CASE STUDY 1
Cost Neutral Quantity Surveying:
How a QS Paid for Itself — and Then Some
Most building contractors view a Quantity Surveyor as an overhead. The reality is very different. A skilled QS doesn’t cost your business money; they make your business money. This case study shows exactly how.
| 55.82% Increase in Job Value | £92,185 Additional Value Added | 1.5% Total QS Fee |
The Kennett Road Project
This project involved a pair of semi-detached houses in Headington both identically refurbished throughout, and extended at ground floor level. On the surface, it appeared straightforward. In practice, it became a masterclass in why every contractor needs a QS on their team. Over the course of the project, client-driven changes, variations, and new works information emerged as they always do. The difference here was that every single variation was identified, costed, presented with clarity, and agreed. Nothing slipped through the net.
| Site Location | QS Position | Original Contract Value | Agreed Final Account | Additional Value Added | Increase in Job Value | OSS Total Fees |
| Kennett Road, Headington | Valuations & Surveyor | £165,138.00 | £257,323.00 | £92,185.00 | 55.82% | £3,794.25 |
| The original contract value was £165,138. With a Quantity Surveyor managing variations, the final agreed account reached £257,323 a rise of nearly 56%. The QS fees? Just £3,794 which equals just 1.5% of the final project value. |
What Does a QS Actually Do on Your Project?
Contractors often assume that managing variations is simply a matter of sending costs to the client or architect and waiting for sign-off. In practice, it is considerably more involved and the difference between doing it well and doing it poorly is measured in tens of thousands of pounds.
A good QS will:
▶ Identify changes immediately – The moment scope deviates from the agreed contract, a QS spots it before it becomes a dispute.
▶ Present variations with precision – Every variation is documented with clarity, transparency, and full supporting detail including programme impact and extensions of time (EOTs).
▶ Negotiate and agree costs – Sending a variation is one thing. Getting it agreed is another. A QS drives that process to a conclusion.
▶ Protect your programme – Delays cost money. A QS ensures that contractual entitlements to time extensions are properly recorded and enforced.
▶ Keep everything contractually compliant – All variation work is carried out in accordance with the contract protecting you from disputes downstream.
The Cost Neutral Argument
Some contractors ask: “Can’t my project manager or a director handle the QS role?” The honest answer is: perhaps but at what cost to the rest of your business? A PM or director taking on QS duties is pulled away from their own critical responsibilities. Other areas of the business come under pressure. And a QS role performed by someone who isn’t a QS will inevitably leave money on the table.
On this project alone, the QS-driven uplift of £92,185 at an average margin of 12.5% generated £11,523 in additional profit. The cost of the QS service was £3,794. The return on that investment is not marginal. It is transformative.
| Return on Investment — At a Glance QS Fee: £3,794 • Additional Profit Generated: £11,523 • Net Gain: £7,729 Every £1 spent on QS services returned over £3 in profit on this project. |
Ready to Add a QS to Your Team?
Oxford Surveying Services works with building contractors and subcontractors across Oxfordshire and beyond. We integrate seamlessly with your existing team, providing the commercial expertise you need to protect your margins and grow your turnover on every project, every time.