Monday 20 July 2009

References:

References:

RICS (1980) Inclusive scale of professional charges for quantity surveying services for building works (Effective from 1st March 1980). London: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

RICS (1983a) The Future Role of the Chartered Quantity Surveyor. London: Quantity Surveyors Division, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

RICS (1983b) Appointment of a Quantity Surveyor. London: Surveyors Publications.

Newton, S. (1985) Expert Systems and the Quantity Surveyor. London: Surveyors Publications.

Bennett, J. (1986) Construction Management and the Chartered Quantity Surveyor. London: Surveyors Publications.

Brandon, P.S. (1990) Quantity surveying techniques, new directions. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific publications.

RICS (1991) Quantity Surveying 2000, The Future Role of the Chartered Quantity Surveyor. London: Quantity Surveyors Division, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

RICS (1992a) The core skills and knowledge base of the quantity surveyor. London: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

RICS (1992b) Client guide to the appointment of a Quantity Surveyor. London: Surveyors Holdings Limited.

McDonagh, N.H. (1992) The future of measurement: measurement in the future role of the quantity surveyor. Nottingham, England: Nottingham Polytechnic, Department of Surveying.

HKIS and RICS (1994) Itemised scale of Professional Charges for Quantity Surveying Services for Building Works in Hong Kong. 3rd Ed., HK: Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Hong Kong Branch).

Seeley, I.H. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice. 2nd Ed., Houndmills, Basingstoke, England: Macmilian.

Naoum, S.G. (1998) Dissertation Research and Writing for Construction Students. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.

Holt, G. (1998) A guide to successful dissertation study for students of the built environment. 2nd ed., West Midlands, UK: The built environment research unit.

RICS (1999) Appointing a Quantity Surveyor. A Guide for Clients and Surveyors With Form of Enquiry, Schedule of Services, Fee Offer, Form of Agreement and Terms of Appointment. Coventry: RICS Books.

Frazer, L. and Lawley, M. (2000) Questionnaire design & administration: a practical guide. Brisbante, Qld. : John wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

HKIS (1999) Surveyors in the new millennium “Challenges and Opportunities”. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors.

HKIS (2000) Guidance notes for surveyors acting as independent experts in commercial property rent reviews. 1st ed., Hong Kong : Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors.

Bulmer, M. (2004) Questionnaires. London : SAGE.

HKIS (2004) A 20th anniversary publication. Hong Kong : Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors.

Imber, A. (2005) Business skills for general practice surveyors. London: EG Books.

Ashworth, A. and Hogg, K. (2007) Willis’s Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor. 12th Ed., Oxford; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell publishing.

HKIS (2009) Surveyors Times, 19(5), pp.1-36. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors.

Tsui, C.K. (1995) The study of conflict management behaviour of quantity surveyors in construction project organisation. Master of Science in Construction Management Thesis, City University of Hong Kong.

Lai, S.M. (2000) Successful Criteria for a Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong. Degree of Bachelor of Science in Quantity Surveying Thesis,City University of Hong Kong.

Chung, C.K. (2000) Prospect of Hong Kong QS Firms in China. Degree of Bachelor of Science in Quantity Surveying Thesis, City University of Hong Kong.

Tong, Y.K. (2001) Implementation of ISO9000 for Quantity Surveying practice in Hong Kong. B.Sc.(Hons) in Quantity Surveying Thesis, City University of Hong Kong.

Lau, C.K. (2003) Criteria for evaluation of the performance for consultant quantity surveyor. MSc in Construction Management Thesis, City University of Hong Kong.

HKIS (2008) QS Role in Infrastructure Projects [Online]. The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors cited [15 December 2008]. .

RLB (2008) Quantity Surveying Services [Online]. RLB [cited 15 December 2008]. < http://www.asia.rlb.com/hongkong/service_cost_2.html>.

QSD (2008a) Introduction [Online]. HKIS [cited 27 December 2008].

QSD (2008b) General Guidelines for Practising as a Professional Quantity Surveyor [Online]. HKIS [cited 27 December 2008]. .

QSD (2008c) QSD Profile [Online]. HKIS [cited 27 December 2008].

QSBC (2009) A Brief History of Quantity Surveyors of BC [Online]. QSBC [cited 27 June 2009]. < http://qsbc.ca/quantity-surveyors-bc-history.htm>.






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Oppenheim, A.N. (1992) Questionnaire design, interviewing, and attitude measurement. London: Printer Publishers.

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Harris, F. and McCaffer, R. (1995) Modern construction management. 5th ed., Oxford: Blackwell science.

January M. (2003) Measuring the skill of the Quantity Surveyor: A comprehensive guide on how to measure. Canberra ACT: Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

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CHAPTER 3: CURRENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS

CHAPTER 3: CURRENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS


3.1 INTRODUCTION

There are some changing of the roles of Quantity Surveyor between the past and the current. In this chapter, the current roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor would be introduced one by one firstly. And then, the skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyor should got to adapt the industry in the current time would be discussed. After that, the effects of Quantity Surveyor will be mentioned in this chapter also. Lastly, it is a summary of the current roles and responsibilities of the Quantity Surveyor.

Some roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor are same as the past. It is because some are the main roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor such as measurement of works. Some roles and responsibilities are developed from time to time for the Quantity Surveyor to adapt the changing environment and keep the competitive. Thus, they need learn more knowledge and skills to achieve this objective.


3.2 CURRENT ROLES OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS

Firstly, the current roles of Quantity Surveyors will be introduced. Seeley (1997) stated that the role of Quantity Surveyor had been widened, more and more activities are provided. In the 1980s and 1990s, some services were provided by Quantity Surveyors are outside their normal function. Contracting arrangements, construction management, valuations for fire insurance, advice on funding, grants, capital allowances and taxation, building maintenance management, advice on health and safety, quality assurance and greener buildings, facilities management, dilapidations, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution are some new services which would be provided by Quantity Surveyors in the current time.

Chung (2000) pointed out the Quantity Surveyors are cost management professionals in Hong Kong. HKIS (2000) noted that practice surveyors can be appointed to act as experts in property rent review to discover the facts and relevant transactions. Imber (2005) also noted that Quantity Surveyor can act as business adviser, property advisers, management consultancy and sole trader to work in the industry.

HKIS (2004) noted that Quantity Surveyor would take on an important and responsive consultative role in government policy making particularly on issues affecting land, property and construction. Surveyor can acts as expert or arbitrator to advice people who fall in the dispute resolution. The Quantity Surveyor also can work for buildings and civil engineering works during the design and construction stages. Other responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor includes building contractual arrangements and cost control, evaluate the cost of development project and advise suitable kind of contract for the project.

Financial Management, Computing, Project Management, Professional Practice/ Contracts, Communications, Languages, Law, Management, Value Engineering become more important, on the contrary, Land Surveying, Mathematics, Statistics, Structures will become less important for the Quantity Surveyor (RICS, 1992a).

RICS (1991) also recognized that value management, procurement management and total facilities management are the core areas in 1990s and 2000s. it should be organized by information technology.

The Quantity Surveyor can design and produce new standard form of contract. The Quantity Surveyor also needs to communicate with other countries’ surveyor to get more chance and opportunities in the world. These roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor can be know in HKIS (2009, p.2) which stated that “The BSD and QSD Councils jointly launched a new standard form of contract entitled “Standard Form of Contract for Decoration, Repair and Maintenance Works” on 7 May 2009….The QSD Council reached an agreement with China Engineering Cost Association (CECA) to arrange the second registration...”.

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) recognized that vast majority of quantity surveyors are employed in private or public practice or in a contractor’s organization. In addition, quantity surveyors have been appointed to a variety of executive positions throughout the construction and other industries. In many instances, education and training are act as a quantity surveyor position, the role of them may perform only a little or nothing to do with surveying practice nowadays. And then Ashworth and Hogg (2007) listed the following developing roles of Quantity Surveyor is an expansion or further expansion in the areas of activities in the various and different organizations:
 Automated measurement and quantification
 Environmental and sustainability analysis
 Advice on information and communications technology
 Taxation and investment advice relating to projects
 Supply chain management
 Facilities management
 Legal services
 Quality management
 Niche markets

HKIS (2008) pointed out that estimating, preparation of tender document, tender analysis, contract documentation, valuation and variation are the recognized roles of Quantity Surveyor by Government and Private Forms of Building Contract.

