Quantity surveyors get their name from Bill of Quantities, a document which itemises quantities of materials and labour in a construction project.

Bill of Quantities are measured from design drawings, to be used by contractors for tendering or negotiating with client a building cost and for progress payments, for variations and changes to contract and ultimately for statistics, taxation and valuation.

During design phase, quantity surveyor ensures that design remains on budget through Cost Management.

The building contractor also employs quantity surveyors/estimators, who prepare tenders, and may also prepare a price based on alternatives (ideas or other approached to construction) for consideration.

Once tenders are submitted by contractors, quantity surveyor is usually involved in assessing tenders and may also have been asked to advise on type of contract or special clauses in it.

During construction a quantity surveyor is called on to fairly value "Progress Payments" at regular intervals.

They will also value changes to design or quantities which may arise by reference to appropriate Bill of Quantities rates. The contractor’s quantity surveyor/contract administrator will have prepared claims for progress payments and additional work.

When construction is complete quantity surveyor can produce depreciation schedules of various project components and advise on realistic insurance replacement costs.

In case of construction disputes quantity surveyor is often called on as an expert witness, and some quantity surveyors act as arbitrators. Both contractor’s and owner’s quantity surveyors will be involved in this.

Quantity Surveyors have usually completed an appropriate tertiary degree course and undertaken work experience which qualifies them for membership of their country's Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

Quantity Surveyors work on projects ranging from office blocks, schools, hospitals, factories to bridges, railways, oil and mining development, shipbuilding and large process engineering works such as oil refineries. Anywhere, indeed, that major construction work is carried out.

How do you select a Quantity Surveyor:

. Make sure they are a member of your country's Institute of Quantity Surveyors .

. Meet and discuss your project.

. Discuss range of services you require and if you don't understand service, ask for an explanation.

. Ask about likely fees you will have to pay. At this stage you will not get a firm fee as project parameters have not been determined.

. Make sure you feel comfortable and get responses you want.

. Ask to look at examples of projects they have done and talk to former clients. To get in touch with a Quantity Surveyor in your area of operation, contact Institute of Quantity Surveyors in your country, who can then direct you to Local Chapter of Institute.

Here are links to some of major Institutes:

I do not believe Profession of Quantity Surveying exists in United States.

. The Australian Institution of Quantity Surveyors

. The Association of South African Quantity Surveyors

. The Quantity Surveyors Society of British Columbia

. The New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors

. The Society Of Chartered Surveyors Ireland

. The Board Of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia

. The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors

If your country's Institute of Quantity Surveyors is not listed above just go to : Google Search and type in Search Box; "Institute of Quantity Surveyors "

Now as a developer, you personally will not be involved in any of these calculations, but you should understand that only a Trained Professional Structural Engineer is capable of doing this work.

So make sure you are engaging a trained and qualified structureal engineer for work and that they have knowledge of area in which you develop.

You may have seen a recent series of TV programs where teams of specialist demolish buildings in a spectacular way using a series of charges. These tend to be old buildings built in forties and fifties.

However with advent of reinforced concrete building frames and pre-stressed concrete as are used in todays modern high rise buildings, you will rarelt see these buildings ever being demolished.

They are just so strong and reinforcing steele so well designed that it will be cheaper to completely renovate building, than demolish and re-build.

One other aspect that may prevent demolishing taking place is to do with changing site development capacity by Local Authority. The current Regulations may not allow a building as big as is currently on site, being build again.

Civil Engineers

Within construction engineering there are two specialities; Structural Engineers, as described above, and Civil Engineers.

Civil engineering is concerned with design of roads and bridges. I only mention this so that you are not confused if someone asks you what kind of engineers you are looking for and you don't know that there are two types of specialization.

Both Structural and Civil engineers belong to same Professional Association.

As I explained in my other articles, when you want to find a structural engineer, you can contact their Professional Association in your country and then be directed to local Chapter of area of your interest.

Here are some of links:

. The Institution of Engineers Australia, trading as ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA

. The American Institute of Engineers, Inc

. UK The Institution of Structural Engineers

. South African Association of Consultying Engineers

. Singapore Institution of Engineers

. The Hong Kong Institution of Structural Engineers

. New Zealand - The Institution of Structural Engineers

If your country's Institute of Structural Engineers is not listed just go to : Google Search and type in Search Box; "Institute of Structural Engineers"