When should you appoint a quantity surveyor?

For most construction projects, the best time to appoint a quantity surveyor is during the early stages, when you’re developing the brief, testing whether the project is affordable and making the first significant design decisions.

 

You don’t need a completed design before speaking to a QS. In fact, some of the most useful cost advice comes before much of the design has been done. At this stage, a quantity surveyor can help establish a realistic project budget, compare different options, identify financial risks and give the design team cost information as the brief develops.

 

You can appoint a QS later in the project too. The right time depends on the project, the decisions you’re making and the level of financial risk you’re taking.

 

 

How early can you appoint a quantity surveyor?

 

Very early. A client may initially have little more than a building, an idea of what they want to achieve and an indication of the money available. That’s enough to start a useful conversation.

 

At this stage, a quantity surveyor can use benchmark data, previous project experience and the information available about the building to prepare an early estimate.

 

There will inevitably be assumptions because the design hasn’t been developed yet. Those assumptions should be clearly stated so everyone understands what the estimate includes and where uncertainty remains. As more information becomes available, the estimate can then develop with the project.

 

 

Why involve a quantity surveyor before the design is developed?

 

Early design decisions can have a significant effect on construction cost. The size of the project, quality of specification, servicing strategy, extent of structural alteration and approach to the existing building can all affect the budget.

 

Having cost information alongside those discussions means the client and design team can understand the financial effect of the decisions they’re making. It also allows different options to be compared before significant time is spent developing them.

 

For example, a client considering the refurbishment of an office might be deciding how much of the existing mechanical and electrical installation to retain. That decision affects capital cost, but could also affect energy performance, maintenance, programme, risk and the remaining life of the existing equipment.

 

The QS can provide the cost information needed alongside the advice of the other consultants so the client can make an informed decision.

 

 

Should I appoint a QS before an architect?

 

There isn’t a fixed (or correct) order in which every consultant needs to be appointed. On many projects, the architect or project manager will be the client’s first appointment. However on others, the client may speak to a QS first because establishing affordability is the immediate priority.

 

The important point is to bring cost advice into the project early enough for it to influence decisions.

 

If an architect develops a substantial amount of design before the project has been properly tested against the available budget, there is a greater chance that the design and budget move apart. That can result in redesign, delays or difficult decisions about scope later.

 

Early cost planning allows the budget and design to develop together.

 

 

What can a QS do before there are drawings?

 

A lot more than you might think. Detailed drawings allow a quantity surveyor to produce more detailed estimates, although they aren’t required for early cost advice.

 

Depending on the information available, a QS could:

• prepare an initial order of cost estimate
• benchmark the project against comparable schemes
• test different project options
• advise on an appropriate overall project budget
• identify major cost risks
• advise on inflation
• review allowances for existing-building risks
• advise on surveys or investigations that could reduce cost uncertainty
• discuss procurement and tendering options
• advise on likely programme implications

 

The level of accuracy will reflect the amount of information available. An estimate based on an initial brief shouldn’t be treated in the same way as a detailed cost plan based on developed design information.

 

 

When should I appoint a QS for an office fit-out?

 

For an office fit-out, appointing a QS during the initial briefing and feasibility stage can be particularly useful. You may be considering several properties, different amounts of space or different levels of specification.

 

There can also be costs associated with the landlord’s requirements, alterations to building services, IT, furniture, AV, security and other client requirements.

 

Early cost advice allows you to understand the likely total project cost before committing to major decisions. This can be particularly useful when comparing potential buildings. A property with a lower rent doesn’t automatically result in a lower overall cost if substantially more capital expenditure is required to make the space suitable.

 

 

When should I appoint a QS for a refurbishment project?

 

Refurbishment projects benefit from early cost involvement because the existing building creates uncertainty.

 

At the beginning of the project, you may have incomplete information about the condition of the structure, façade, building services or previous alterations. There may also be asbestos, access constraints, occupied areas or restrictions on how the work can be carried out.

 

These issues can affect both the budget and procurement strategy. An experienced refurbishment QS can identify areas where allowances may be required and work with the design team to understand which risks should be investigated further.

 

As surveys and investigations are completed, those allowances can be reviewed and updated.

 

 

Should the QS be involved when setting the project budget?