The role of the Quantity Surveyor in contractor and in the professional or client is somewhat different. Quantity Surveyor would be representing their employer’s interest either the client or the contractor. Quantity surveyors always look after contractors’ commercial and financial interests to make their employer in the more controversial contractual areas (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).

QSD (2008c) pointed out that “Quantity surveyors are professionals who have been trained as construction cost consultants…have expert knowledge of costs, values, finance, contractual arrangements and legal matters in the construction field”. They could employed by private developers, professionals quantity surveying firms, Government department and related bodies, contractors, Mining and petro-chemical companies and Insurance companies.


3.3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

HKIS (2000) noted that practice surveyors’ duty is investigation to discover the facts and relevant transactions because they can be appointed to act as experts in property rent review.

McDonagh (1992) stated that Civils, housing, repairs and maintenance are growth in the past few years. Quantity Surveyor is required to take more responsibility and a cradle to the grave approach by clients. The environmental impact studies are more and more mandatory. The single person practices are more and more popular.

Chung (2000) recognized that the duties of Quantity Surveyors are preliminary cost advice, cost planning and value management, contractual methods, tendering, choice of contractor, valuation of construction work, project management and increased efficiency.

Lai (2000) recognized to cope with financial matters for a construction project is one of main duties of a Quantity Surveyor in the current time. Lai (2000) also stated a list of other services in Hong Kong Quantity Surveying practices as following:
• Give cost and contractual advice
• Time planning and programming services
• Value engineering and facilities management.

Besides the services of Quantity Surveyor were listed by Lai (2000) as above, some principal services of Quantity Surveyor were listed by HKIS (1999) as following:
 Preliminary cost advice
 Cost planning
 Preparing tender documents and negotiating contract prices
 Preparing contract documents and participating in contract administration
 Preparing cashflow forecasts and exercising cost control over the project
 Project management
 Giving expert evidence in arbitrations and disputes
 Assessing replacement values for insurance

Some core services of Quantity Surveying are listed in the following are mentioned in QSD (2008a):
• Cost planning
• Life cycle costing
• Value management
• Facilities management
• Project management
• Preliminary cost advice
• Procurement methods
• Contractual advice
• Tendering
• Valuation of construction work
• Cost control & financial management
• Financial claims & programme analysis
• Dispute resolution and insurance advice

Prepare contract and provide suitable procurement method, evaluate the cost and value of project or company, management different parties in the project or company are the some of responsibly of Quantity Surveyor. In the different stages of the project, Quantity Surveyor has different duties. In the planning / design stage, they need to design brief and estimate, make a procurement suggestion, pro-active suggestion. During the tender process stage, Quantity Surveyor should prepare tender, procedure, report and recommendation of tender. For the construction stage, they should give the contractual advice, monitoring cost and quality assurance. In the final account & DLP period, they should do the VO settlement, contractual advice and claim settlement (Seeley, 1997).

Estimating, financial management, site costing, contract management, negotiation with supplies and subcontractors, interim certificates and payments, contractual matters and the preparation and agreement of claims are the various activities of contractor’s surveyor (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).


3.4 SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN THE CURRENT

The quantity surveying profession has proved remarkably resilient in the face of changes in the construction industry and the wider national and international environment in recent decades. Continued change in the nature of client demand and the competitive environment for construction services requires change in the knowledge base at the core of professional practice. The idea of adding value to a client’s business is seen as essential. The changing pattern of client demand has been noted, together with the skills and knowledge to meet the demand (RICS, 1992a).

In 1990s and 2000s, Quantity Surveyors need more innovative, more pro-active and more mobile to solve the problems and the changing of client requirements. New skills and services will be progressively developed from continuous research and developments of new techniques (RICS, 1991).

Enterprise has been encouraged and people have become more aware of their own responsibility particularly for the environment. The opportunities are increased for the Quantity Surveyors. Also, the pressures of Quantity Surveyors are become more and more efficient. The ability to harness information technology is a key factor. Information systems are essential for the well being of an organization and the backbone of management, therefore continued growth in the information technology seems certain. The Quantity Surveyor always carries out a sanity check on the final output (McDonagh, 1992).

To survive and grow in the future, the profession must respond quickly and creatively to the challenges of accelerating social, technological, economical and environment change, both at home and abroad. An essential element in the future success and expansion of the profession is the skill and knowledge base at the core of professional practice (RICS, 1992a).

Powell (1998) further emphasized the importance of skills required of the chartered quantity surveyor as following:
 Develop a greater understanding of business and business culture
 Develop strong communications and IST skills
 Challenge authoritatively the contributions of other team members
 Understand that value can be added only by managing and improving the client’s customers and employer’s performance
 Develop skills to promote themselves effectively
 See qualifications only as the starting point
 Recognise the need to take action now
 Become champions of finance and good propriety

Chung (2000) pointed out that Quantity Surveyor should have the skills of evaluating alternative solutions in planning the project cost and in monitoring the cost of decisions made during the development of design. As quantity surveyors, they should have been specially trained in the financial, legal and contractual aspects of construction, they are particularly well qualified for the role of project manager. And Lai (2000) recognized that a professional Quantity Surveyor should get the knowledge of building and construction matters and other areas to work in construction industry.

“Quantity Surveyors are professionals who have been trained as construction cost consultants. They have expert knowledge on costs, values, labour and material prices, finance, contractual arrangements and legal matters in the construction filed” (HKIS, 2004, p.16). Based on this knowledge, Quantity Surveyor can work in private developers, Government departments, contractor, mining and petro-chemical companies and insurance companies to provide services.

Imber (2005) recognized that Quantity Surveyor needs good business skills, good technical skills, good people skills, confidence, presentation and financial acumen. Some skills such as strategic planning, leadership skills, financial awareness, people management and communication skills are developed in the past few years for Quantity Surveyor to suit for the change of environment. Accounting, negotiation skills and presentation skills are some of new skills of Quantity Surveyor should learn it.

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) marked down some knowledge and skills of Quantity Surveyor should know and could implement to fulfill the working criteria of the construction industry. The knowledge includes construction technology, construction law, business administration, financial management, construction economics, measurement rules and conventions. The skills include management, documentation, analysis, appraisal, quantification, synthesis and communication.

Quantity Surveyor should have expert knowledge of costs, values, labour and material prices, finance, contractual arrangements and legal matters in the field of construction (HKIS, 2008).

They are unashamedly more commercially minded, and sometimes the financial success or failure of a project or even a company is due in part at least to the work of the contractor’s surveyor. While the client’s quantity surveyor may claim impartiality between the client and the contractor, the contractor’s surveyor will be representing their own employer’s interests. Prudent contractors have always employed quantity surveyors to look after their commercial and financial interests, and financial interests, and have particularly relied upon them in the more controversial contractual areas (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).

QSD (2008b) Professional Quantity Surveyor (QS) should have the sound knowledge in construction technology, project procurement methods, commonly used standard forms of contract, commonly used standard methods of measurements, preparation of relevant documentation during the project procurement process, cost data relevant to the construction industry, subject areas commonly encountered during the project procurement process, such as construction insurance, project financing and dispute resolution. The QS have an analytical mind; act fairly, with high regard for personal integrity, and continuously updating himself or herself with the latest developments in relevant aspects of the construction industry, The QS should observe at all times the Rules of Conduct of the relevant professional institute to which he or she belongs. When supervising technical subordinates, QS always encourage good professional practice and require high standard in the quality of the work.

