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Quantity surveying is about knowing what a project will cost and managing that cost throughout the project lifecycle. From early feasibility estimates to final account settlement, our QS services give you the financial clarity and control you need to deliver projects profitably.
We work with developers, builders, project managers and asset owners to provide independent, accurate cost advice at every stage.
Before you commit to a project, you need to know if it stacks up financially. Our cost planning service provides estimates at concept, schematic and detailed design stages. Each estimate builds on the previous one with increasing accuracy as the design develops.
We benchmark costs against comparable projects and current market rates. Our estimates are transparent and detailed so you can see exactly where the money goes.
We prepare full bills of quantities for tender documentation. Measured accurately from the drawings. Described clearly against the specifications. Structured in a format that makes pricing straightforward for tenderers and comparison easy for you.
Our quantities are built on the same rigorous measurement process used in our take off and quantity measurement service.
Once construction starts, costs can move quickly. Variations, delays, design changes and market fluctuations all affect the bottom line. Our QS team manages progress claims, assesses variations, tracks costs against budget and provides regular financial reporting.
We also handle final account preparation and settlement, making sure you pay for what was built and nothing more.
Our quantity surveyors are independent. We do not sell materials or build projects. That means our cost advice is objective and focused entirely on giving you accurate information to make good decisions.
Whether you are planning a new development, managing an active project or settling a final account, we bring the numbers expertise you need. For tender stage support, see our tender and bid support service. For infrastructure projects, our civil cost estimation team handles the specialist requirements of infrastructure costing.
A project that is well estimated at tender can still overrun if costs are not actively managed during construction. Variations are the most common cause of cost growth. Each variation needs to be assessed quickly and accurately so decisions can be made before the work is done rather than after. Retrospective variation pricing is always more contentious and rarely resolves favourably for either party.
We manage the full variation process. Receiving notices from the contractor, reviewing the scope and entitlement, pricing the variation against current market rates and the contract rates schedule, advising on the recommendation for certification and tracking the approved variations against the project budget. Transparent variation management prevents small issues from becoming large disputes.
Progress claim assessment and certification is another critical function. We review each progress claim submitted by the contractor against measured work completed and materials on site. Overclaiming is common and can create cash flow leverage that distorts commercial relationships and decision making. Accurate claim assessment protects the client's interests while ensuring the contractor is fairly paid for completed work.
Final account settlement brings the project to a financial close. This involves agreeing all variations, resolving any outstanding claims, verifying final quantities against as built conditions and achieving a signed final account agreement. We prepare detailed final account schedules that provide a clear, auditable record of the complete project cost history.
Quantity surveying is the professional practice of managing construction costs from the earliest design stages through to project completion and final account. Quantity surveyors prepare cost estimates, bills of quantities, tender documents and cost plans, assess variations and progress claims during construction, and manage final account settlement. The profession exists to ensure construction clients get value for money and that costs are managed transparently throughout the project.
The earlier the better. Engaging a QS at concept stage allows cost planning to inform design decisions before expensive changes become necessary. Many clients only engage a QS at tender stage, missing the opportunity to manage design costs proactively. For major developments, QS input from feasibility through to final account typically saves multiples of the fee through better cost management.
A bill of quantities is a document that itemises all the work required to construct a project, with measured quantities against each item. It is prepared by the quantity surveyor from the project drawings and specifications and issued to tenderers as part of the tender package. Tenderers price against the quantities, making tender comparisons straightforward and variations easier to value. Bills of quantities are standard practice for commercial and civil projects above a certain scale.
Early identification is the key. Monthly cost reports that compare expenditure and committed costs against the project budget allow early identification of cost pressures. When costs are trending over budget, there is time to make decisions about value engineering, phasing changes or scope adjustments. Surprises at project completion are almost always avoidable with proactive cost management during construction.
A contingency is an allowance for known risks and uncertainties in the estimate. It is part of the client's budget and is drawn down as unexpected costs materialise. A provisional sum is an allowance included in the contract documents for work that cannot be fully defined at tender, such as specialist subcontractor work or materials requiring selection. The provisional sum is spent on actual costs when the work is instructed and priced. Both are important budget management tools for complex projects.