity surveying profession has developed over the last century and has grown to such an
extent that it forms one of the largest single section in the membership of the Royal Institute of
Chartered Surveyors, particularly since the amalgamation with the former institute of quantity
surveyors in 1983, (Ashworth, 1988).
The roles of a Quantity Surveyor v. the roles of a Building Surveyor
According to RICS (1983a, p. l), the role of the Quantity Surveyor was defined as ensuring that
the resources of the construction industry are utilized to the best advantage of society by
providing, inter alia, the financial management for projects and a cost consultancy service to the
client and designer during the whole construction process. This distinctive competence of the
Quantity Surveyor is a skill in measurement and valuation in the field of construction in order
that such work can be described and the cost and price be forecast, analyzed, planned, controlled
and accounted for.
RICS (1983) also points out that the Quantity Surveyors expertise has further developed after
1971. For the construction project, they are involved in the field of manpower planning, resource
control and in assessing the effects of time. The field of contracting, civil and industrial
engineering construction, mechanical and electrical engineering services, and project
management and control also relate to the quantity surveyor.
Bennett (1986, p.31) says that The quantity surveyors responsibility is to ensure that the budget
is complete and that no necessary costs are omitted or duplicatedBeyond this, the quantity
surveyor should advice the client to make separate provisions for all other costs including
consultants fees, land costs, finance costs, fluctuations where appropriate and an overall project
contingency. The quantity surveyors further major responsibility is to ensure that the cost
control and accounting procedures ae adopted by the construction manager are satisfactory. This
is a normal responsibility for final accounts and raises no new issues for quantity surveyors apart
from the usually large number of separate works contract accounts to be dealt with.

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RICS (1992b) noted that quantity surveyors should settle realistic cost budgets, advise on cost
implications of design and standards of construction and/or of alternative solutions and advise on
the method of contractor procurement best suited to the project.
A Quantity Surveyor is essentially a cost expert to ensure the project is kept within the agreed
budget and the employer obtains value for money. The quantity surveyor can keep the total
expenditure within the employers budget and remains compatible with the cost plan by
frequently estimate of cost. Independent quantity surveyor could prepare an accurate bill of
quantities because he would measure and value any variations that might occur during the
progress of the works. Realistic budget and financial could be prepared by the quantity surveyor.
The quantity surveyor can make everyones work in construction more efficient. It is beneficial
to the quantity surveyor when they negotiate a contract because they can learn more about the
practical organization and management of contracts. And then produce bills of quantities more
quickly. Environmental issues would be informed by surveyors to their clients to ensure that it is
considered in the decision making process (Seelay, 1997).
Seelay (1997, pp.415-416) also pointed out that he can, for instance, be involved in the
placing of subcontract orders for both nominated and domestic subcontractors. It is essential that
the contractors quantity surveyor ensures that the correct contractual conditions and financial
details are embodied in the orders and subcontract arrangementssurveyor is required to report
to management, usually monthly, on the overall financial state of the contract, giving
comparisons of actual cost with the corresponding internal value for the various cost codes and
subtradesproviding contracts personell with the oppoetunity to consider remedial
actionpeventing a recurrence of similar problems on future contractscontractors quantity
surveyor can advise contracts staff on significant aspects of the contract conditions, in their
dealings with architectcontractors quantity surveyor advising design staff on the most
economic form of costruction and cost planning and monitoring the development as a whole.