Quantity Surveyor should get the dood skills between budget, tender and final account. They also need to get the knowledge of value for money in terms of costs incurred and good functional and quality attributes. The effective and acceptable life cycle cost approach should be prepared by Quantity Surveyor. The performance of Quantity Surveyor should prepare a comprehensive, well considered and realistic brief. They also need to get the knowledge of effective durability, reliability and maintainability of buildings. Quantity Surveyor should have the management skills or knowledge such as harmonious and trusting business relationships with contractor free from conflict, well defined allocation of responsibilities between parties to contract, full and clearly detailed accountability, particularly in the public sector and minimum exposure of the client to risks (Seeley, 1997).

Seeley (1997) also pointed out some skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor should have in different stages of the project. In the planning/ design stage, they should apply the appropriate measurement, apply updated cost data, to form the contract, pros & cons analysis, know the market trend & idea, alternative material options. During the tender process stage, Quantity Surveyor should know how to estimate BQ, the analysis of rate of tender, budget controlling, tender compliance and tender recommendation. In the construction stage, they should apply the progress evaluation, cost control, alternative proposal, comply works of defects, verify valid claim, justify LD/EOT, settle the claim and contra charge. For the final account & DLP period, they should apply the skills and knowledge such as settle quantity, justify works and materials, advice contractual liabilities, advice dispute resolutions, settle EOT and LD, settle the final account and settle the claim.

3.5 THE EFFECT OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THE CURRENT

For the cost planning and control, Quantity Surveyor has his function which stated in HKIS (2004, p.13) “In a development project the surveyor will ensure the project proceeds within budget by researching, examining, reporting and determining the economic acquisition and use of the resources of the construction industry, the financial appraisal and measurement of construction work, the monitoring of construction, maintenance and running costs”.

For the contractors, Quantity Surveyors can help them to ensure that they receive the correct payment at the appropriate time for the work done on site. The Quantity Surveyor’s work embrace estimating and the negotiation of new contracts, site measurement, profitability and forecasting, contractual disputes and claims, site costing and other matters of a management and so on (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).

Chung (2000) recognized a realistic budget and a cost plan which showing the distribution of cost over the various element can be prepared by the Quantity Surveyor. The Quantity Surveyor can control the cost of project stay within the budget and help to achieve the objective. Best form of contractor could be advised for a specific project to make the tender run smooth and easy to understand. Help the employer easier to select a suitable contractor. The Quantity Surveyor can ensure to settle of the accounts for project and the project completed within the budget. Make the construction a great deal easier and more efficient. Imber (2005) also pointed out the Quantity Surveyor can reflect client’s objectives and achieve successful results by provide services.

Quantity Surveyor can produce a new standard form of contract to avoid the unclear in liabilities or unbalanced risk sharing in the old contract form. Quantity Surveyor also can as a co-coordinator to communicate with China Engineering Cost Association to get the register as cost engineers in China to process the construction works (HKIS, 2009).

Quantity Surveyor can revise and publish the Standard Method of Measurement to suits for the current construction technology. SMM 4 is one of example of the publication which will obviously benefit the profession (HKIS, 2004).

Quantity Surveyor can make the construction team to arrive jointly at practical designs for a project and stay within the budget by the effective cost planning. It also can ensure a realistic estimate, improve economy standards and help contractor achieve a project with their aims (HKIS, 1999).

The emphasis on management to time, cost and quality criteria in today’s construction industry can raised the profile of project by Quantity Surveying. Also, new services of Quantity Surveyor are needed in the areas of early cost advice, cost control and market forecasting also can add the value to the client’s business (RICS, 1991).


3.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY

Quantity Surveyor still acts as an important role in the construction industry in the current. Their skills and knowledge help them to bear the responsibilities and make many effects to the time, cost, quality and management of company in construction industry.

Chartered quantity surveyors are well placed to develop a construction management service and well on the way towards realizing this potential to adapt the changing of environment (Bennett, 1986).

The professions are continued to exploit a wide range of employment opportunities. Quantity Surveyors are employed by clients, developers and contractors increasingly. Quantity Surveyors should satisfy client’s requirements by provides independent professional advice such as provide procurement advice for construction. Unique skill-base which combines procurement and cost management can provide a clear practice identity for Quantity Surveyors to develop in their direction (RICS, 1991).

Continue to develop Quantity Surveyors’ skills and knowledge particularly in strategic management, policy decisions, mathematical modeling and information technology can ensure that clients can have the best advice in selecting procurement techniques and management procedures for construction projects. Make more use of specialists in economics, statistics and construction management can seek to occupy senior management posts in major contracting organizations, other commercial firms and public sector (RICS, 1983a).

Client demand for management-orientated valued-added services; the growing emphasis on value and the management of cost in the context of value criteria; the emergence of alternative procurement systems; increasing competition both within the profession and from outside are the responsibilities and liabilities of Quantity Surveyor (RICS, 1991).

As Quantity Surveyors, they should have the following skills include personal qualities, core skills and process skills. For example, they should included the personal qualities such as independence, adaptability, initiative taking, willingness to learn and ability to reflect on what has and what has not been achieved. For the core skills, Quantity Surveyor should included the ability to present clear information when in a group, self-management, critical analysis and the ability to listen to others. Computer literacy, commercial awareness, prioritizing, negotiating, acting morally and ethically, coping with ambiguity and complexity are the process skills of Quantity Surveyor should include

CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR


2.1 INTRODUCTION

Before consider what the changing role of Quantity Surveyor is in the future, it is worthwhile to review the background of the Quantity Surveying profession and the roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor. In this chapter, the background of the Quantity Surveyor and the HKIS will be introduced first. And then, the traditional roles and evolved roles of the Quantity Surveyor will be discussed one by one. After that, responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor have some explains. What skills and knowledge are the Quantity Surveyor should be included in the past will be discussed in this chapter. Quantity Surveyor is one of important roles in the construction industry. Thus, the effects of Quantity Surveyor will be mentioned in this chapter also. Lastly, it is a summary of the history of the roles and responsibilities of the Quantity Surveyor.


2.2 BACKGROUND TO THE QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Firstly, it has been stated that: “Quantity surveyors are the profession developed during the 19th century from the earlier "Measurer," a specialist tradesman (often a guild member), who prepared standardized schedules for a building project in which all of the construction materials, labour activities and the like were quantified, and against which competing builders could submit priced tenders. Because the tenders were each based on the same schedule of information, they would be easily compared to find the most suitable candidate.” QSBC (2009).

“…A quantity surveyor is professionally trained, qualified and experienced in dealing with these problems on behalf of the employer. He is essentially a cost expert whose prime task is to ensure that the project is kept within the agreed budget and that the employer obtains value for money” (Seelay, 1997, p.40).

“Quantity Surveyors are the financial managers of the construction team who add value by managing the functions of cost, time and quality. They have been trained as construction cost consultants who have expert knowledge of costs, values, labour and material prices, finance, contractual arrangements and legal matters in the construction filed. In general, they provide services of cost management and control in building and engineering projects of any scale” (Chung, 2000, p.10). HKIS (1999) also recognized the Quantity Surveyor concerned the building contractual arrangements and cost control. They can provide private developers, government departments, contractors, mining and petro-chemical companies and insurance companies some services to suit the various demands.

QSBC (2009) also stated that: “A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a professional person working within the construction industry. The role of the QS is to manage and control costs within construction projects and may involve the use of a range of management procedures and technical tools to achieve this goal.”

The above are some of roles of the Quantity Surveyor. And then, the definition of the role of the Quantity Surveyor should be known. Refer to RICS (1983a, p.1) which stated that “In the 1971 report, the role of the Quantity Surveyor was defined as “ensuring that the resources of the construction industry are utilized to the best advantage of society by providing, inter alia, the financial management for projects and a cost consultancy service to the client and designer during the whole construction process. This distinctive competence of the Quantity Surveyor is a skill in measurement and valuation in the field of construction in order that such work can be described and the cost and price can be forecast analysed, planned, controlled and accounted for”.”


2.3 HISTORY OF HKIS

According to seeley, 1997 (in Chung, 2000, pp.3-4) “…The development of the surveying profession in Hong Kong goes back to 1843 with the arrival of the first Surveyor General. A Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor was established in 1992. In 1984, Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors was formed to act as an independent organization but it still maintained close links with the RICS throughout”. HKIS (2009) remarked the HKIS as the leading professional organization in surveying, real estate and construction in Hong Kong over the past 25 years.

