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 consultants and negotiate and award contracts to successful…
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 challenge….
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 and requirements of…
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 construction industry and coordinating its…
Landscaping and Gardening: What Practice Merits the “Green” Label?
Landscaping and gardening are areas of concern in the modern-day practices of architecture and urbanism. Past discussions by construction industry stakeholders have voiced the concern and need to build sustainable and resilient buildings, cities and urban centres. Basically, the issue of sustainability in the built…
What is a Unit Rate in Construction Estimating?
A unit rate can be described as the monetary value allocated to a unit of measurement for a given item in a bill of quantities, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This can be the cost per square meter of floor area,…