A design is only buildable if somebody has costed it properly, and that is usually the part an architectural practice is least set up for. Our quantity surveying and estimating service is the bridge between the drawing and what it will cost to put up.
What a quantity surveyor does
What Is Quantity Surveying? At its core, Quantity Surveying is an expert practice focused on the art of costing a building project at all stages of its development. Our Quantity Surveyors are highly trained professionals who offer not just cost estimates but also comprehensive advice on construction costs. This expertise is vital throughout the project’s life cycle, encompassing areas like cost planning, procurement, tendering, contract administration, and overall project management.
What to look for in a surveyor
- Accreditation. The recognised route is membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which requires passing the Assessment of Professional Competence. Ask any surveyor what they hold, and ask to see it. We will show you ours.
- The right experience. Residential and commercial, new build, basement, extension and whole house renovation each price differently, and a surveyor who has done yours before will find the things that are missing from the drawings.
- Measurement and compliance. Proper measurement tools, and enough knowledge of the Building Regulations to know when a detail is going to cost more than the drawing suggests.
What we do on your project
- Initial assessment. We read the drawings and specifications you send us and measure them, which gives real material quantities and labour costs rather than a rate per square foot.
- Ongoing cost management. Through construction, the cost is tracked against the plan and you are told where it is moving, while there is still time to decide something about it.
What it gives you
- A clear financial picture. You and your client both know where the money is at any point in the job.
- Less waste. Measured quantities mean the right amount of material is ordered, which saves money and skips.
- Risk found early. An overrun spotted at design stage is a decision. The same overrun spotted on site is a problem.
Get in touch
If you would like your drawings priced, get in touch whichever way suits you.
- Send us the drawings through the contact form.
- Call the studio on 020 7731 6841.
- Message us on WhatsApp.
We answer within a few hours, weekends included.
Published 21 January 2024. Written by the NU Projects studio, edited since for house style and accuracy.