The history of HKIS can be founded in HKIS (2004, p.9) which recorded that “It was in April 1984 that HKIS was founded...It was by 1990 that the HKIS qualifications were fully recognized by the Hong Kong Government and HKIS ranks at par with other recognized professional bodies in local affairs…”.


2.4 TRADITIONAL ROLES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) stated that the traditional role of Quantity Surveyor is still practiced on small to medium sized projects. It can be described as a measure and value system. Quantity Surveyor should prepared using a single price method of estimating, produce bills of quantities for tendering, measure the progress payments base on the work and prepare final account on the basis of the tender documentation. The following listed the traditional role of Quantity Surveyor:
 Single rate approximate estimates
 Cost planning
 Procurement advice
 Measurement and quantification
 Document preparation, especially bills of quantities
 Cost control during construction
 Interim valuations and payments
 Financial statements
 Final account preparation and agreement
 Settlement of contractual claims

“The traditional role of the quantity surveyor…has since been considerably expanded to include such functions as resources control, accountancy, legal judgment, and all within the fields of contracting, engineering, project management, etc.” (Newton, 1985, p.18).

“As a tradition, estimating, preparation of tender documents, tender analysis, contract documentation, valuation and variation, and all quantity surveying related works of infrastructure projects are always handled by civil engineers notwithstanding that majority of these works are actually handled by quantity surveyors under the supervision of civil engineers. In the building works, the traditional role of handling these works by architects had been changed to become the role of quantity surveyors, and the Government and Private Forms of Building Contract were changed to recognize such QS role. However, in the infrastructure works, such QS role is still with the civil engineers as stated in the Government Form of Civil Engineering Works” (HKIS, 2008).


2.5 EVOLVED ROLES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

RICS (1983a) also pointed out that the Quantity Surveyor’s expertise had been further developed after 1971. For the construction project, they are involved in the field of manpower planning, resources control and in assessing the effects of time. The filed of contracting, civil and industrial engineering construction, mechanical and electrical engineering services, and project management and control also relate to the Quantity Surveyor. That means the role of the Quantity Surveyor is extended in 1980s. The Quantity Surveyor involve complex resource procurement and management processes, besides deal with complex construction contracts; provides the basis for a disciplined and well managed approach to projects.

In 1980s, Quantity Surveyor’s roles from the historically dealt with work through prime cost and provisional sums to advice procurement method which becomes a new potential role of Quantity Surveyors because of the increasing array of options that were available. Other evolved roles have included project and construction management and facilities management. It is because the inherent adversarial nature of the construction industry which are involved in contractual disputes and ligation. More engineering services orientated increased emphasis on the services such as measurement, costs and value is other reason of this change (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).

Quantity Surveyors should more direct and more related to client. This management role is most effective when linked to authority, responsibility and risk taking. Clients need early and accurate cost advice, more often than not well in advance of site acquisition and of a commitment to build (RICS, 1991).

Seeley (1997) pointed out the Quantity Surveyor not only regarded building contract and often as project manager on civil and heavy engineering contracts to control the project from inception to completion and coordinate with other parties to take over the works. Quantity Surveyor is an important member of the design team in both the public and private sectors to advising employers and architects on the probable costs of alternative designs.

RICS (1983a) believed that Quantity Surveyor after gained the knowledge and experience in construction economics, management and resource control, he will evolve his role. These roles are policy making, numerate skills, strategic planning, contracting, work in construction management, multi-disciplinary working, diversity in procurement, life cycle costing and building procurement adviser.

Newton (1985) raised Quantity Surveyor use the expert system of computer technology can make him become identity, independence and in first. That means the role of Quantity Surveyor can be established early in the design or construction process.

As a consultant Chartered Quantity Surveyor, he should improve the quality of service and the matching of the known resources to suit for the requirement of clients. There are some services should be provided to clients during pre-contract stage and post-contract stage. In the pre-contract stage, Quantity Surveyor should preparing bills of quantities and examining tenders received and reporting thereon, cost planning, air conditioning, heating, ventilating and electrical services, negotiating tenders and pricing bills of quantities. In the post-contract, Quantity Surveyor should taking particulars and reporting valuation for interim certificate for payments on account to the contractor, preparing periodic assessments of anticipated final cost and reporting thereon, measuring and making up bills of variations including pricing and agreeing totals with contractor and adjusting fluctuations in the cost of labour and materials if required by the contract, air conditioning, heating, ventilating and electrical services, valuations for interim certificates, preparing accounts of variation upon contracts and cost monitoring services such as providing approximate estimates of final cost at the following frequency (RICS, 1983b).

Some evolved roles stated in Ashworth and Hogg (2007) are listed as following:
 Investment appraisal
 Advice on cost limits and budgets
 Whole life costing
 Value management
 Risk analysis
 Insolvency services
 Cost engineering services
 Subcontract administration
 Environmental services measurement and costing
 Technical auditing
 Planning and supervision
 Valuation for insurance purposes
 Project management
 Facilities management
 Administering maintenance programmes
 Advice on contractual disputes
 Planning supervisor
 Employers’ agent


2.6 RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

In the past, the responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors are mentioned in RICS (1980) which listed some responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors as following:
 Budget estimating;
 Cost planning;
 Advice on tendering procedures and contract arrangements;
 Preparing tendering documents for main contract and specialist sub-contractor;
 Examining tenders received and reporting thereon or negotiating tenders;
 Pricing with a selected contractor and/or sub-contractors;
 Preparing recommendations for interim payments on account to the contractor;
 Preparing periodic assessments of anticipated final cost and reporting thereon;
 Measuring work and adjusting variations in accordance with the terms of the contract;
 Preparing final account, pricing same and agreeing totals with the contractor;
 Providing a reasonable number of copies of bills of quantities and other documents.

Bennett (1986, p.31) said that “The quantity surveyor’s responsibility is to ensure that the budget is complete and that no necessary costs are omitted or duplicated….Beyond this, the quantity surveyor should advise the client to make separate provision for all other costs including consultant’s fees, land costs, finance costs, fluctuations where appropriate and an overall project contingency. The quantity surveyor’s further major responsibility is to ensure that the cost control and accounting procedures adopted by the construction manager are satisfactory. This is a normal responsibility for final accounts and raises no new issues for quantity surveyors apart from the unusually large number of separate works contract accounts to be dealt with.”

Chartered Quantity Surveyor will provide a construction management service because of market-orientated. Some of them are towards realizing this potential (Bennett, 1986).

RICS (1991) reported that something is changing of the world in 1990s such as markets, construction industry, client needs and the profession. For the changes in markets, the trend of different sectors will have different workloads and the challenges are arising for the European Union. For the changes in the construction industry, the nature of contracting will be changing. Some competition may come from non-construction professionals. For the changes in client needs, they want get the long-terms view about the initial design and construction phase. For the changes in the profession, employment patterns, the impact of fee competition, the ways in which the quantity surveyor is appointed and the changes in their role and practice. Thus, management to time, cost and quality should be emphasized by Quantity Surveying. Bills of Quantities were still important. The areas of early cost advice, cost control and market forecasting are new services for client’s business. The profession’s unique skill-base which combines procurement and cost management would be practiced by Quantity Surveyors. Quantity Surveyors are employed in consultancies only in the past. More and more Quantity Surveyors will be employed by clients, developers and contractor.

HKIS and RICS (1994) recognized Quantity Surveyor should providing advice on tendering procedures and contractual arrangements, preparing bills of quantities and examining tenders received and reporting thereon in pre-contract stage. Also, Quantity Surveyor should do pre-contract Estimating, cost study services, pricing Bill of Quantities and post-contract cost management services such as valuations for certificates and calculating fluctuations in the cost of construction.

Preliminary cost advice and cost planning, Preparation of contract documentation, tender invitation and scrutiny, negotiations with contractors, valuation of work in progress, pricing of variations, settlement of claims, cost control of project, preparation of final account and measurement for and preparation of bills of quantities are included in the principal activities of the quantity surveyor (Seeley, 1997).

