Quantity Survey: A Brief Introduction: 1.2 Data Required For The Preparation of An Estimate or Quantity Survey
Quantity Survey: A Brief Introduction: 1.2 Data Required For The Preparation of An Estimate or Quantity Survey
1.2.1 Drawings
Complete and fully dimensioned drawings (i.e. plans, elevations, sections and
other details) of the building or work in question are required.
1.2.2 Specifications
Detailed specifications, giving the nature, quality and class of work, materials to
be used, quality of the material, their proportions, and method of preparation are
required.
1.2.3 Rates
The rates of various of work, materials to be used in the construction, wages of
different categories of labor (skilled or unskilled) and cost of transportation charges
should be available for preparing an estimate of work cost.
of water, taxes and reasonable profit of the contractor, etc. The estimate is
required in inviting tenders for the works and to arrange contract for a complete
project.
2. Quantity survey is required to estimate the quantities of the various materials
required and the labor involved for satisfactory completion of a construction
project.
3. It is also useful to check the works done by contractors during and after the
execution. Also, the payment to the contractor is done according to the actual
measurements of the completed part of each item of work.
4. A complete quantity survey or estimate is useful to provide useful advice to
clients on:
Valuation of properties (land and building) for sale, purchase and
mortgage etc.
Fixation of standard rent.
For insurance and claim for damages in a building.
For the process of resolving disputes by referring to a third party.
1.5 Contracts
Contract is an agreement between two or more parties creating obligations that
are enforceable or recognizable at law. It establishes an obligation of each party to fulfill
what it is agreed to perform.
lumpsum amount. Sometimes, the contract makes provisions to adjust the “lump sum”
allowing for extra work and limited variations. Normally, a bill of quantities is not usually
included, and if included it does not form part of the "Contract Documents", but may be
used just for guidance.
Instead, a schedule of rates may be of value to evaluate the cost of extras or omissions.
Advantages:
1. From the employer's stand point, and if no extras are contemplated, the tender
sum tells him the exact cost of the project. Sometimes the employer will be
working within a tight margin of budget.
2. From the contractor's stand point, because the design will often be prepared by
him, the contractor can gain through proper planning and efficient management
to increase his margin of profit and/or to control timing.
3. Both parties need a smaller number of staff for book-keeping accounting and
measurement.
Disadvantages:
1. In lumpsum contracts, there should be a complete set of plans and
specifications, or what is called "Employer's Requirements" which should be
sufficiently detailed.
2. Variations in lumpsum contract may trigger conflicts about whether or not a
particular item of work falls within the agreed scope of work, and whether there
has been a variation to such scope.
3. This type of contract will not be suitable for works with scope and nature that
cannot be predicted accurately in advance. The outcome will be unfair for the
contractor to assume all risks and uncertainties, or for the employer to pay a
higher cost.
2. The quality of the work can be assured. The contractor is induced to perform the
work in the best interest of the employer.
3. No conflicts will be anticipated as to extras or omissions.
Disadvantages:
1. The final cost to the employer cannot be foretold.
2. Both parties have to do a lot of accounting and book-keeping regarding labour;
purchase of materials and plant and use of equipment.
3. The contractor has no incentive to economize or finish the work speedily.
Suitability:
In spite of some drawbacks in certain cases, this form of contract can be used
suitably for:
Emergency works that require speedy construction and where no time is
available to prepare
drawings for it.
Construction of special or expensive projects, such as palaces, where the cost of
the work is of no consequence but the materials and workmanship to be
purchased are just to suit the choice and taste of the employer.
Remark:
An alternate to the cost-plus contract is the cost-plus fixed fee contract, where
the contractor will be paid for the actual cost of construction plus a fixed amount of fees
for his overhead and profit. The fee does not fluctuate with the actual cost of the project.
This factor may overcome the possible drawback of the cost-plus contract.
