Quqntity Surveying -I Lecture Notes -1

 

UNIT-1         Basic concepts of Quantity surveying, units, and specifications

1.1 Definition  

Quantity Surveying

Quantity surveying is an estimation of materials and labor necessary for a construction job. A person who calculates the amount of material and labor required for construction or building work is known as a Quantity Surveyor.

Estimate

An estimate is a calculation of the quantities of various items of work, and the expenses likely to be incurred thereon. The total of these probable expenses to be incurred on the work is known as the estimated cost of the work.

1.2 Need for estimation

1. It helps to work out the approximate cost of the project to decide the feasibility of the project concerning the cost and to ensure the financial resources. It decides if a proposal can be approved or not.

 2. Requirements of controlled materials, such as cement and steel can be estimated for making applications to the controlling authorities.

3. It is used to frame the tenders for the works and check the contractor's work during and after execution to make payments to the contractor.

4. From quantities of different items of work, the estimate is calculated in detail. Resources are allocated to different activities of the project and ultimately their durations and whole planning and scheduling of the project is carried out.

1.3 Different types of estimates

1. approximate estimate

It is also called a preliminary estimate. This is prepared at the initial stage of a project to give a clear idea to the owner or client about the cost required for the project or construction, to get approval from necessary sanctioning bodies such as banks to get loans. This type of estimate is calculated with relevance to the previous experience.

Documents required: project drawing plans, details about the land like electricity and water supply

E.g.:  To calculate the estimate for a house, a previously (& also recently) completed similar house is considered. Here the estimator already knows the rate for a 1m² area & with that he/she calculates the cost estimate for the newly proposed area of a similar house.

Remaining topics will be continued in next post