Professional Quantity Surveying Services

What is a Quantity Surveyor?

"A Quantity Surveyor, also known as a Construction Economist, or Cost Manager, is part of a team of professional advisers to the construction industry that advises on budgets, estimates, costs, and ongoing monitoring of construction costs, which are generally considered to fall within the management disciplines and financial administration of construction projects through their life cycle. In the initial construction phase, quantity surveyors advise on the most economical way of achieving client construction objectives. Quantity Surveyors are highly trained to use techniques such as cost planning, estimating, cost analysis, cost-in-use studies, and value management to establish a project budget."

According to Wikipedia a quantity surveyor is a construction industry professional with expert knowledge on construction costs and contracts. Qualified professional quantity surveyors are known as Chartered Surveyors in the UK and Certified Quantity Surveyors in Australia and other countries.

Check out more about the Quantity Surveying Profession and what they do.

Cost Planning and Estimating

Developers and construction clients need reassurance for how much their project is going to cost. Not just for their own benefit and cash flow but often also for capital raising, project funding and investor confidence.

This is achieved by staged cost planning and estimating provided by professional quantity surveyors that occurs with the progressive stages of design. Typically, the process is as follows:

1) Brief Stage Cost (Indicative Cost)
    a. A first indication of cost based on an outline of client requirements
    b. This is a guide for feasibility and planning only and is not an Estimate.

2) Preliminary Estimate (Outline Cost)
    a. The first estimate is usually based on a design brief, site investigation and preliminary or concept design
    b. At this stage comparative cost options can be considered to find the best value design solution
    c. This provides flexibility for the client to optimise best outcomes in design and build.

3) Cost Estimate (Design Cost)
    a. The second estimate is usually based on detailed design drawings, finishes, site layout and specifications
    b. This developed estimate then provides the client with more assurance of current cost

4) Tender Estimate (Tender Cost Plan)
    a. The tender estimate is usually based on developed design documents prepared for tender and becomes an iterative process as the design is finalised
    b. It is a progressive process of monitoring the costs as design is finalised to provide a robust cost estimate.

This process can easily be adapted to project specific needs, and we work with you to achieve the best for project outcomes, and we always seek to deliver value in what we do.

It pays to beware ofdesign consultants and unqualified professionals who provide cost advice to their clients to short cut and "save some money", as this advice is often both misleading and inaccurate. The consequent financial and legal risk transferred to the client and may even prevent a project from ever commencing.

Feasibility Studies & Options Analysis and Reporting

We support private enterprise and government organisations with feasibility study services including initial cost planning cost advice, options analysis, feasibility reporting to help our clients make informed best for business commercial decisions.

Project Estimating and Procurement

We provide contract estimating and procurement services and are flexible to operate from our offices or on site in our clients' offices. Our additional estimating services include:

First Principles Estimating and Unit Rate Estimating

Tender Evaluation

Project Procurement / Tendering Services, Strategy and Advice

Third Party Estimate Verification and Reporting

Inspection and Dilapidation Reporting

As quantity surveyors we manage the complete tendering and procurement process from the feasibility or design phase through construction delivery and to project completion and hand over.

We have the expertise to manage and advise on contractor and supplier procurement strategies and planning to suit unique project requirements. We help our clients to implement and deliver agreed procurement strategies to provide succesful outcomes measured against cost, time and quality benchmarks.

As part of the budget preparation and tendering process we can prepare and co-ordinate detailed technical scopes of work incorporating technical expertise where necessary.

We advise our clients on suitable Builder / Main Contractor selection and suitable Building Contract models for appropriate construction delivery. We assist and co-ordinate the contract formation and review including conducting commercial negotiations. However, we also understand our professional limitations and do not provide legal services and will duly notify our clients when they need to engage other appropriate specialist professionals involved in the process.

To manage and control cost and quality outputs in the construction delivery phase we provide professional support to prepare contract documentation, including quantification and measurement of building elements or trades. This includes Bills of Quantities measurement and preparation.

