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Quantity surveying in the UK

Outsourced quantity take-offs, Bills of Quantities and cost plans for UK contractors, cost consultants, housebuilders and developers — measured to RICS NRM and delivered remotely by graduate quantity surveyors.

Get a quote UK@qs-global-solutions.com
Row of Georgian-style brick townhouses in London with white stone porticos, black railings and front gardens

Overview

UK contractors and cost consultancies are pricing more tenders with fewer quantity surveyors and estimators available. Measurement — take-offs, Bills of Quantities and cost plan build-ups — takes up much of that time, and it is the work that is easiest to outsource without losing control.

Our team has hands-on experience of UK projects and works to the RICS New Rules of Measurement. We take on whole packages or work alongside your in-house team, in your templates, so your surveyors can concentrate on pricing, procurement and commercial management.

Deliverables

  1. 01

    Bills of Quantities (NRM 2)

    Tender-ready BoQs measured to NRM 2 for building works, or CESMM4 for civil engineering, in Excel and PDF.

  2. 02

    Quantity take-offs

    2D and 3D take-offs from PDF, DWG and Revit for every trade, with take-off sheets and marked-up drawings.

  3. 03

    Cost plans (NRM 1)

    Order-of-cost estimates and elemental cost plans that follow the RIBA Plan of Work stages.

  4. 04

    Contractor tender support

    Measured quantities by trade, subcontract enquiry packages and quantity checks of client BoQs.

  5. 05

    Post-contract measurement

    Re-measures, valuations support and measurement of variations or compensation events under JCT and NEC contracts.

  6. 06

    Refurbishment and extensions

    Measured schedules of work for refurbishments, extensions and alterations to existing buildings.

Since 2013 NRM 2 has replaced SMM7 as the RICS standard for detailed measurement of building works, and NRM 1 sets the rules for order-of-cost estimates and elemental cost plans. We measure to these rules as standard, use CESMM4 for civil engineering packages, and still work to SMM7 where an older project or client template requires it.

Every BoQ is checked by a second quantity surveyor, and every quantity can be traced back to a take-off sheet — so your team can audit our work quickly.

We support UK housebuilders, residential developers and build-to-rent schemes, commercial offices and mixed-use buildings, education and healthcare projects, and refurbishment and extension work to existing — including traditional brick and stone — buildings.

  • New-build housing, apartments and build-to-rent schemes
  • Offices, retail and mixed-use developments
  • Schools, universities and healthcare buildings
  • Refurbishments, extensions and alterations
  • Civil, external works and infrastructure packages

Most UK projects use JCT or NEC contracts, and design often continues after tender. We revise BoQs and take-offs to new drawing issues, highlight every change and provide comparison reports, so you can value variations and compensation events with clear evidence.

For higher-risk residential buildings under the Building Safety Act, design information is often more detailed and fixed earlier. We measure fire-stopping, façade and other safety-critical items as separate, clearly described items so they are priced properly.

Our team works a few hours ahead of UK time. Drawings sent at the end of your day can be in progress before you start the next morning, which helps on tight tender programmes. We keep in touch by email and online meetings.

  • Red-brick canal-side apartment buildings in the UK with balconies, a towpath and a footbridge at sunset
    Canal-side apartments, UK
  • Six-storey brick and stone office building in a UK city with a landscaped public square
    Brick and stone office building, UK
  • Cotswold stone country house in England with a modern glazed extension, terrace and landscaped garden
    Country house with glazed extension
  • University building under construction in the UK with a tower crane, scaffolding and a concrete frame next to a finished brick facade
    University building under construction, UK

How we work

  1. 01

    Send your drawings

    Share PDF, DWG or Revit files with the specifications, and tell us the measurement standard and BoQ format you need.

  2. 02

    Scope, timeline and quote

    We confirm exactly what is included, the deliverables and a delivery date before any work starts.

  3. 03

    Measure and check

    Graduate quantity surveyors measure the work, then a second surveyor checks quantities and descriptions against the drawings.

  4. 04

    Deliver and support

    You receive editable Excel and PDF files, take-off sheets and marked-up drawings, and we answer queries and revisions.

Standards: NRM 01 · NRM 02 · SMM 7 · QSMM · POMI · CESMM 3 · CESMM 4 · SLS 573

Your United Kingdom contact

UK@qs-global-solutions.com

FAQ

Do you prepare Bills of Quantities to NRM 2?

Yes. NRM 2 is our standard method for UK building works. We also measure civil engineering works to CESMM4 and can work to SMM7 if your project or template still uses it.

Who do you work with in the UK?

Main contractors, subcontractors, cost consultancies, housebuilders, developers and architects. We support tenders, cost planning and post-contract measurement.

Can you work in our own BoQ and cost plan templates?

Yes. We prepare BoQs, take-offs and cost plans in your templates and coding, so our work drops straight into your documents and systems.

How do we start?

Email UK@qs-global-solutions.com or request a quotation with your drawings. We confirm the scope, the measurement standard and a delivery date before any work starts.

Related

Start a conversation

Let’s measure your next project.

Share your drawings and we will come back with a scope, timeline and quote.

Schedule an online meeting info@qs-global-solutions.com