RICS (1999) pointed out some services of Quantity Surveyor should be provided during different stage of the project. In the pre-contract stage, Quantity Surveyor should prepare and develop preliminary cost plan, advise on cost of design team’s proposals, monitor cost implications during detailed design stage, maintain and develop cost plan. For the tender stage, Quantity Surveyor should advise on the contractual documentation to clients. Moreover, Quantity Surveyor also needs to prepare recommendations for interim payments, post-contract cost control and final account. Furthermore, Quantity Surveyor should provide and price bills of quantities, prepare cost analysis, advise on financial implications, advise on use of areas and provide measurement of areas, provide advice on contractual matters.


2.7 SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR IN THE PAST

Here, some skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor would be introduced. RICS (1983a, pp.1-2) listed a lot of skills and knowledge of a Quantity Surveyor should have as following:
• Planning, estimating and controlling costs, evaluating alternative designs, undertaking feasibility studies,
• Measuring and describing construction work,
• Analyzing complex projects into manageable work packages,
• Producing contract documents, especially bills of quantities,
• Advising on appropriate methods of procurement; selecting, organizing and evaluating tender bids and contractual arrangements,
• Valuing work in progress, and exercising cost control during construction, undertaking the valuing of variations and potential variations,
• Preparing valuations for insurance purposes and advising on insurance claims,
• Sub-contract administration,
• Settlement of final accounts,
• Advice and settlement of contractual disputes and claims,
• Use of computer technology and developing computer aided design techniques,
• Advising on taxation, grant and financial matters and forecasting expenditure flows,
• Advising on cost-limits and preparing budgets,
• Advising on cash flow forecasting,
• Advising on life-cycle costs,
• Cost-analysis,
• Cost benefit analysis,
• Scheduling resources,
• Planning and programming design and construction work, use of network analysis techniques, project and construction management,
• Preparing and administering maintenance programmes.

Besides the above skills and knowledge, Quantity Surveyor in 1980s should expand their skills and knowledge such as construction economics, design and construction management technology, resource control, mathematical modeling, policy decisions, strategic planning, risk analysis, network analysis, other programming techniques, and to suit for the changing of working environment and economics (RICS 1983a).

Newton (1985) observed the expert system of computer technology can be one of powerful skills of Quantity Surveyor for them to adapt the future.

Construction management techniques includes good understanding of design and construction technology, management of time and cost, value engineering, quality management and site safety. Management of cost is one of the important to clients, and Quantity Surveyor can advice in establishing budgets and cost control. Thus, Quantity Surveyor can develop construction management to increase the competitive power (Bennett, 1986).

Brandon (1990) pointed out some techniques of Quantity Surveyor should have as following:
 Development and appraisal--the front end decision to invest
 Value management--optimisation of the benefit/cost relationship
 Estimating and bidding methods--cost prediction and reliability
 Risk analysis--coping with risk and uncertainty
 Life cycle costing--the longer term view of the cost of the asset
 Expert systems--qualitative reasoning to support expert decision making
 Computer aided design--relating the design database to the QS function
 Integrated databases--designing the database for efficient and reliable information retrieval
 Procurement systems--assessing the contractual relationship/ arrangement between parties

RICS (1991) believed that Quantity Surveyors would need to be more innovative, more pro-active and more mobile to adapt the changing client requirements.

Technique of cost planning, knowledge of contractual methods and tendering should be implemented by Quantity Surveyor (Seeley, 1997).

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) pointed out that design cost planning, whole life costing, value management, risk analysis and management became tools to add value for the client. It is because these tools were effective to increase importance and emphasis to meet the client’s objectives.


2.8 EFFEET OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Quantity Surveyor acts an important role in the construction industry. They have many effects to the construction industry as following introduction.

The Quantity Surveyor makes the construction industry become more successful by using their skills, knowledge and expertise (RICS, 1983a). Independent cost advice on the project should provided to clients by Quantity Surveyor (RICS, 1983b).

Bennett (1986, p.31) said that “The quantity surveyor’s responsibility is to ensure that the budget is complete and that no necessary costs are omitted or duplicated….Beyond this, the quantity surveyor should advise the client to make separate provision for all other costs including consultant’s fees, land costs, finance costs, fluctuations where appropriate and an overall project contingency. The quantity surveyor’s further major responsibility is to ensure that the cost control and accounting procedures adopted by the construction manager are satisfactory. This is a normal responsibility for final accounts and raises no new issues for quantity surveyors apart from the unusually large number of separate works contract accounts to be dealt with.”

RICS (1992b) noted that Quantity Surveyor could setting a realistic cost budget, advise on cost implications of design and standards of construction and/or of alternative solutions and advise on the method of contractor procurement best suited to the project.

Quantity surveyor is essentially a cost expert to ensure the project is kept within the agreed budget and the employer obtains value for money. The Quantity Surveyor can keep the total expenditure within the employer’s budget and remains compatible with the cost plan by frequently estimate of cost. Independent Quantity Surveyor could prepare an accurate bill of quantities because he would measure and value any variations that might occur during the progress of the works. Realistic budget and financial could be prepared by the Quantity Surveyor. The Quantity Surveyor can make everyone work in construction more efficient. It is benefits for the Quantity Surveyors when they negotiate a contract because they can learn more about the practical organization and management of contracts. And then produce bill of quantities more quickly. Environmental issues would be informed by surveyors to their clients to ensure that it is considered in the decision making process (Seelay, 1997).

Seelay (1997, pp.415-416) also pointed out that “…he can, for instance, be involved in the placing of subcontract orders for both nominated and domestic subcontractors. It is essential that the contractor’s quantity surveyor ensures that the correct contractual conditions and financial details are embodied in the orders and subcontract arrangements…surveyor is required to report to management, usually monthly, on the overall financial state of the contract, giving comparisons of actual cost with the corresponding internal value for the various cost codes and subtrades…providing contracts personnel with the opportunity to consider remedial action…preventing a recurrence of similar problems on future contracts…contractor’s quantity surveyor can advise contracts staff on significant aspects of the contract conditions, in their dealings with the architect…contractor’s surveyor …advising design staff on the most economical form of construction and cost planning and monitoring the development as a whole”.

RICS (1999) noted that Quantity Surveyor could set a realistic budget and advice the procurement method best suited to the requirements of the Client.

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) believed that Quantity Surveyor use his knowledge of cost planning can avoid tenders being received that were over budget. Quantity Surveyor would look after the financial interests of the contractor. Under the terms of the contract, Quantity Surveyor could submitted claims for extra payments in civil engineering project and building project to help contractor to earn more profit.


2.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY

According the above discussion, Quantity Surveyor has a skill in measurement and valuation in the field of construction in order that such work can be described and the cost and price can be forecast analysed, planned, controlled and accounted for. Most of their traditional roles are related to the cost, and most of their evolved roles are related to management and the cost. That means the roles of Quantity Surveyor would not leave the link to the cost and it would develop to the direction of management.

RICS (1983a, pp.8-12) believes that Quantity Surveyor after gained the knowledge and experience in construction economics, management and resource control, he will evolve his role. These roles are policy making, numerate skills, strategic planning, contracting, work in construction management, multi-disciplinary working, diversity in procurement, life cycle costing and building procurement adviser.

Encourage Quantity Surveyors use more new technology can get more benefit and experience. Additional and more specialist courses should be provide a education and training to people who want to become a professional Quantity Surveyor. Make more occupy in different company to Quantity Surveyor for their practice. Individual Quantity Surveyors, profession, the institution, in education and training, all parties should know their role to develop the field of Quantity Surveyor (RICS, 1983a).

(RICS, 1983a) summarized the changing scene in client requirement, economic and political. There is decline in new building and engineering work and an increase in repair, maintenance, energy conservation and rehabilitation work. Changing technology will affect the construction industry’s ability to design, erect and internally re-plan buildings more efficiently and economically. In the private sector, returns are low, Clients are becoming more critical and demanding in terms of both time-scale and cost for money and the profession must react accordingly. More Quantity Surveyors are being employed in resource and manpower planning, construction and project management and allied areas. Quantity Surveyor act as project and construction managers to perform wider management and co-ordination functions. They are employed by contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, property developers and others with a major input in management, resource planning and manpower control.

