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Unit 54 Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice (J/618/8131) Assignment Brief 2026

Posted: June 12, 2026/Under: Uncategorized/By:

Unit 54 Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice Assignment Brief

Qualification	Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals Construction
Unit Number	54
Unit Title	Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice
Unit code	J/618/8131
Unit level	5
Credit value	15

Introduction

The function of a quantity surveyor on a large project will take several forms. The professional quantity surveyor (PQS) will support the client in terms of the project’s budget and obtaining tenders that are within this budget. Contract selection will be a function to enable legally binding agreements between the client and the main contractor. The PQS will advise a client as to which is the best contract to use for their project. The main contractor’s quantity surveyor’s function on a large project will be to assemble a quantity surveying team that can control the costs of the works in accordance with the tender sum submitted. They will also maximise the revenue potential against any variations, buying or construction processes to maximise the project’s return.

The quantity surveyor interacts with many different roles in project teams. They may work alongside the architect or designer, costing project elements and specifying, to arrive at a budget for the client. The main contractor’s quantity surveyor interacts with the estimating and construction teams. They work to establish what the estimator has included in terms of prices from suppliers and subcontractors so that orders can be placed in advance of the work commencing. Once the project has begun, they are involved in ensuring that the costs of the project are controlled to ensure they remain within the agreed contract sum.

In this unit, students will expand their knowledge and understanding of quantity surveying practice, with the emphasis on more complex projects and contract requirements.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

LO1 Analyse the functions of a quantity surveyor on large complex projects

LO2 Explain the quantity surveyor’s interactions with project teams

LO3 Prepare a contract for a complex project

LO4 Develop preliminary items and specification sections for a building or infrastructure project.

Assignment Task

LO1 Analyse the functions of a quantity surveyor on large complex projects

Pre-contract: professional quantity surveyor
Costing of client’s project into a budget
Advising client on potential procurement routes
Advising client on contract types
Preparation of any nominated or named contractors
Obtaining quotations for nominated works
Preparation of bills of quantity (BoQ)
Preparation of tender documentation
Specifications
Select tender list compiled
Sending out project enquiries
Receiving tenders
Adjudicating tenders
Awarding project
Pre-contract: main contractor’s quantity surveyor
Advising on procurement process and contract
Read and digest tender documentation
Analysis of project into packages
Obtaining quotations for packages of work
Materials and plant enquiries
Assembly of tender documentation
Specifications
Costing of preliminary items
Tender adjudication meeting
Tender submission
Negotiation with specialist subcontractors
Construction phase: professional quantity surveyor
Issue and sign contracts
Pre-start meeting
Check valuations
Negotiations with main contractor
Issue certificates
Costing and agreement on variations
Running final account summary
Agree final account
Release retention
Construction phase: main contractor’s quantity surveyor
Legal and regulatory requirements for quantity surveyors
Contract law
Health and safety Regulations
Professional body codes of conduct and codes of practice
Financial regulations and financial regulators

LO2 Explain the quantity surveyor’s interactions with project teams

Main contractor’s quantity surveyor
Interaction with PQS and client regarding signing contract documentation
Pre-start meeting
Liaising with the estimator regarding quotations used in tender
Discussions with contracts manager and site manager regarding programme
Interaction with other quantity surveyors (QS) in the project team
Interaction with buying department for materials and plant requisitions
Interim valuations interactions with site manager and PQS
Interactions with site manager regarding variations
Attendance at site progress meetings
Interactions and negotiations with nominated and domestic subcontractors
Interactions with contracts manager regarding delays and extensions
Handover meetings
Professional quantity surveyor
Tender adjudication and interviews with main contractor’s estimating team
Award of contract with client
Award of contract to main contractor
Cost value engineering with main contractor
Issue and obtain contract signatures between client and main contractor
Control client’s budget with main contractors QS
Liaise regarding additional works and final account summary
Attend site progress and budget meetings
Interaction and negotiation with main contractor
Advise client on spending against budget
Attend handover meetings
Interact on final account and retention release
Dealing with disputes between parties
Avoiding and managing conflicts
Recording issues and complaints
Legal processes (e.g., adjudication, arbitration)
Financial disputes (e.g., cost overruns, valuation disputes)

LO3 Prepare a contract for a complex project

Contract selection criteria
Type of construction work
Duration of project
Number of projects
Value of work
Flexibility required
Private or public sector
Size of project
Funding strategy
Construction contracts
Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) (e.g., standard building contract, intermediate form of building contract, major project construction contract, design and build contract, management building contract, construction management contract, constructing excellence contract, measured term contract, prime cost building contract)
FIDIC (Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils)
NEC (The New Engineering Contract): Engineering and construction contract
CIOB (The Chartered Institute of Building) (e.g., CPC 2013 – CIOB Contract for use with Complex Projects)
Local international contract agreements
Classification of contracts (e.g., lump sum contracts, unit price contracts, cost-plus contracts, target cost contract)

LO4 Develop preliminary items and specification sections for a building or infrastructure project

Project information
Client’s complex brief with working drawings
Specification of elements making up project
Cost estimate for the project
Client’s initial budget
Specifications
Types of specification (e.g., performance specifications, prescriptive specifications)
Standard forms (e.g., construction, civil engineering, building services)
Specification sections and classifications
Preliminary items
Specific ‘prelims’ sector requirements (e.g., construction, civil engineering, building services, relation to contract)

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO1 Analyse the functions of a quantity surveyor on large complex projects		D1 Critically analyse the contractor’s quantity surveyor’s interactions in maintaining the profitability of a contract.
P1 Analyse the pre-construction and construction functions of a professional quantity surveyor and a contractor’s quantity surveyor. P2 Discuss the legal and regulatory responsibilities of a quantity surveyor during different phases of a project.	M1 Compare the functions of a professional quantity surveyor and a contractor’s quantity surveyor during the execution of construction contract for a complex project.
LO2 Explain the quantity surveyor’s interactions with project teams
P3 Discuss the interaction of a professional quantity surveyor and a contractor’s quantity surveyor with different teams during the pre-construction phase of a project. P4 Describe the process of valuation and release of payments by the quantity surveyor during the construction phase.	M2 Analyse the financial interactions between the professional quantity surveyor and the contractor’s quantity surveyor during the construction phase.

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO3 Prepare a contract for a complex project		D2 Justify the selection of a contract, prelims and specification sections in meeting the needs of client and contractor for a large complex project.
P5 Analyse the criteria used for the selection of a contract for a large complex project. P6 Prepare a contract, based on an appropriate standard, for a large complex project.	M3 Assess the selection of a contract in meeting the requirements for a given project.
LO4 Develop preliminary items and specification sections for a building or infrastructure project
P7 Prepare preliminary items for a building or infrastructure project specification, based on an appropriate standard. P8 Develop specification sections to define works for building or infrastructure project, based on an appropriate standard.	M4 Evaluate the relationship between preliminary items and specification sections in clearly defining works.

Recommended Resources

Print resources

ASHWORTH, A., HOGG, K., HIGGS, C. (2013), Willis’s Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, John Wiley & Sons

CARTLIDGE, D. (2019), Estimator’s Pocket Book Second Edition, Routledge

CARTLIDGE, D. (2017), New Aspects of Quantity Surveying Practice, Routledge

COOPER, R. (2017), Target Costing and Value Engineering, Routledge

TOWEY, D. (2017), Construction Quantity Surveying, John Wiley & Sons

Unit 54 Advanced Quantity Surveying Practice (J/618/8131) Assignment Brief 2026