Quantity surveyors are sometimes seen as an ‘unnecessary expense’ but the money they can save homeowners, developers, builders or those funding a project can mean the difference between success and failure.
One of New Zealand’s most well-respected quantity surveyors, Gus Fepuleai, lives in the Waikato and is general manager of a new Quantity Surveying firm based in Cambridge – Spectrum QS. He says quantity surveyors essentially help their clients establish a realistic budget and then act as their “eyes and ears” to manage costs.
“Labour is going up and building material prices are going up. You need someone on a job that looks out for your interests with regards to the budget. Having a technical person who understands cost and is able to keep an eye on it, is of huge benefit – now more than ever.”
Gus certainly understands the technical side of construction more than most.
He spent eight years working on the tools as a qualified builder in Auckland before obtaining a Bachelor of Construction, with a double major in quantity surveying and property development. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Construction Law from Massey University, so is ideally placed to give accurate advice to banks or non-bank lenders, developers and builders.
In fact, banks and non-bank lenders are frequent clients and trust Gus to guide them as they’re not construction specialists themselves. “Financiers need to know that all risks have been assessed properly and are being well-managed so costs do not blow out due to unexpected bills. That’s where a quantity surveyor is worth their weight in gold.”
Spectrum QS provides a full range of cost management and development monitoring services for projects based anywhere in New Zealand valued at $500,000 or more.
“I’ve worked on both sides of the fence – acting for banks and non-bank lenders through to project managers and developers who need value for money from their tradespeople, and even for builders who need help to comply with the conditions of their contract.”
Gus says the best time to engage a quantity surveyor is at the outset, when plans are first drawn.
“One of the common issues that I see is people develop drawings and get them to building consent stage. But when they go out to tender and get pricing from various builders, they find they don’t have enough money to do the job. Getting a budget done early at the design stage sets a benchmark. It’s a lot cheaper to redesign things and cut costs then, than once you start construction.”
Choosing which tender to accept is another area Gus can help with. “Nine times out of 10 people will pick the cheapest option. But they won’t be aware of all the exclusions or the priced alternatives. A QS will bring everything to the same level so you’re comparing apples with apples, not apples with oranges.”
Once a build is underway, a quantity surveyor will review all payment claims based on what’s actually been happening on site. They’ll also review any variations or changes to the project to ensure those costs are valid and realistic. “That’s where my building background really comes in handy,” Gus says. “If an electrician says it will take 40 hours to install a certain amount of wiring but I know it should only take 15-20 hours, I can alert the client and the problem can be pro-actively addressed.”
Gus says the building industry is very contractual and confrontational at times. Having a cool head, plenty of experience, and good communication and negotiation skills are key attributes people should seek in a professional quantity surveyor.
While it isn’t ideal, there have been plenty of instances where Gus has been brought on board halfway through a project when trouble has already struck. “So far in my career I’ve never come across a project that’s beyond repair. I’ve always found some sort of solution and a way to steady the ship.”
The decision to be involved in Spectrum QS comes from Gus’ desire to offer a more personalised and specialist service compared to larger consultancy firms. “I am very hands-on and love working face-to-face with clients and getting out on site. People will always get to deal with me – they won’t be passed off to a junior QS.”
If you’re embarking on a new project and need to keep a close eye on building costs, call Gus at Spectrum QS on
0800 777 732 for a confidential, no-obligation chat.
For more info visit www.spectrumqs.co.nz.