 

Yes, a project budget should reflect what you’re trying to deliver and what is known about the project at that point.

 

That can include:

• the anticipated construction works
• design development
• existing-building risks
• inflation
• professional fees
• surveys and investigations
• statutory costs
• furniture and equipment
• other client costs

 

Exactly what is included will depend on the project. The important thing is that everyone understands what the budget includes and what assumptions have been made.  A £10 million construction budget and a £10 million total project budget are very different.

 

 

Can a quantity surveyor help decide whether a project is viable?

 

Yes, this is one of the reasons early involvement can be useful.

 

Before investing heavily in design, a client may want to understand whether the project is likely to be affordable. The QS can prepare an early estimate based on the available information and compare it with the client’s budget.

 

If several options are being considered, those can also be compared. This might include different buildings, different levels of refurbishment, retaining or replacing parts of an existing building, or changing the amount of space included in the project.

 

The estimate won’t have the same level of detail as a later cost plan, although it can still provide enough information to make an early decision about whether and how to proceed.

 

 

What happens if I appoint a QS later?

 

A quantity surveyor can still provide useful advice if they’re appointed after the design has developed. They can review the design, prepare a cost plan, assess risks and advise on procurement and tendering.

 

The difference is that some decisions may already have been made. If the first detailed cost exercise identifies that the design exceeds the budget, the team then needs to review the design and decide what to change. That takes time and can create additional design work. Earlier cost input gives the team more opportunities to make those decisions as the design develops.

 

 

Can I appoint a QS just before tender?

 

Yes. A QS can be appointed to prepare tender documentation, manage a tender process and analyse contractor returns. The QS will need to understand the design, scope, project risks and procurement strategy quickly.

 

There may also be commercial decisions made earlier in the project that they haven’t been involved in. If the project has already been properly cost planned by somebody else, this can be relatively straightforward. If it hasn’t, carrying out a pre-tender cost check can be useful before asking contractors to price the work.

 

Finding out that the project is significantly over budget after receiving tenders can put the client in a difficult position, particularly where programme commitments have already been made.

 

 

Is it too late to appoint a QS once construction has started?

 

No, its never too late, there are just better times to make this decision. Clients usually appoint a quantity surveyor during construction because they need additional commercial support or independent advice. The QS might review contractor applications, assess variations, prepare cost reports, forecast the final account or help resolve commercial issues.

 

There is usually more work involved in understanding what has happened before the appointment. The QS will need access to the contract, tender information, previous valuations, variations, correspondence and other relevant records. Some opportunities to influence cost will also have passed because contracts have been entered into and money has already been committed.

 

 

When does a quantity surveyor have the greatest influence over cost?

 

Generally, during the earlier stages of a project. The 80/20 rule applies here – 80% of the cost is usually committed with just 20% of the design – so bring the QS on board before you reach that point for maximum value.

 

At the beginning, the client still has choices. The scope can change and different design options can be considered. Surveys can be commissioned, procurement options can be assessed and specifications can be reviewed more easily. As the project progresses, more decisions become fixed and more money becomes committed.

 

By the time construction starts, changing something can have programme, contractual and cost consequences. This is why cost management should begin when the project budget and brief are being developed and continue as the level of design information increases.

 

 

Do I need a QS for the whole project?

 

It depends on the project and what you need. You can appoint a quantity surveyor for a specific piece of work, such as an early feasibility estimate, independent cost review or tender exercise.

 

For larger or more complex projects, there can be advantages to retaining the same cost consultant throughout. They understand how the original budget was established, which assumptions were made, how risks have changed and why previous commercial decisions were taken. That continuity also makes it easier to track the movement between the original budget and the current forecast.

 

 

When does Torridon typically get involved?

 

Torridon works on refurbishment, retrofit and fit-out projects, and we can become involved at any stage.

 

Our preference is to get involved earlier, particularly at the point where the client is still developing the brief and budget. That gives us the opportunity to understand the project, identify areas of cost uncertainty and provide cost information while the client and design team still have options available. We can then develop the cost plan as the design progresses, advise on procurement and tendering, and manage and report costs throughout construction.

 

If your project is already further developed, that doesn’t prevent us getting involved. The first step is usually to understand where the project currently sits, what cost information already exists and which commercial decisions still need to be made.