Quantity Surveyor should develop their skills and knowledge because it is one of the methods of selecting a Quantity Surveyor by clients (RICS 1992b; RICS1999).

Thus, the Quantity Surveyor should develop their skills and knowledge to get more experience in different fields and increase their power to keep the competitive.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE DISSERTATION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE DISSERTATION


1.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the background for undertaking this research work and identifies the aim and objective of this dissertation. Furthermore, it also gives an overall introduction on the structure and organization of the dissertation.


1.2 BACKGROUND

Due to the Financial Tsunami last year, there is a serious slump in this two year. The economy of the world is become badly. The effect of this Financial Tsunami is serious than the outbreak of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. The confidences of many Hong Kong People have been ruined again. Most of sector, including the construction industry, of the Hong Kong economy was adversely affected. Many middle size companies and small size companies were closed down in the past few months. Beside that, some large company also face financial problem. Some of them are reduce the staff or to lay off employees. Under this situation, some Governments give a hand to the companies. Some Government put out some project to stimulate economic growth. They want to help the companies to pass through this bad economic environment. However, this way cannot to help all the companies. The companies should help by themselves.

In the view of HKIS (2009) which mentioned the Global Financial Crisis has the adverse effects for all people no matter you become a qualified surveyor or not. The qualified surveyor should not get a substantial pay rise. Job security is also to be a concern.

How could the company and people could through the Financial Tsunami? What the company and people should be done in this situation? Anything can be done by Quantity Surveyor to help the construction company to pass through this Global Financial Tsunami? It should have an efficient management system to lead employees to work. Make company earn more money to cover the cost of running company. For a construction company, good Quantity Surveyors can reach this objective. Quantity Surveyor is an important role for a construction company. A good and experienced Quantity Surveyor will make the company have more jobs and earn more money. However, a bad Quantity Surveyor will make the company lose the project and money. Lai (2000) recognized that non-traditional services could be provided by Quantity Surveying firms to make the economic declined settle.

Generally, project objectives are related to time, cost and quality. Originally, these three elements are equally important to the success of the project. However, due to the present declining economical situation, most clients’ point of view will only focus on cost as the most important criteria in selecting consultant for their project development. Thus, nearly all consultants are trying to earn more business by using lower and lower fee scale, which is the only way to obtain more project/ business for survival (Lau, 2003).

Quantity Surveyors will be employed by Clients, developers and contractors. Working in different area will have different roles and responsibilities. Different abilities of Quantity Surveyors are benefit to different employers. If the Quantity Surveys want to have their best job, they should learn more abilities and changing the roles and responsibilities.

The changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction company would be discussed in this proposal. The history and current of the roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction company would be mentioned. Information would be collected from practicing Quantity Surveyors and the top managers. The changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor in the building construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the analysis and establish the possible changing would be discussed.

A research will be investigating the relevant aspects mentioned above. The aim and objectives of the research will be as follow.


1.3 RESEARCH AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESES

The aim of research is an investigation into the changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors (“QS”) in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction industry.

There are some research objectives as following:
1) To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
2) To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
3) To collect information from practising Quantity Surveyors about Quantity Surveyors’ roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge.
4) To analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
5) To draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction industry, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing.

The Hypotheses of this dissertation is “Quantity Surveyors must continue to extend and develop their repertoire in order to sustain the Hong Kong construction industry in this current global recession.”


1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The outline of research methodology as following:
1) To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. This will mean investigating what are the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. It will include the collection of literature from books, internet, magazines and journals. These resources will make me know more about the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. Literature review can provide a basic information and knowledge such as definition, background, theories, opinion and existing assessment methods adopted in the private and public sectors from the different finding, idea and data.


2) To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors for the construction industry. This will mean investigating what are the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. It will include the collection of literature from books, internet, magazines and journals. These resources will make me know more about the current of the of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.

3) To collect information from practising Quantity Surveyors of their roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge. The purpose of this objective is to collect information from some practising Quantity Surveyors. The information will be collected by questionnaire survey. Questionnaires will be sent to Quantity Surveyors who work in the construction industry and employed by Government, developer, contractor, consultant, etc. for the survey purpose. Under this surveyor it is intended to investigate the comment and opinion of professions (Quantity Surveyors) in setting criteria in evaluating performance of Quantity Surveyors in order to achieve project objectives.

4) To analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. The collected information by questionnaire survey from Quantity Surveyors will be analyzed by pie charts. And then the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors will be established. Data from the questionnaires are systematically extracted and displayed. Data and information from the questionnaires and other comment and finding are critically analysed in order to draw a objective conclusion.


5) To draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing. Roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company will be summarised. To identify how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful. At last, the possible changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction industry will be established.


1.5 RESTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS

To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction Industry will depend on the currency of the materials are research. The different authors may have different views and the information may be difficult to collect from Quantity Surveyors.

To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors for the construction Industry should depend on the currency of the materials are research. The different authors may have different views. The information will be continued to change from day to day.

The restraints and limitation of collect of information from practicing Quantity Surveyors of their roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge. The questionnaire survey may not have enough feed back from Quantity Surveyors.

The restraints and limitation of analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the building construction industry are the objective is very dependent on information received.

The restraints and limitation of to draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing. This objective is very dependent on information received. It also depends on the mind of analyst. The possible changing is established by analyst.


1.6 CONTENTS OF THE DISSERTATION







1.7 CHAPTER SUMMARY

Cover page

CHAN KIN WO

University of Wolverhampton
School Of Engineering And The Built Environment

BSc (Hons) Construction Management

“Role of Quantity Surveyor in the construction industry”

26th July 2009

“Presented in partial fulfilment of the assessment requirements for
the above award"

Tuesday 14 July 2009

CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR


2.1 INTRODUCTION

Before consider what the changing role of Quantity Surveyor is in the future, it is worthwhile to review the background of the Quantity Surveying profession and the roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor. In this chapter, the background of the Quantity Surveyor and the HKIS will be introduced first. And then, the traditional roles and evolved roles of the Quantity Surveyor will be discussed one by one. After that, responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor have some explains. What skills and knowledge are the Quantity Surveyor should be included in the past will be discussed in this chapter. Quantity Surveyor is one of important roles in the construction industry. Thus, the effects of Quantity Surveyor will be mentioned in this chapter also. Lastly, it is a summary of the history of the roles and responsibilities of the Quantity Surveyor.


2.2 BACKGROUND TO THE QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Firstly, it has been stated that: “Quantity surveyors are the profession developed during the 19th century from the earlier "Measurer," a specialist tradesman (often a guild member), who prepared standardized schedules for a building project in which all of the construction materials, labour activities and the like were quantified, and against which competing builders could submit priced tenders. Because the tenders were each based on the same schedule of information, they would be easily compared to find the most suitable candidate.” QSBC (2009).

“…A quantity surveyor is professionally trained, qualified and experienced in dealing with these problems on behalf of the employer. He is essentially a cost expert whose prime task is to ensure that the project is kept within the agreed budget and that the employer obtains value for money” (Seelay, 1997, p.40).

“Quantity Surveyors are the financial managers of the construction team who add value by managing the functions of cost, time and quality. They have been trained as construction cost consultants who have expert knowledge of costs, values, labour and material prices, finance, contractual arrangements and legal matters in the construction filed. In general, they provide services of cost management and control in building and engineering projects of any scale” (Chung, 2000, p.10).

QSBC (2009) also stated that: “A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a professional person working within the construction industry. The role of the QS is to manage and control costs within construction projects and may involve the use of a range of management procedures and technical tools to achieve this goal.”