2.1 Introduction
Quantity surveying and the estimated quantities of materials required on a project
are normally determined by professional surveyor or engineer. The estimated quantities
are provided to the interested bidders on a project to provide their prices. In this method
of bidding, the contractors are all bidding on the same quantities. The estimators of
contractors spend time developing the unit price of the different items in a project. To
win the bid, contractors will work on keeping the cost of purchasing and installing the
materials as low as possible.
As the project is built, the actual quantities are checked against the estimated
quantities. For example, if the estimated quantity of concrete for a wall is 23 m 3, but the
actual installed concrete is 26 m 3, then the contractor would be paid for the additional
3m3. When there is a large difference between the estimated and actual quantities, an
adjustment to the unit price can be made. Small adjustments are usually made at the
same unit as the contractor bid. Large errors may require that the unit price be
renegotiated. If the contractor is aware of potential changes between the estimated
quantities and those that will be required in the project, the contractor may price his or
her bid to take advantage of this situation. For example, if the contractor is aware that
the filling material in the project will be changed from excavated soil to base-course,
then he can provide low unit price for filling with excavated soil (say 700 PhP/m 3) and
high unit price for the base-course (say 1000PhP /m 3). If the back-fill quantities were
assumed to be 2000 m3 of soil and 100 m3 of base-course, so the assumed total price
as in the bid will be 1.5 Million PhP. But if the quantities were changed to 100 m 3 of soil
and 2000 m3 of base-course, then the new price of the actual work because of this
change will be 2.07 Million PhP which will provide more profit to the contractor.
Sample of detailed estimate and unit cost analysis developed after quantity
surveying
DETAILED ESTIMATES
Sub-Total ₱27,193.09
a Footing m3 26.98
d Column m3 32.19
e Beams m3 30.59
f Slab m3 64.13
Sub-Total ₱867,066.63
Steel Reinforcement
III kg 18072.79 ₱62.39 ₱1,127,478.66
Works
a Footing kg 1975.57
QUANTITY SURVEYING: MODULE 1
Sub-Total ₱1,127,478.66
Sub-Total ₱356,707.23
QUANTITY SURVEYING: MODULE 1
Sub-Total ₱275,883.22
Roofing and Structural
VI m2 84.28 ₱2,068.97 ₱174,372.80
Steel Works
Guage 26 Colored Roof ln.m 120 ₱230.00 ₱92.00 ₱38,640.00
2"x3" C-Purlins @ 6m
length 27 ₱956.00 ₱382.40 ₱36,136.80
long
2"x6" C-Purlins @ 6m
length 6 ₱1,180.00 ₱472.00 ₱9,912.00
long
10mm dia. sagrods
length 4 ₱135.00 ₱54.00 ₱756.00
withstandard turn buckle
Prefabrigated Gauge 26
ln.m. 8 ₱430.00 ₱172.00 ₱4,816.00
Metal Gutter
G.I. Flushing ln.m. 8 ₱430.00 ₱172.00 ₱4,816.00
Fiber Cement Fascia
ln.m. 8 ₱450.00 ₱180.00 ₱5,040.00
Board with Metal Frame
4" G.I. Pipe length 7 ₱2,800.00 ₱1,120.00 ₱27,440.00
1 1/2"x1 1/2"x1/4" Angle
length 32 ₱420.00 ₱168.00 ₱18,816.00
Bar
Miscellaneuous lot 1 ₱20,000.00 ₱8,000.00 ₱28,000.00
Sub-Total ₱174,372.80
Sub-Total ₱134,183.00
Sub-Total ₱208,334.00
Sub-Total ₱131,376.00
Sub-Total ₱211,162.00
Forms and Scaffolding
XII lot 1.00 ₱56,000.00 ₱56,000.00
Works
Forms Aand Scaffolds lo1 1 ₱40,000.00 ₱16,000.00 ₱56,000.00
Sub-Total ₱56,000.00
It is clear now that quantity survey is of great importance in the civil engineering
field. It is the heart of any construction project as it determines the cost which runs not
only the project but the company involved as well. With this, Welcome and Enjoy this
class.