Comprehensive RICS-Based Quantity Surveying Interview Guide

Category A: General Knowledge and Basics

1. What are the primary responsibilities of a Quantity Surveyor?

• Preparing cost estimates, managing budgets, performing risk assessments, and ensuring financial
viability for construction projects.

2. Define Gross Internal Area (GIA) and Gross External Area (GEA).

• GIA: Total enclosed floor area within the external walls.

• GEA: Includes all external wall thicknesses and roofed areas.

3. What is the difference between a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) and a Schedule of Rates (SOR)?

• BOQ: Lists quantities of materials and work required.

• SOR: Provides unit rates for predefined work without specific quantities.

4. Explain retention in construction contracts.

• Retention is a percentage withheld from interim payments to ensure contract completion and
defect rectifications.

5. What is a Prime Cost Sum?

• An allowance for undefined work or materials, subject to later confirmation.

6. Define contingency sums in a project budget.

• Funds allocated for unforeseen or uncertain costs within the project.

7. What is the significance of the Base Date in FIDIC contracts?

• Establishes a reference for determining foreseeable conditions and risks.

8. Describe the process of value engineering.

• Analyzing functions of components to optimize costs without compromising quality.

9. What is a Final Account in construction?

• A comprehensive statement of the project’s cost upon completion, including adjustments for
variations and claims.

10. What are provisional sums?

• Budget allowances for work not fully defined at the time of tender.
Category B: Pre-Contract and Procurement

11. What are the common procurement methods in construction?

• Traditional (Design-Bid-Build), Design and Build, Management Contracting, and Construction

12. How do you prepare a cost plan?

• By breaking down project elements into costs using historical data and benchmarking.

13. What is two-stage tendering?

• Contractors submit preliminary tenders first, followed by detailed pricing after further design
development.

14. How do you ensure tender compliance?

• By thoroughly reviewing tender submissions against contract documents and client requirements.

15. Define Lump Sum and Re-measure contracts.

• Lump Sum: Fixed total price for the entire project.

• Re-measure: Payment based on actual quantities of work executed.

16. What is the role of a Quantity Surveyor in the pre-tender stage?

• Preparing cost estimates, BOQs, tender documents, and advising on procurement strategy.

17. Explain the term ‘lowest responsive bid.’

• The bid offering the lowest price while meeting all technical and contractual requirements.

18. What is a cost-plus contract?

• Contractor’s payment is based on actual costs plus an agreed profit margin.

19. What is the difference between direct and indirect costs?

• Direct Costs: Costs directly related to construction (e.g., labor, materials).

• Indirect Costs: Overheads and administrative expenses.

20. How do you prepare a tender report?

• By summarizing and analyzing received tenders, comparing them against evaluation criteria, and
providing recommendations.
Category C: Measurement and Valuation

21. What are the key principles of measurement?

• Following standard methods like RICS NRM or SMM7 for consistency and accuracy.

22. How do you measure excavation quantities?

• Using drawings to calculate the volume based on length × width × depth.

23. What is the purpose of a Schedule of Quantities?

• Provides a breakdown of work elements with quantities for pricing and progress monitoring.

24. Explain how you value variations.

• By assessing additional work against contract rates or agreed new rates.

25. How do you assess preliminaries in a BOQ?

• By allocating costs for site setup, temporary works, and management.

26. What is the role of dayworks in construction?

• Recording work performed on an hourly or daily basis, typically for unforeseen tasks.

27. How do you handle unmeasured work in contracts?

• Agree on rates and quantities through negotiation and remeasurement.

28. Define ‘profit margin’ in cost estimation.

• The percentage of profit added to project costs.

29. How do you calculate overhead recovery?

• Allocating indirect costs proportionally to project value or direct costs.

30. What are the challenges in measuring MEP works?

• Complexity due to intricate systems, variations, and coordination requirements.

31. What is Cost Value Reconciliation (CVR)?

• Comparing project costs incurred to value earned to monitor financial performance.

32. How do you evaluate contractor claims for delays?

• By reviewing critical path analysis and substantiating claims with records.

33. What is the importance of a cash flow forecast?

• Ensures sufficient funding availability and identifies potential financial shortfalls.

34. How do you manage variations during a project?

• Through clear documentation, valuation, and client approval before execution.

35. What is the difference between liquidated and ascertained damages?

• Liquidated Damages: Pre-agreed amounts for delays.

• Ascertained Damages: Calculated after breaches occur.

36. How do you handle contractor’s interim valuations?

• By verifying progress on-site, measuring quantities, and checking compliance with contract terms.

37. What is retention release, and when does it occur?

• Releasing retained amounts upon achieving practical completion and rectifying defects.

38. How do you reconcile discrepancies in payment applications?

• By comparing contractor claims against site records and contract terms.

39. How do you approach final account negotiations?

• By ensuring all variations and claims are agreed upon, supported by clear documentation.

40. What is the role of a Quantity Surveyor in dispute resolution?

• Acting as an expert witness, providing cost analysis, and mediating between parties.
Category E: Advanced Scenarios and Technical Knowledge

41. What are the key obligations of the Employer under FIDIC contracts?

• Ensuring site access, issuing instructions, and making timely payments.

42. How do you interpret Sub-Clause 20.1 (Contractor’s Claims) in FIDIC?

• The contractor must notify claims within 28 days of becoming aware of the event.

43. Explain the purpose of Sub-Clause 13.1 in FIDIC regarding variations.

• Allows the Engineer to instruct changes to the works without invalidating the contract.

44. How do you handle disputes arising from an Engineer’s Determination under FIDIC?

• Escalate to Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) or arbitration as per Sub-Clause 20.4.

45. What is the difference between NEC Option A and Option C?

• Option A: Lump sum with activity schedule. Option C: Target cost with pain/gain share.

46. Explain the term ‘Early Warning’ in NEC contracts.

• Parties must notify risks that could affect cost, time, or quality as soon as possible.

47. What is the significance of Defined Cost in NEC?

• It forms the basis for assessing payments and compensation events.

48. How do you apply Building Information Modeling (BIM) in cost planning?

• Use BIM models to extract quantities and integrate with cost databases for accurate budgeting.

49. What is 4D BIM, and how does it enhance project management?

• Adds scheduling data to 3D models for visualizing construction sequences.

50. How do you ensure data accuracy in a BIM-based QS environment?

• Regularly update models and validate extracted quantities against drawings.

51. Describe the process of assessing prolongation claims in FIDIC.

• Analyze delays on the critical path and evaluate cost impacts per Sub-Clause 8.4.

52. How do you manage concurrent delays in NEC contracts?

• Use project schedules to segregate contractor delays from employer-driven delays.

53. What is a Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), and why is it important?

• A hierarchical breakdown of project costs to monitor and control expenses.

54. How do you apply escalation formulas for material price adjustments?
 • Use base date indices to calculate cost changes for specified materials.

55. What is Earned Value Management (EVM), and how does it help in cost control?

• A technique to measure project performance against planned cost and time.

56. Explain how compensation events are managed in NEC contracts.

• Submit quotations for additional time or cost, assessed based on Defined Cost principles.

57. What are the limitations of BIM in Quantity Surveying?

• Inaccurate models, software compatibility issues, and lack of standardized practices.

58. How do you approach life cycle costing for sustainable projects?

• Assess initial, operational, and disposal costs to determine the most cost-effective solutions.

59. How do you use historical data in preparing feasibility studies?

• Leverage cost databases from similar projects to benchmark and forecast expenses.

60. What is the importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in project monitoring?

• KPIs track progress in areas like cost, time, and quality to ensure project success.