Sharing My Perspective on the Term 'PQS'

“Rather than creating divisions or hierarchies within our profession, we should celebrate the diversity and depth of skills present across the Quantity Surveying community.”

I wanted to take a moment to address a topic that has been on my mind lately — the term "PQS", or Professional Quantity Surveyor.

The quantity surveyor is a professional who works in construction management, providing effective cost control for the project. A quantity surveyor is neither a land surveyor nor a building surveyor — though clients unfamiliar with the term often cannot differentiate. A QS needs adequate knowledge of engineering, construction design and architecture, and helps clients keep the project within budget and time. Depending on the industry, they may be called cost consultants, project-control professionals, or serve as project manager for the client.

Engage a PQS early

The Professional Quantity Surveyor is a vital member of the design and construction team. Engaged early — when project initiation starts — a PQS can deliver substantial cost savings and protect the client from time and cost overruns. The PQS works with the client and design team to establish the programme budget, prepares elemental cost plans at each design stage, and reviews the estimate before tender. The pre-tender estimate is then used to evaluate bids and select the right proponent.

When a QS is engaged only at the construction phase, there is no way they can contribute to the validity of the original project budget. Experience shows the problems of going without: substantial delay and cost overrun, unmanaged change, and disputes between client and contractor that can stall a project entirely.

The estimate classes, stage by stage

Pre-tender stage:

• ✔Feasibility study & functional programme — Class D estimates of construction costs, O&M costs and cash flows for each solution under evaluation
• ✔Schematic design (5–25% complete) — Class C budget cost estimate and cost plan reflecting the size and type of the entire project
• ✔Design development (25–33% complete) — Class B estimate covering architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical systems
• ✔Working documents (50–66% complete) — updated Class B estimate from contract drawings and specifications
• ✔Pre-tender documents (90–100% complete) — Class A estimate with quantities, unit rates and a trade summary suitable for comparison with contractors' tenders
• ✔Tender review & contractor selection — bid evaluation, negotiation support and fair-price recommendations

Post-tender stage:

• ✔Schedule of values and cost reporting against the target budget
• ✔Progress advance approvals and lien holdback advice
• ✔Contract changes, variations and extension-of-time evaluation
• ✔Regular contract status statements with anticipated final cost
• ✔Final account and project closure
• ✔Payment certification throughout construction

Providing high-quality quantity surveying services during both design and construction contributes immensely to the financial success of the project. Select the right PQS — one with the qualification and experience your project deserves — and engage them from day one.