Quantity Surveyor

Quantity surveyors are highly qualified members of a profession that play an indispensable role in building, construction and allied industries, including mining. They are responsible for managing all aspects of the contractual and financial side of construction projects.

Quantity surveyors perform a wide variety of tasks throughout the complete life cycle of a construction project. They give advice on cost and contractual matters and prepare contract documents. They work with architects and consulting engineers to ensure that their client’s interests are safeguarded. As professional advisors they give advice to property developers and investors in fixed property. They also assist with the valuation of property for insurance purposes.

Quantity surveyors can also be described as ‘building economists’. The quantity surveyor acts mainly in the area of cost (particularly cost to the client) and is a member of a professional team which may include architects, engineers, and electrical and mechanical engineers, all of whom are appointed to advise their client on various aspects of a particular building project.

Quantity surveyors’ training and experience enable them to offer the following services:

preparation of estimates, feasibility studies and budgets for building projects
preparation of tender documentation for competitive tendering
preparation of plans, contracts, budgets, bills of quantities and other documents
performing risk analysis evaluations
making valuations
negotiation of contracts
advice on contractual arrangements and tender procedures
evaluation of progress on building projects
exercising of cost control during the design and construction phases
settlement of the final costs of the project with the contractor and subcontractors
provide advice and forecasts about costs.

Quantity surveyors may spend a great deal of time on building sites, checking on things being delivered and being constructed. Their offices are sometimes on site, although in most instances their offices are in buildings similar to those that might house architects or civil engineers, for example.

Key skills are commitment, excellent verbal and written language skills, independence, able to work as part of a team and strong numerical and IT skills.

Personal Requirements

proficient in speech and writing
work accurately
scrupulous and reliable
mathematical ability and abstract reasoning
practical and persevering
interested in architecture, finances, the building industry and legal aspects of contracts, finance and building

How to Enter

Schooling & School Subjects

National Senior Certificate (matric), or equivalent with a Bachelor's Degree pass or a Diploma Pass
Compulsory Subjects: Mathematics
Recommended subjects: Economics, Accounting

In addition, check the university admission requirements to see if you qualify for the programme you want to do.

What to Study

Degree: BSc Quantity Surveying - UJ, UKZN, NMMU, UFS, UCT, UP, Wits. Those who have completed their degrees must do 2 or 3 years practical work under the supervision of a qualified quantity surveyor.

After completing a professional ability test, the candidate can register with the South African Council for Quantity Surveyors.

Diploma: Universities of technology offer a 4-year programme in quantity surveying. A National Diploma in Building is awarded after 3 years (the first and third year full-time and the second year part-time), and a B Tech Quantity Surveying degree after a further year of full-time study. Only students who perform sufficiently well are eligible for the degree.

CPUT, DUT and TUT offer the programme.

Graduates from both universities and universities of technology can advance to full registration as professional quantity surveyors.

Employment