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Specially curated indepth blog articles.
ArchiCAD 23 – Understanding the User Interface
Learning ArchiCAD can be quite challenging. This powerful tool is packed with a lot of information in its user interface that can be intimidating to a beginner. In this tutorial, I will introduce ArchiCAD beginners to the user interface. It is an in-depth discussion...
ArchiCAD Quantity Take-off and Cost Estimating
ArchiCAD 24 is the latest release from Graphisoft and a very powerful BIM tool. The beauty of ArchiCAD as a BIM software is that you can not only create three-dimensional models but you can also be able to extract very useful information from those models. It supports...
Custom Trusses with ArchiCAD Trussmaker Tool
ArchiCAD trussmaker is a built-in tool that allows you to create girder and truss objects for visualization purposes. Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD has several GDL objects that can be used for trusses. However, if you are looking into creating custom trusses, the trussmaker...
ArchiCAD Basics Training Course
Developed by GRAPHISOFT, ArchiCAD is one of the most popular BIM software in most parts of the world. It offers solutions for handling all common aspects of architectural design, aesthetics and engineering during the whole design process of the built environment. Most...
Components of a Unit Rate
In a previous article, we discussed what a unit rate is, the various types of unit rates, use of a unit rate and approaches to estimating a unit rate. You can read the article here: What is a Unit Rate? When dealing with construction contracts, quantity surveyors...
5 Social Media Apps for Marketing Your Construction Business
For construction businesses, marketing is about the activities that are involved in obtaining future work; from strategic analysis and planning, to staff enthusiasm and performance, service delivery and customer feedback. It is aimed at attracting new customers by...
What Skills Do You Need to Become a Quantity Surveyor?
Quantity surveyors manage the cost of construction projects. They help to ensure that the construction project is completed within its projected/estimated budget. As a quantity surveyor, you are responsible for managing all aspects of the contractual and financial...
10 Essential Quantity Surveyor Duties to Include in Your CV
As a quantity surveyor applying for jobs, your CV is one of the documents that you use to market your skills and qualifications to your potential employer. Besides capturing your biodata, educational and professional qualifications in the CV, it is equally important...
What is the Work of a Quantity Surveyor?
The work of a quantity surveyor, according to the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS), is to perform the following functions: Preparing and evaluating construction and development tenders from information provided by architects, engineers and other design...
How Much Do Quantity Surveyors Make/Earn?
Registered Quantity Surveyors charge a percentage of the total cost of the project as stipulated in the Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act, Cap 525 of the Laws of Kenya. Back in 2014 after receiving my secondary school examination results, I was faced with a...
BIM & The Role of Quantity Surveyors: Possible Changes, Threats, Opportunities and Challenges
Introduction Quantity Surveying is usually a client-led profession where the overall role of the Quantity Surveyor is to respond to the needs and requirements of the client. The line of the QS skills development is, therefore, largely relied on the ever-changing needs...
What the NCA ‘X’ Sign Means
Who is NCA? The NCA (National Construction Authority) is a Kenyan government entity which was established by the National Construction Authority Act No. 41 of 2011 (Chapter 449a, Laws of Kenya). This authority has the responsibility of overseeing the Kenyan...