Between a rock and a hard place. Agreement on what constitutes rock has always been a contentious issue with little help from methods of...

Work and materials listed as ‘Deemed included’ can only be priced by the tenderer if that work is clearly shown on drawings,...

Around this time of year hundreds, if not thousands of students will be starting their education / training. For many dreaming of a...

Sizes for timber sections are stated in two ways; ex and finished. Unplaned or sawn timber is referred to as ‘ex’ once planed it becomes...

The industry and the profession are at an inflection point and not for the first time, the quantity surveyor is having to adapt to a...

Should the RICS continue to be self-regulating? I may come as a surprise to many that the RICS is self regulating, in other words it is...

Sheet roof coverings Sheet roof coverings (lead, aluminium, copper, zinc, bitumen ,butyl rubber, thermoplastic, etc.) are measured as the...

Kickers Kickers are small concrete upstands used when casting columns and walls. Kickers can be suspended or isolated. Suspended kickers...

Partitions Partitions are referred to on NRM2 in three work sections; 16, 20 and 22. Which section to use often causes confusion. Best...

Provisional quantities Provisional quantities should be avoided whenever possible, as rates can loaded in the hope of quantities...

Between a rock and a hard place. There has always been a heated debate between contractors and clients about what constitutes rock....

Surface water is water on the surface of the site and excavations. Disposal of surface water is deemed to be included in NRM2 Section 5....

Alterations Measuring alteration work is one of my favourite tasks as it allows the qs to use their descriptive talents. Best practice...

When taking off quantities for Structural Metalwork using NRM 2, fittings may be billed as a calculated weight or as a percentage of the...

The RICS Code of Measurement Practice or COMP has been used by surveyors of all disciplines for years. It determines how we calculate...

22 years ago Building magazine ran the Ethel the Aardvark article and asked the question; 'Will we soon be drying a tear over a grave...

What does 2023 hold in store ? New ways of working have meant that during lock down some organisations made record profits by using...

Measurer or manager? Not for the first time quantity surveyors have an identity crisis. Should taking off quantities be removed from the...

Just when it seemed safe to come from under the duvet after the turmoil caused by BREXIT and COVID, business confidence again slipped to...

Sustainable Buildings Market Study In part A of this blog the question was asked; just how feasible is a large scale move away from the...