Quantity Surveying and Estimation Course

Lesson 1 • Construction Documentation Basics

Introduces drawings, specifications, and contract documents used in QS work. Students gain literacy in the documents they will interpret throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Construction Industry Overview

Maps the construction sector's structure, project types, and delivery models. Provides context for where QS services are applied throughout a project.

Lesson 3 • The Quantity Surveying Profession

Defines the QS role, its evolution, and its distinction from related professions. Grounds students in professional identity before technical content begins.

Lesson 1 • Finishes and Services Measurement

Addresses internal finishes, fittings, and building services quantification. Completes the full building take-off skill set introduced in this chapter.

Lesson 2 • Superstructure Measurement

Covers measurement of structural frames, floors, roofs, and external envelope. Students apply rules to the most quantity-intensive elements of a building.

Lesson 3 • Taking Off Quantities from Drawings

Teaches the systematic process of extracting quantities from construction drawings. Students practice structured take-off sheets and dimension paper techniques.

Lesson 4 • Standard Methods of Measurement

Explains internationally recognised measurement rules and their purpose. Students apply consistent rules to ensure comparability across estimates and contracts.

Lesson 1 • Elemental Cost Planning

Teaches structured cost planning using elemental breakdown of building costs. Students allocate budgets to elements and track design development against targets.

Lesson 2 • Approximate Quantities Estimating

Applies simplified quantity take-off combined with unit rates for detailed estimates. Bridges early-stage methods and full bill-of-quantities pricing.

Lesson 3 • Unit Rate Analysis and Build-Up

Explains how unit rates are constructed from labour, material, plant, and overhead components. Students build rates from first principles for accurate pricing.

Lesson 4 • Estimating at Early Design Stages

Covers order-of-magnitude and elemental estimates used before detailed design. Students produce reliable early-stage budgets from minimal project information.

Lesson 1 • Preliminaries and Site Overheads

Addresses the pricing of site establishment, management, and time-related costs. Students quantify and price preliminaries as a distinct BOQ section.

Lesson 2 • BOQ Structure and Formats

Explains the components, formats, and purposes of a bill of quantities. Students understand how BOQ format choices affect tendering and cost control.

Lesson 3 • BOQ Quality Control and Issue

Covers review, error-checking, and formal issue of the BOQ for tendering. Students apply quality assurance processes before document release.

Lesson 4 • Specifications and Work Descriptions

Teaches writing clear, unambiguous item descriptions linked to specifications. Accurate descriptions prevent disputes and enable fair competitive pricing.

Lesson 1 • Procurement Strategy Selection

Analyses procurement routes and their suitability for different project types. Students match procurement strategy to client objectives, risk appetite, and programme.

Lesson 2 • Tender Evaluation and Analysis

Teaches systematic analysis of returned tenders for price and quality. Students identify pricing anomalies, errors, and non-compliant submissions.

Lesson 3 • Tender Documentation Preparation

Covers assembling complete tender packages for issue to bidders. Students prepare instructions to tenderers, forms of tender, and supporting documents.

Lesson 1 • Cost Reporting and Forecasting

Develops skills in producing cost reports and final account forecasts. Students present financial status clearly to project teams and clients.

Lesson 2 • Final Account Preparation

Covers the preparation and agreement of the final account at project completion. Students reconcile all contract sums, variations, and claims into a settled final account.

Lesson 3 • Contract Types and Conditions

Reviews standard contract forms and their cost and risk implications. Students identify key clauses affecting payment, variations, and dispute resolution.

Lesson 4 • Variation Valuation and Change Control

Teaches identification, instruction, and valuation of contract variations. Students apply contract rules to price changes fairly and maintain a variation register.

Lesson 1 • Quantifying and Presenting Claims

Teaches methods for calculating and presenting contractor and employer claims. Students produce structured claim documents supported by records and evidence.

Lesson 2 • Dispute Resolution Methods

Surveys adjudication, arbitration, mediation, and litigation as dispute resolution options. Students select appropriate methods and understand QS roles in each process.

Lesson 3 • Risk Mitigation and Contingency Planning

Covers strategies for reducing risk exposure and setting appropriate contingencies. Students allocate contingency budgets based on risk assessment outputs.

Lesson 4 • Risk Identification and Assessment

Introduces risk management frameworks applied to construction cost and programme. Students identify, categorise, and score project risks using structured tools.

Lesson 1 • Sustainability and Green Cost Planning

Integrates sustainability targets into cost planning and life cycle analysis. Students price green building measures and assess their payback periods.

Lesson 2 • Discounted Cash Flow Analysis

Teaches net present value and discounted cash flow techniques for cost comparison. Students evaluate design options on a whole-life cost basis using financial models.

Lesson 3 • Value Engineering and Value Analysis

Covers systematic methods for improving value without reducing required function. Students apply function analysis to identify cost reduction opportunities.

Lesson 4 • Life Cycle Costing Principles

Introduces the concept of total cost of ownership beyond initial capital cost. Students understand why operational and maintenance costs must inform design decisions.