Cost Planning
A cost plan sets target costs for each building element and checks the design against them at each stage. Budget estimating →
Quantity Surveying
Quantity Surveying Services for U.S. Construction Projects
An estimate tells you what a project should cost before it starts. Quantity surveying keeps track of what it actually costs, from the first measured bill of quantities through every pay application, change order, and the final reconciliation.
Our quantity surveying services cover both sides: measuring and pricing the work before contract, and checking the money as it's spent. We work within U.S. contracting practice (schedules of values, pay applications, retainage, and change orders) so owners, developers, and contractors get independent cost control without translating from another system.
BOQ to final accountCost control across the job
Excel + PDFWith marked-up drawings
ZIP-code pricedLocal material and labor rates
Fixed feeQuoted before work starts
What a Quantity Surveyor Does on a U.S. Project
- Measure the work in the drawings so everyone prices the same quantities
- Set and track the cost plan through design
- Evaluate bids and recommend a contractor's price is reasonable
- Review the contractor's monthly pay applications against work in place
- Value change orders and variations
- Forecast cost to complete
- Reconcile the final contract amount
If you've worked with quantity surveyors overseas and want the same level of cost control here, that's the service this page describes.
Quantity Surveyor vs. Cost Estimator
The roles overlap, but the focus is different.
| Cost Estimator | Quantity Surveyor | |
|---|---|---|
| Main question | What will this cost to build? | Is the money being spent as it should be? |
| When | Before bidding or contract | From design through closeout |
| Typical client | Contractor or owner | Usually owner, developer, or lender; sometimes contractor |
| Output | Estimate or bid | Cost plans, bills of quantities, valuations, cost reports, final account |
Many projects need both. Our estimators handle the takeoffs and pricing; quantity surveying extends that work through construction. Construction cost estimating →
Pre-Construction Services
Bills of Quantities
A bill of quantities lists every measured item of work with its quantity and unit, ready for contractors to price. When all bidders price the same bill, comparing bids becomes straightforward and pricing disputes later in the job are easier to settle.
Bid Evaluation and Leveling
We compare contractor or subcontractor bids line by line, identify missing scope and qualifications, and adjust them to a common basis so you're comparing equal scopes, not just bottom-line numbers.
Schedule of Values Review
Before the contract is signed, we check that the contractor's schedule of values is balanced: that early activities aren't overpriced to pull cash forward.
Construction-Phase Services
Pay Application Review
Each month we check the contractor's pay application against the schedule of values and progress on site, using photos, reports, or site visits, and confirm stored materials and retainage are calculated correctly.
Change Order Valuation
We price each proposed change independently (quantities, rates, markups, and time impact) so you negotiate from a documented number. Estimating consultant →
Cost Reports and Forecasts
Monthly reports show committed costs, approved and pending changes, contingency remaining, and the forecast final cost. Problems show up while there's still time to act.
Closeout
At the end of the project, we reconcile the final contract sum: original contract, approved change orders, allowance adjustments, back-charges, and retainage release. You get a clear final account and a record of where the budget went, useful for the next project.
Measured Consistently
Quantities are only useful if everyone understands how they were measured. Is concrete measured net or with waste? Are openings deducted from wall areas? We state the measurement basis in every bill and takeoff so bidders, owners, and contractors are reading the same numbers.
Who Hires a Quantity Surveyor
Owners and developers
who want independent cost control without a full in-house team
International investors
used to QS reporting on their projects
Lenders
who need draw requests checked against work in place
General contractors
who need detailed bills of quantities or valuation support on large jobs
Architects
whose clients ask for cost management during design
Process
How an Engagement Works
-
01
Tell us the stage and scope
Pre-construction only, construction phase, or full lifecycle.
-
02
Agree on deliverables and fees
Single tasks (a BOQ or a bid evaluation) are quoted per task; ongoing services are scheduled monthly.
-
03
Share documents
Drawings, specifications, contracts, schedules of values, and pay applications as the project progresses.
-
04
Receive reports
Each deliverable comes with clear backup so your team or lender can follow the numbers.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a quantity surveyor do?
A quantity surveyor manages construction costs from design through completion: measuring work, preparing bills of quantities, evaluating bids, valuing completed work and changes, and reconciling the final cost.
Are quantity surveyors used in the U.S.?
The title is less common, but the work is the same as that done by cost consultants, cost managers, and owner's representatives. International owners and large projects increasingly ask for QS-style services.
Do I need a quantity surveyor or an estimator?
If you only need a number to bid or budget, an estimator. If you need someone checking costs throughout construction (pay apps, change orders, forecasts) a quantity surveyor.
Can you review a contractor's pay application?
Yes: we compare it to the schedule of values and progress documentation and flag over-billing, stored-material issues, and retainage errors.
What is a bill of quantities?
A document listing every measured item of work, with quantities and units, for contractors to price. It puts all bidders on the same scope.
Do you prepare bills of quantities for contractors?
Yes. Contractors use them for subcontractor bid packages and for pricing their own work.
Ready to Get Started?
Keep Track of What Your Project Costs
Tell us where your project is and what kind of cost control you need. We'll propose the right scope and fee.