Rating & Quantity Surveyors
Often described as the construction industry’s accountants, quantity surveyors are experts in the cost of running a construction project and preparing the budget for such a project. This technical knowledge makes them a vital member of any construction team.
A quantity surveyor has a number of roles to fulfil when employed to oversee a construction project, such as ensuring deadlines and costs set at the start of a project are met, preparing budgets and reports that set these targets before building work begins, and measuring and valuating the work carried out. The quantity surveyor must also ensure the contractors are paid in full and on time, as well as provide advice on construction law should it be needed.
To help you find the right quantity surveyor for the job, we have put together a few handy hints about selecting a quantity surveyor:
- The best way of choosing a quantity surveyor is to get a personal recommendation from a friend or relative who has recently used the services of a quantity surveyor or rating surveyor.
- If you cannot get a recommendation then contact the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, which has more than 130,000 members. Where possible you should always hire a chartered quantity surveyor because the RICS has guidelines to ensure they all work to a very high standard.
- Contact a number of local quantity surveyors and give them details of your construction project so they can provide you with an estimate for undertaking the job. This is the best way to check you are not being over charged for their work.
If you own a business, shop or industrial property then your property will have a rateable value, which is used by local authorities as the basis of the calculation of your business rates. This valuation can often be complicated and that is why many businesses opt for a rating surveyor to help them with the process.
Before employing a rating surveyor, or rating adviser as they are sometimes known, it is worth checking whether they are a member of the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV) or the RICS, as these chartered surveyors are bound by regulations to ensure their clients get the best possible service. If you decide to employ a surveyor who is not a member of one of these bodies, you should first be satisfied that he or she has the necessary knowledge and expertise.
The IRRV has more than 5,000 members, making it the largest professional institution operating for the revenues, benefits and valuation industry. This means you should not have much trouble finding a member operating in your area, so the need to employ a non-registered surveyor is minimal.