5/12/2015 QuantitySurveyingasaProfession

http://www.iqskenya.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=59 1/2

BRIEFHISTORYOFQUANTITYSURVEYINGASAPROFESSION

TheoriginofQuantitySurveyingasaprofessiondateswaybackinthe17thcenturyduringtherestorationofLondonaftertheGreatFirein1666,thoughthefirstreferencetoaQuantitySurveyorisfoundintheBibleinthebookofLuke14:28whichsaysSupposeoneofyouwantstobuildatower,willhenotfirstsitdownandestimatethecosttoseeifhehasenoughmoneytocompleteit.

Before1666,masons,carpentersandothercraftsmenwerepaidbytheday,butbecauseofthelargeamountoflaborneededtoreconstructthecityafterthefire,itwasdecidedthateachcraftsmenbepaidforthequantityofhistradeswork.Thismeantthatinsteadofbeingpaidawage,thetradesmenwerepaidfortheamountofmasonry,carpentryoranyothercraftshipcontainedinthebuilding.

Inessenceonehadtostudythedrawingsandmeasurethequantityofworkofeachtradecontainedinthebuildingandatthesametimeprepareanestimateforthetotalcostofthebuilding.Hence,fromthathumblebeginning,theQuantitySurveyingprofessionevolved.

THESERVICESOFAQUANTITYSURVEYOR

TheroleofaQuantitySurveyorinconnectionwithbuildingcontractscanbesummarizedasfollows:

FinancialAdvisor

Preparesbudgetsforbuildingprojects.Advisesontheeffectsofqualitytothebudget.Advisesonwhatsizeandstandardofstructurecanbeconstructedforagivenexpenditure.Actwithotherconsultantstoensurethatthefinancialprovisionsofthecontractareproperlyinterpretedandappliedsotheclientsfinancialinterestissafeguardedandthatthecontractorispaidafairpricefortheworks.

ConstructionAdvisor

AdvisingonthecostofalternativematerialsAdvisingonthecostofconstructionmethodAdvisingoneffectofsiteconditiononbudgetAdvisingonthefeasibilityofdifferentsitesAdvisingontenderingprocedureandcontractualarrangementsPreparationoftenderdocumentsExercisecostcontrolduringconstructiontoensurethatcostisnotexceededwithoutauthority

ContractAdministrator

AdvisingonmattersbetweenClintandConsultantsAdvisingonmattersbetweenClientandContractorAdvisingoncontractinterpretation,payments,changesinscopeofworks,variations,claims,finalaccountsetc.

InConclusionaQuantitySurveyorisexpectedto:

GiveimpartialadviceAchievevalueformoneyManagethebudgetandcontrolcostAchieveaqualityproductSatisfytheclient

TRAININGOFAQUANTITYSURVEYOR

QuantitySurveyorshavetocompleteanappropriateuniversitydegreecourse(usually4yearsBuildingEconomicsCourseintheUniversityofNairobi)whichrequirementsareasfollows.

KCSEapplicantsorequivalent:MeanGradeC+withameanofgradeC+inthefollowingsubjectclusters:EnglishorKiswahili:Mathematics:physicalscience:geographyofaccountsorcommerceoreconomicsorBuildingconstructionordrawinganddesign.

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5/12/2015 QuantitySurveyingasaProfession

http://www.iqskenya.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=59 2/2

KACE(ALevel)applicantsorequivalent:TwoPrincipalpasses,AminimumprincipalDpassineitherMathematicsorphysicsandinanyoneofthefollowingsubjects:Economics,GeographyandChemistryandacreditpassinEnglishLanguageatKCElevelorequivalent.DiplomaholdersAminimumKCEdivisionIIorCmeangradeinKCSEinadditiontoacreditpassorequivalentofKenyaNationalExaminationCouncil(KNEC)DiplomaoritsequivalentinBuildingConstruction,ArchitecturalStudies,CivilEngineeringandAppliedPhysicalSciences.DegreeholderAholderofUniversitydegreeoritsequivalentfromarecognizedUniversityinthefollowingareas,ArchitecturalEngineering,Designoranyotherrelevantdegree.PostgraduateApostgraduateMastersprogramme(MAinconstructionManagement)isalsoofferedinthedepartment.Theadmissionrequirementsareasfollows:

ThecommonregulationsgoverningtheMastersdegreeinallFacultiesoftheUniversityofNairobishallapply.HoldersofatleastanuppersecondClassHonoursDegreeinBuildingEconomics,QuantitySurveying,Architecture,Engineering,LandEconomicsfromtheUniversityofNairobioranequivalentqualificationfromauniversityrecognizedbySenate.HoldersofatleastaLowerSecondClassHonoursDegreeinanyofthedisciplinesspecifiedinabovewitharelevantpostgraduatediplomaorotherequivalentqualificationoratleasttwoyearsrelevantworkexperience.

ExperienceUpongraduationoneundergoesa2yearspracticalexperincewhichqualifiesthemtositfortheprofessionalexamswhichuponsuccessfulcompletionenablesapersontoberegisteredbytheBoardofRegistrationofArchitectsandQuantitySurveyorsoftheRepublicofKenya.

QuantitySurveyorsAssistants(Technicians)arerequiredtobeordinaryDiplomaholdersoritsequivalentinBuildingConstruction&CivilEngineeringorQuantitySurveyingandBuildingConstruction.

CAREEROPPORTUNITIES

QuantitySurveyorsareengagedinthefollowingareas:

PublicsectormainlywiththeministryofRoadsandPublicworksandgovernmentparastals.Privatesectorwithconsultingfirms.BuildingandcivilengineeringcontractorsFinancieirsandpropertydevelopersProjectmanagementfirmEducationalInstitutionsaslecturers.

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