If you are thinking about building a new home, extending or refurbishing your current one, you might be wondering where to start. Construction projects are complex and can be a daunting experience if you try to manage it on your own. Between managing the project schedule, wrapping your head around the terminology and managing risks that arise throughout the project, it can be a lot to manage if you don’t have experience.
Budgeting for house build costs can be overwhelming and cause a lot of stress. This is where the QS’ role comes in. Your QS will provide you with cost advice, suggest alternative materials and identify areas of the build where you could save.
The Quantity Surveyor will determine what you really need in your build and the best approach. You may only use a QS for the Cost Plan or to help you understand your construction quotes, or you may look to keep them on board as a construction project manager. They will help you achieve your ideal home, without the stress and overwhelm of doing it on your own.
Budgeting
During the early design stage, we will create an estimate based on available drawings; if you don’t have designs, our in-house engineers will help you develop one. We set the budget for the construction at this stage. We create a Cost Plan and Pricing Schedule and create a baseline for tendering.
Tendering
Now that you have a Pricing Schedule, you can go to tender. All builders tendering must price the same criterion for the project, making it easier to compare each quote. It should be easy to identify which contractor has provided the most competitive quote, and if not, your QS can once again provide advice.
Post contract
You may no longer need a QS for this stage of your project now that you have a main contractor. However, you may ask the QS to stay on as a Project Manager. They may help manage contractors and subcontractors, ensuring project milestones are met and that the house is built to meet the agreed drawings.
At Chancery Group, we believe in working hard to make progress in the most cost-effective manner rather than working hard to fix expensive, preventable mistakes. Our team specialises in Chartered Quantity Surveying, Cost Consulting Services, Construction Project Management Services, Project Management Surveying and Chartered Engineering Services.
We provide these services across the Republic of Ireland to a wide variety of clients in the private and public sectors, including developers, main contractors, specialist subcontractors, government agencies, religious orders, court services and commercial enterprises. To find out more about our services, contact us via email info@chancerygroup.ie or call us on 057 935230. Or see what’s new with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
