Quantity surveyors protect projects

A quantity surveyor (QS) is a graduated and registered professional actng as a financial and contractual consultant in the building and engineering industries.

What services does a quantity surveyor provide?
These professionals should ideally be involved in a project from inception to end. When a project is identified on a certain piece of land a quantity surveyor calculates and provides the estimated cost of the project based on the client brief, and additional design information conceptualised by the Architect and Engineer. This helps clients to make their financial decisions. The quantity surveyor provides crucial cost info throughout the planning stages from early budgets to detailed cost plans, to negotiate the final costs. In addition, the quantity surveyor helps the client choose the best procurement strategy. They are also responsible for the tender/procurement process from start to the end. During construction the quantity surveyor does payment valuations, cost reporting, assessing-, and monitors the progress, agreeing to and reporting of changes-; as well as concluding the final cost with the contractor.
Other tasks include feasibility studies, development appraisals, claims analysis, due diligence reports, life cycle costings, insurance replacement valuations and expert witnesses. An experienced quantity surveyor manages the quality control as principal agent for a project.

Why do you need a quantity surveyor?
Clients need the help of a quantity surveyor for any planned building works as procurement planning and contracting is a complex process. Employing a quantity surveyor provides the assurance and peace of mind that the finances of the project are in good hands and that proper reporting will ensure that a project is completed in an approved budget.

How much does a quantity surveyor cost?
The fees a quantity surveyor may charge are regulated by the Namibia Council for Architects and Quantity Survey-ors (NCAQS) and the Institute for Namibian Quantity
Surveyors (INQS). These fees work on a sliding scale and the percentage fee decreases as the cost increases. The fees vary from roughly 6% for a low value project to 3% for a high value project.

Is the profession regulated?
The profession is regulated by the NCAQS as provided by the relevant legislation which prescribes the rules and regulations for a registered quantity surveyor It is illegal to practice as a quantity surveyor if not registered at the NCAQS.

How do I become a quantity surveyor?
Various institutions offer B.Sc. and B-Tech degrees as well as diplomas in Quantity Surveying. After qualifying, a person must complete an internship at a quantity Surveying practice to gain practical experience in certain work fields for a certain number of years depending on the qualification obtained. Only after completing the internship and passing the council exams, can a person be called a quantity surveyor.

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Tel: +264 – 61 228970