In an era where QS firms, or rebranded QS firms, are marketing cost planning, project management skill and risk management, the loss of the traditional bills of quantities is contrary to the fundamentals of the construction process and these “new” services being marketed.

Without priced Bills of Quantity (BQs) how can you analyse the cost elements to prepare a cost plan database? How do you even prepare a detailed or elemental cost plan for your client without the basic rate information and preliminaries analysis? Telephone your tame Sub Contractor.

Risk on design change is another issue. The client often suffers from not getting value for money as there is no consistent basis to measure changes. This applies equally to the evaluation of bids.

The lowest price is not always the right price to take.

BQs also introduce a disciple to the designers, if you can not bill it, you can not build it. So why should the client pay for the risk assumed at tender when the cost of QS and design fees are a small proportion of the development cost for the benefits gained?

You could also ask, if there were bills of quantity would the design be more clear and therefore with less variations? Certainly there would be less disputes over the method of evaluation.

So, bring back the BQs. What is quantity surveying if not the surveying of quantities.

David Forster, Commercial Manager, AMEC

Source

QS News