We get involved at the very early stages of the construction process and provide design cost management and project staged cost planning to ensure client budgets are accurately formed, controlled and managed throughout the feasibility and design stages and then through post contract delivery.

We offer a range of additional technical Quantity Surveying services including independent third party estimate checks and reports. This verification analysis and reporting is important for accountability and transparency when dealing with publicly funded projects and large private projects with multiple stakeholder parties.

We can also prepare proficient inspections and reportsto provide professional and independent dilapidation reports at either preconstruction or preoccupancy stages which can be very important for business risk management.

Using the Right Tools for the Job

We use leading professional software to prepare accurate digital take-offs and measures of drawings and to prepare professional cost reports and Bills of Quantities. Check out the sort of software we use here.

Post-Contract Quantity Surveying Services / Contracts Administration

The effective cost, time, quality, risk and stake holder management of any project is essential to successful project delivery. As quantity surveyors we assist our clients to manage their projects using known.

We maturely and collaboratively manage construction contracts and provide Contracts Administration and Commercial Management support for projects and programs of work.

We are experienced in Commercial Management, Cost Management and Change Management throughout the life cycle of the project build.

During the construction delivery phase, we help to resolve and manage any potential contractual disputes or disagreements through robust administration of the contract and by applying professional industry recognised techniques. Our focus is always to first try to resolve disputes informally and then through alternate dispute resolution practice to try where possible to avoid expensive legal disputes or litigation.

At the very early stages and throughout construction there are likely to be changes. These changes often expose the client to additional cost and time consequences. At CEAU our focus is to provide cost engineering and value for money assessments to mitigate or reduce the cost of these changes, without impacting on the quality or time for delivery. This often involves a collaborative approach with the relevant parties including consultants, clients, and contractors. We are experienced at co-ordinating this process and strive for mutually agreeable outcomes wherever possible.

It is extremely important for clients to understand their cost position during construction and to understand the actual progress of construction works on site..

We provide a range of Cost Management services including budget vs cost tracking and reporting, cost forecasting, construction program tracking and monitoring. We use techniques like earned value analysis to understand and report a more accurate representation of actual progress on site at typically monthly intervals for larger projects. We can help clients from large public or private organisations, contractors and builders and smaller subcontractors and suppliers to understand their position and tailor our services and fees accordingly.

We help our clients with Progress Claims and progress claims certification process. These services can range from helping a client to value and certify a main contractor complex claim, to helping a contractor to create and administer the claim process under a complex contract, to helping a subcontractor or supplier to prepare and submit a claim under a Contract. Our support can provide value to every type of construction stakeholder throughout the construction process, which can often be time consuming and complicated to administer. Cash flow management is essential to the success of business at every level of the supply chain, and we strongly support our valued clients at every level. Another important consideration can also be claims for lending institutes where a client relies on a professional assessment of Cost and Progress to trigger release of construction funds to ensure Claims are not over paid, which creates risk and uncertainty during construction.

Our services include contractor management, subcontractor management and supplier management. This process starts with the letting of packages of work against budgets which are typically prepared pre-contract. As part of the cost management and financial success of the project it is important to control the procurement process. Comprehensive project procurement with detailed scopes of work and thorough, robust contract negotiations will achieve better quality contractors on site, better control of project budgets and a better quality outcome as there are less gaps and misunderstandings that can often lead to disputes and delays. This is a fundamental risk management process across all types of construction delivery.

Often on large private or public works there will be a significant component of 'self performed' or direct labour and plant hire. We are experienced in resource analysis, productivity and utilisation of plant, labour and material supply on major projects. This is extremely important for managing construction budgets to avoid cost blow outs, as when plant and labour is not productive on a site the client ultimately pays for the unproductive time.

Contact us for all CEAU Services in Hervey Bay and Maryborough, Fraser Coast, Wide Bay, North Coast and Sunshine Coast and South-East Queensland.