The above are some of roles of the Quantity Surveyor. And then, the definition of the role of the Quantity Surveyor should be known. Refer to RICS (1983a, p.1) which stated that “In the 1971 report, the role of the Quantity Surveyor was defined as “ensuring that the resources of the construction industry are utilized to the best advantage of society by providing, inter alia, the financial management for projects and a cost consultancy service to the client and designer during the whole construction process. This distinctive competence of the Quantity Surveyor is a skill in measurement and valuation in the field of construction in order that such work can be described and the cost and price can be forecast analysed, planned, controlled and accounted for”.”


2.3 HISTORY OF HKIS

According to seeley, 1997 (in Chung, 2000, pp.3-4) “…The development of the surveying profession in Hong Kong goes back to 1843 with the arrival of the first Surveyor General. A Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor was established in 1992. In 1984, Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors was formed to act as an independent organization but it still maintained close links with the RICS throughout”. HKIS (2009) remarked the HKIS as the leading professional organization in surveying, real estate and construction in Hong Kong over the past 25 years.

The history of HKIS can be founded in HKIS (2004, p.9) which recorded that “It was in April 1984 that HKIS was founded...It was by 1990 that the HKIS qualifications were fully recognized by the Hong Kong Government and HKIS ranks at par with other recognized professional bodies in local affairs…”.


2.4 TRADITIONAL ROLES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) stated that the traditional role of Quantity Surveyor is still practiced on small to medium sized projects. It can be described as a measure and value system. Quantity Surveyor should prepared using a single price method of estimating, produce bills of quantities for tendering, measure the progress payments base on the work and prepare final account on the basis of the tender documentation. The following listed the traditional role of Quantity Surveyor:
 Single rate approximate estimates
 Cost planning
 Procurement advice
 Measurement and quantification
 Document preparation, especially bills of quantities
 Cost control during construction
 Interim valuations and payments
 Financial statements
 Final account preparation and agreement
 Settlement of contractual claims

“The traditional role of the quantity surveyor…has since been considerably expanded to include such functions as resources control, accountancy, legal judgment, and all within the fields of contracting, engineering, project management, etc.” (Newton, 1985, p.18).


2.5 EVOLVED ROLES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

RICS (1983a) also pointed out that the Quantity Surveyor’s expertise had been further developed after 1971. For the construction project, they are involved in the field of manpower planning, resources control and in assessing the effects of time. The filed of contracting, civil and industrial engineering construction, mechanical and electrical engineering services, and project management and control also relate to the Quantity Surveyor. That means the role of the Quantity Surveyor is extended in 1980s. The Quantity Surveyor involve complex resource procurement and management processes, besides deal with complex construction contracts; provides the basis for a disciplined and well managed approach to projects.

In 1980s, Quantity Surveyor’s roles from the historically dealt with work through prime cost and provisional sums to advice procurement method which becomes a new potential role of Quantity Surveyors because of the increasing array of options that were available. Other evolved roles have included project and construction management and facilities management. It is because the inherent adversarial nature of the construction industry which are involved in contractual disputes and ligation. More engineering services orientated increased emphasis on the services such as measurement, costs and value is other reason of this change (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007).

Seeley (1997) pointed out the Quantity Surveyor not only regarded building contract and often as project manager on civil and heavy engineering contracts to control the project from inception to completion and coordinate with other parties to take over the works. Quantity Surveyor is an important member of the design team in both the public and private sectors to advising employers and architects on the probable costs of alternative designs.

RICS (1983a) believed that Quantity Surveyor after gained the knowledge and experience in construction economics, management and resource control, he will evolve his role. These roles are policy making, numerate skills, strategic planning, contracting, work in construction management, multi-disciplinary working, diversity in procurement, life cycle costing and building procurement adviser.

Newton (1985) raised Quantity Surveyor use the expert system of computer technology can make him become identity, independence and in first. That means the role of Quantity Surveyor can be established early in the design or construction process.

As a consultant Chartered Quantity Surveyor, he should improve the quality of service and the matching of the known resources to suit for the requirement of clients. There are some services should be provided to clients during pre-contract stage and post-contract stage. In the pre-contract stage, Quantity Surveyor should preparing bills of quantities and examining tenders received and reporting thereon, cost planning, air conditioning, heating, ventilating and electrical services, negotiating tenders and pricing bills of quantities. In the post-contract, Quantity Surveyor should taking particulars and reporting valuation for interim certificate for payments on account to the contractor, preparing periodic assessments of anticipated final cost and reporting thereon, measuring and making up bills of variations including pricing and agreeing totals with contractor and adjusting fluctuations in the cost of labour and materials if required by the contract, air conditioning, heating, ventilating and electrical services, valuations for interim certificates, preparing accounts of variation upon contracts and cost monitoring services such as providing approximate estimates of final cost at the following frequency (RICS, 1983b).

Some evolved roles stated in Ashworth and Hogg (2007) are listed as following:
 Investment appraisal
 Advice on cost limits and budgets
 Whole life costing
 Value management
 Risk analysis
 Insolvency services
 Cost engineering services
 Subcontract administration
 Environmental services measurement and costing
 Technical auditing
 Planning and supervision
 Valuation for insurance purposes
 Project management
 Facilities management
 Administering maintenance programmes
 Advice on contractual disputes
 Planning supervisor
 Employers’ agent


2.6 RESPONSIBILITIES OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR

In the past, the responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors are mentioned in RICS (1980) which listed some responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors as following:
 Budget estimating;
 Cost planning;
 Advice on tendering procedures and contract arrangements;
 Preparing tendering documents for main contract and specialist sub-contractor;
 Examining tenders received and reporting thereon or negotiating tenders;
 Pricing with a selected contractor and/or sub-contractors;
 Preparing recommendations for interim payments on account to the contractor;
 Preparing periodic assessments of anticipated final cost and reporting thereon;
 Measuring work and adjusting variations in accordance with the terms of the contract;
 Preparing final account, pricing same and agreeing totals with the contractor;
 Providing a reasonable number of copies of bills of quantities and other documents.

Bennett (1986, p.31) said that “The quantity surveyor’s responsibility is to ensure that the budget is complete and that no necessary costs are omitted or duplicated….Beyond this, the quantity surveyor should advise the client to make separate provision for all other costs including consultant’s fees, land costs, finance costs, fluctuations where appropriate and an overall project contingency. The quantity surveyor’s further major responsibility is to ensure that the cost control and accounting procedures adopted by the construction manager are satisfactory. This is a normal responsibility for final accounts and raises no new issues for quantity surveyors apart from the unusually large number of separate works contract accounts to be dealt with.”

Chartered Quantity Surveyor will provide a construction management service because of market-orientated. Some of them are towards realizing this potential (Bennett, 1986).

RICS (1991) reported that something is changing of the world in 1990s such as markets, construction industry, client needs and the profession. For the changes in markets, the trend of different sectors will have different workloads and the challenges are arising for the European Union. For the changes in the construction industry, the nature of contracting will be changing. Some competition may come from non-construction professionals. For the changes in client needs, they want get the long-terms view about the initial design and construction phase. For the changes in the profession, employment patterns, the impact of fee competition, the ways in which the quantity surveyor is appointed and the changes in their role and practice. Thus, management to time, cost and quality should be emphasized by Quantity Surveying. Bills of Quantities were still important. The areas of early cost advice, cost control and market forecasting are new services for client’s business. The profession’s unique skill-base which combines procurement and cost management would be practiced by Quantity Surveyors. Quantity Surveyors are employed in consultancies only in the past. More and more Quantity Surveyors will be employed by clients, developers and contractor.

HKIS and RICS (1994) recognized Quantity Surveyor should providing advice on tendering procedures and contractual arrangements, preparing bills of quantities and examining tenders received and reporting thereon in pre-contract stage. Also, Quantity Surveyor should do pre-contract Estimating, cost study services, pricing Bill of Quantities and post-contract cost management services such as valuations for certificates and calculating fluctuations in the cost of construction.

Preliminary cost advice and cost planning, Preparation of contract documentation, tender invitation and scrutiny, negotiations with contractors, valuation of work in progress, pricing of variations, settlement of claims, cost control of project, preparation of final account and measurement for and preparation of bills of quantities are included in the principal activities of the quantity surveyor (Seeley, 1997).

