QUANTITY SURVEYOR - ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES & TIPS TO EXCEL

The role of Quantity Surveyor is to manage and control all costs of the construction of thebuildings and Civil Engineering Projects. They work both in office and Construction site to minimise the expenses to complete the project within budget, without compromising quality and time.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Quantity Surveyor

• Preparing Estimates, Rate Anaysis

Total cost workout and preparing budget for the Project

• Preparing, negotiating and analysing costs for Tenders and Contracts.
• Cost Planning for every stage of the Project
• Preparing Bill of Quantities (BOQ)
• Getting quotations for materials, labour contracts and  machineries to hire 
• Preparing Bar Bending Schedule (BBS) in case of RCC works
• Checking the indents from site and giving procurement advice
• Monitoring Budget
• Materials Reconciliation at every stage
• Monitoring the hiring Plants, machineries and shuttering materials usage 
• Checking the bills of Contractors, preparation of Payment invoice and certification
• Assessment of variations
• Assessing the workdone, cost spent and preparing projections for future works
• Advice on Contract disputes
• Preparing final accounts, cost reports
• Giving advice to avoid risks, pitfalls and time delays in projects

Knowledge and skills required to become a QS

• Technical details of construction projects, Studying Drawings
• IS Codes for methods of measurements - IS 1200  Parts I - XXVIII & SP 27
• Understanding the WBS, Specifications
• Estimation, BBS, Budget, bills, payment advice and Cost reports formats
• Preparing Rate analysis, material reconciliation
• Value Engineering
• Cost management and Project management
• Dispute resolution
• Knowledge of all  taxes (Property tax, GST, Labour tax, Service tax,etc.)  involved in projects

General Skills

• Strong maths Knowledge
• Excellent attention to detail
• Analytical thinking skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Ability to use your initiative
• Timely Problem solving

ROLE OF QS IN CONTRACT / GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS

Tendering Process

• Contract Administration
• Release of Performance Guarantees
• Defect Liability
• Checking Mbooks, taking measurements
• Deviations/Variations
• Extension of time
• Termination of Contract
• Disputes and their Resolution , ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) / Arbitration
• Semi legal skills
• Constant monitoring and appraisal to Top management

How to Sharpen QS Skills?

To improve your Quantity Surveying skills, You can join Courses /Institutes for Q.S.

Indian Institute of Quantity Surveyors IIQS : Professional body of Quantity Surveyors, associated with NICMAR  also. Conducting Events, seminars, courses to Quantity Surveyors.

Website : www.iiqsglobal.org

List of Q.S Courses in India

1. NICMAR : One year Programme PGP QSCM : Post Graduate Programme in Quantity Surveying and Contract Management

• One-year, full time, residential Programme for degree holders, offered from Hyderabad (Shamirpet)
• Website : www.nicmar.ac.in

2. RICS School of Built Environment (RICS SBE) in Amity University , Noida: 

• MBA in Construction Economics & Quantity Surveying

• Website : www.ricssbe.org

3. Reinforce Quantity Surveyors and Training Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi :

• Professional and Industrial training to B.Tech and Dploma Civil Engineers (Courses on Project Planning, Contract management, santary, Plumbing Engineering also available)

• Website : www.reinforceqst.com/about

4. MSN Institutes for Civil Engineers, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai :

• Professional Training courses in Civil Engineering

• Website : www.msnifce.org

5. Bhadani Quantity Surveying Training Institute, Pune & Mumbai :

• Professional Training and job oriented Courses, through that you can get jos in MNC's construction companies in India and abroad.

• Website : www.billingengineer.com

6. School of Construction management Excellence S-CME, Bengaluru :

• Certification Courses for Civil Engineers

• Website : www.scme.co.in

7. Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Calicut :

• Giving trainings to professionals and proclaim the successful placements in Gulf countries, singapore, India

• Website : www.Qsurveyors.com

8. EDGE Consult Engineering Solutions, Hyderabad:

• Professional Training to Civil Engineers

• Website : edge-ces.com

9. SMEC labs training, Hyderabad:

• ISO certified institution giving training in QS
• Website : www.smeclabs.org

10. Synclaine Quantity Surveyors, Hyderabad :

• Certificate and Advanced Courses in QS, Contract Management

• Website :  www.synclineqs.com

11. V Institute, Kollam : Reputed institute Estd. in 1941.

• Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Quantity Survey

• Website : study@vinstitute1941.com

12. IQS institute of Quantity Survey, Tirupati :

• Govt. recognised professional training courses

• Website : www.quantitysurveyacademy.com

The above are some of the courses for your reference. 

TYPICAL REPORTING PROCEDURE FOR QS

DAILY REPORTS

• Daily Labour Report
• NMR Deployment Report
• NMR Tracking Sheet
• Daily Materials Receipt
• QS Task list

WEEKLY REPORTS

• NMR & PRW (Piece Rate Works) Details
• OT Details
• Sub Contractor Splitup details
• Bills Checking (If weekly Billing)
• Bill updation in ERP

FORTNIGHT REPORTS

• Materials Procurement Sheet
• Materials Projections
• Materials Tracking Sheet

MONTHLY REPORTS

• Tracking Schedule
• BOQ Vs Actual
• Drawing Register
• Work Completion Report 
• Materials Reconciliation
• Budget Projections
• Hired Machineries and Shuttering materials Report (If any)