RICS (1999) pointed out some services of Quantity Surveyor should be provided during different stage of the project. In the pre-contract stage, Quantity Surveyor should prepare and develop preliminary cost plan, advise on cost of design team’s proposals, monitor cost implications during detailed design stage, maintain and develop cost plan. For the tender stage, Quantity Surveyor should advise on the contractual documentation to clients. Moreover, Quantity Surveyor also needs to prepare recommendations for interim payments, post-contract cost control and final account. Furthermore, Quantity Surveyor should provide and price bills of quantities, prepare cost analysis, advise on financial implications, advise on use of areas and provide measurement of areas, provide advice on contractual matters.


2.7 SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF QUANTITY SURVEYOR IN THE PAST

Here, some skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor would be introduced. RICS (1983a, p.1-2) listed a lot of skills and knowledge of a Quantity Surveyor should have as following:
• Planning, estimating and controlling costs, evaluating alternative designs, undertaking feasibility studies,
• Measuring and describing construction work,
• Analyzing complex projects into manageable work packages,
• Producing contract documents, especially bills of quantities,
• Advising on appropriate methods of procurement; selecting, organizing and evaluating tender bids and contractual arrangements,
• Valuing work in progress, and exercising cost control during construction, undertaking the valuing of variations and potential variations,
• Preparing valuations for insurance purposes and advising on insurance claims,
• Sub-contract administration,
• Settlement of final accounts,
• Advice and settlement of contractual disputes and claims,
• Use of computer technology and developing computer aided design techniques,
• Advising on taxation, grant and financial matters and forecasting expenditure flows,
• Advising on cost-limits and preparing budgets,
• Advising on cash flow forecasting,
• Advising on life-cycle costs,
• Cost-analysis,
• Cost benefit analysis,
• Scheduling resources,
• Planning and programming design and construction work, use of network analysis techniques, project and construction management,
• Preparing and administering maintenance programmes.

Besides the above skills and knowledge, Quantity Surveyor in 1980s should expand their skills and knowledge such as construction economics, design and construction management technology, resource control, mathematical modeling, policy decisions, strategic planning, risk analysis, network analysis, other programming techniques, and to suit for the changing of working environment and economics (RICS 1983a).

Newton (1985) observed the expert system of computer technology can be one of powerful skills of Quantity Surveyor for them to adapt the future.

Construction management techniques includes good understanding of design and construction technology, management of time and cost, value engineering, quality management and site safety. Management of cost is one of the important to clients, and Quantity Surveyor can advice in establishing budgets and cost control. Thus, Quantity Surveyor can develop construction management to increase the competitive power (Bennett, 1986).

Brandon (1990) pointed out some techniques of Quantity Surveyor should have as following:
 Development and appraisal--the front end decision to invest
 Value management--optimisation of the benefit/cost relationship
 Estimating and bidding methods--cost prediction and reliability
 Risk analysis--coping with risk and uncertainty
 Life cycle costing--the longer term view of the cost of the asset
 Expert systems--qualitative reasoning to support expert decision making
 Computer aided design--relating the design database to the QS function
 Integrated databases--designing the database for efficient and reliable information retrieval
 Procurement systems--assessing the contractual relationship/ arrangement between parties

RICS (1991) believed that Quantity Surveyors would need to be more innovative, more pro-active and more mobile to adapt the changing client requirements.

Technique of cost planning, knowledge of contractual methods and tendering should be implemented by Quantity Surveyor (Seeley, 1997).

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) pointed out that design cost planning, whole life costing, value management, risk analysis and management became tools to add value for the client. It is because these tools were effective to increase importance and emphasis to meet the client’s objectives.


2.8 EFFEET OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Quantity Surveyor acts an important role in the construction industry. They have many effects to the construction industry as following introduction.

The Quantity Surveyor makes the construction industry become more successful by using their skills, knowledge and expertise (RICS, 1983a). Independent cost advice on the project should provided to clients by Quantity Surveyor (RICS, 1983b).

Bennett (1986, p.31) said that “The quantity surveyor’s responsibility is to ensure that the budget is complete and that no necessary costs are omitted or duplicated….Beyond this, the quantity surveyor should advise the client to make separate provision for all other costs including consultant’s fees, land costs, finance costs, fluctuations where appropriate and an overall project contingency. The quantity surveyor’s further major responsibility is to ensure that the cost control and accounting procedures adopted by the construction manager are satisfactory. This is a normal responsibility for final accounts and raises no new issues for quantity surveyors apart from the unusually large number of separate works contract accounts to be dealt with.”

RICS (1992b) noted that Quantity Surveyor could setting a realistic cost budget, advise on cost implications of design and standards of construction and/or of alternative solutions and advise on the method of contractor procurement best suited to the project.

Quantity surveyor is essentially a cost expert to ensure the project is kept within the agreed budget and the employer obtains value for money. The Quantity Surveyor can keep the total expenditure within the employer’s budget and remains compatible with the cost plan by frequently estimate of cost. Independent Quantity Surveyor could prepare an accurate bill of quantities because he would measure and value any variations that might occur during the progress of the works. Realistic budget and financial could be prepared by the Quantity Surveyor. The Quantity Surveyor can make everyone work in construction more efficient. It is benefits for the Quantity Surveyors when they negotiate a contract because they can learn more about the practical organization and management of contracts. And then produce bill of quantities more quickly. Environmental issues would be informed by surveyors to their clients to ensure that it is considered in the decision making process (seelay, 1997).

Seelay (1997, pp.415-416) also pointed out that “…he can, for instance, be involved in the placing of subcontract orders for both nominated and domestic subcontractors. It is essential that the contractor’s quantity surveyor ensures that the correct contractual conditions and financial details are embodied in the orders and subcontract arrangements…surveyor is required to report to management, usually monthly, on the overall financial state of the contract, giving comparisons of actual cost with the corresponding internal value for the various cost codes and subtrades…providing contracts personnel with the opportunity to consider remedial action…preventing a recurrence of similar problems on future contracts…contractor’s quantity surveyor can advise contracts staff on significant aspects of the contract conditions, in their dealings with the architect…contractor’s surveyor …advising design staff on the most economical form of construction and cost planning and monitoring the development as a whole”.

RICS (1999) noted that Quantity Surveyor could set a realistic budget and advice the procurement method best suited to the requirements of the Client.

Ashworth and Hogg (2007) believed that Quantity Surveyor use his knowledge of cost planning can avoid tenders being received that were over budget. Quantity Surveyor would look after the financial interests of the contractor. Under the terms of the contract, Quantity Surveyor could submitted claims for extra payments in civil engineering project and building project to help contractor to earn more profit.


2.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY

According the above discussion, Quantity Surveyor has a skill in measurement and valuation in the field of construction in order that such work can be described and the cost and price can be forecast analysed, planned, controlled and accounted for. Most of their traditional roles are related to the cost, and most of their evolved roles are related to management and the cost. That means the roles of Quantity Surveyor would not leave the link to the cost and it would develop to the direction of management.

RICS (1983a, pp.8-12) believes that Quantity Surveyor after gained the knowledge and experience in construction economics, management and resource control, he will evolve his role. These roles are policy making, numerate skills, strategic planning, contracting, work in construction management, multi-disciplinary working, diversity in procurement, life cycle costing and building procurement adviser.

Encourage Quantity Surveyors use more new technology can get more benefit and experience. Additional and more specialist courses should be provide a education and training to people who want to become a professional Quantity Surveyor. Make more occupy in different company to Quantity Surveyor for their practice. Individual Quantity Surveyors, profession, the institution, in education and training, all parties should know their role to develop the field of Quantity Surveyor (RICS 1983a).

Quantity Surveyor should develop their skills and knowledge because it is one of the methods of selecting a Quantity Surveyor by clients (RICS 1992b; RICS1999).

Thus, the Quantity Surveyor should develop their skills and knowledge to get more experience in different fields and increase their power to keep the competitive.