CALCULATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL FEES PAYABLE

TO A QUANTITY SURVEYOR IN NIGERIA

PRESENTED BY
ADEYANKINNU O. A. (ARC/03/1894)
OLANIRAN T. O. (ARC/05/5631)
SUBMITTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE,
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AKURE
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE COURSE
BUILDING LAW (ARC 510)

LECTURER-IN-CHARGE
PROF. O. O. OGUNSOTE

NOVEMBER, 2009.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page

Table of Contents
1.0

ii

Quantity Surveying
1

1.1

Services rendered by Quantity Surveyors

1.1.1 Contact Administration and Management

2
1.2

Approved Scale of fees professional Quantity Surveyors

3

1.3

Scale of fees for Consultant Quantity Surveyors

3

1.4

Scale of fees for Quantity Surveying in Multi-farious projects

5

1.4.1 Scale of fees approved as part of the Quantity Surveyors fees to the
Mechanical or Electrical Engineer
5
1.4.2 Stage payment for Quantity Surveyors
6
1.4.3 Calculations fees for stage payments for Consultant Quantity
Surveyors 6
1.4.4 repetitive works for Quantity Surveyors
6
1.5

Additional Services
6

2.0

Schedule of Materials/Plants

2.1

Litigation and Arbitration

7
2.2

Rehabilitation, restoration and refurbishing work on damaged

existing
building and structure

2.3

Construction cost of replacement for insurance and other purposes

8

2.4

Liquidation

2.5

Variation

3.0

Time charges
9

3.1

Project Management for Quantity Surveyors

9

3.1.1 Reimbursible expenses for Quantity Surveyors

10
3.2

Payment Stages

10

3.2.1 Reimbursable
10
3.2.2 Negotiation of fees
11
3.3

Consultancy Agreement
11

3.4

Code of professional Conduct

11

3.4.1 The position of NIQS on Negotiation of fees and Consultancy

Agreement 12
3.4.2 Effect of fees negotiation and consultancy agreement on Quantity
Surveyors Services
13
4.0

Conclusion

16

References

17

QUANTITY SURVEYING
SERVICES RENDERED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS
Feasibility Studies of Capital Projects
Cost Modeling
Contract Documentation and procurement
Contract Administration and Management
Monitoring of Capital Projects
General works
Project Management
Facility Management
Direct Labour Projects
Arbitration and Expert Witness
APPROVED SCALE OF FEES FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS
SCALE OF FEES
REIMBURSABLES

NEGOTIATIONOF FEES
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS (NIQS)
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
THE POSITION OF NIQS ON FEES NEGOTIATION
EFFECT OF FEES NEGOTIATION AND CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT ON
QUANTITY SURVEYORS SERVICES
CONCLUSION

1.0

QUANTITY SURVEYING

Quantity surveying is a profession concerned with expertise in cost and

procurement concerned with financial probity and achieving value for
money in the conceptualization, planning and execution of building and
engineering projects and developments. Quantity surveying is carried out
in both new and refurbishment works. The profession responsible for the
total cost and procurement management in Nigeria, for the achievement
of clients objectives in all types of capital project and development, from
conception to commissioning and maintenance in all sectors of Nigeria, fir
the attainment of sustainable National development and goals.
The Profession of Quantity Surveying is practiced in Nigeria along with the
same pattern as in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth
countries. In America, they are known as Cost Engineers. The regulated
and other Professions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1978 recognised
Quantity Surveying profession as one of the scheduled Professions while
the decree No.31 of 1986 gave legal backing and recognition to the

Quantity Surveying profession and also set up the Quantity Surveyors

Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) to regulate the Profession.
1.1

SERVICES RENDERED BY QUANTITY SURVEYORS INCLUDE:

Feasibility Studies of Capital Projects

Which includes budgetary planning for annual, rolling, medium and
perspective development plans, capital investment policy advice, advice on
financial plans and procurements and cash flow forecasts and analysis.
Others are profitability studies and Sensitivity analysis, value analysis and
management and cost benefit studies, life cycle studies and cost-in-use and
time effect on costs and profitability.
Cost Modeling which includes cost estimates and budgeting, cost
planning, monitoring, and control to ensure that client's budget is not
exceeded as well as cost studies and research of construction resources.
Contract Documentation and procurement. This includes tendering
procedures

and

contractual

arrangements.

Preparation

of

Bills

of

Quantities and other documents for obtaining tenders for the purpose of
contract administration and tender evaluation, analysis and reporting.
1.1.1 Contract Administration and Management
Preparation of interim valuations, adjustment and measurement of
changes in scope of works, management of cost implications of
contractual issues, cost control -preparing financial statements, cash flow
and final accounts.

Monitoring of Capital Projects

Which includes programme management, project auditing as well as
monitoring and evaluation of developments.
General services
Like preparation of cost reports, priced bills of quantities and appropriate
documentation for:

Capital allowances and taxation advice,

Technical and Contract Auditing,

Bank loans and facilities,

Capital market finance proposals and

Planning approvals.

1.1.2 Project Management

Project Management reinforces client control over the complexities of
modern developments. The Project Manager is the client's expert
representative responsible for coordinating the whole development
process to ensure timely completion within budget and performance
requirements.
As Quantity Surveyors have been specially trained in economic, financial,
management, legal and contractual aspect of construction, they are
particularly well qualified for the role of Project Manager among others.
1.2

APPROVED SCALE OF FEES FOR PROFESSIONAL QUANTITY

SURVEYORS

The quantity surveyors with other professionals in the construction

industry have a standard scale of fees approved by the Federal
government in 1996 which is based on the value of work done and/or
contract sum. The consultant shall be paid for the services rendered in
accordance with the scale of fees approved by the Federal government
and published under the consultancy fee payable by the public
sector. Fees shall be based on the accepted tendered estimated cost of
the project but shall be calculated on the accepted tendered cost of
construction in the lesser of the two amounts.
This may also include the final cost of provisional sum within the
estimated cost of the project. Fees are based on the accepted total cost of
the project regardless of the number of construction contract involved in
accordance with employers requirement. The fee is calculated on the
basis of first five million naira, next ten million naira like that until the
contract sum is exhausted. Payment thereof is in stages of contract of
pre contract, contract and post contract stages.
Where repetitive work is involved, fee calculation for each element full
fees are allowed on non repetitive work such as preliminaries and the first

building or element of each type. Fees indicated on the remainder of the

sliding scale for repetitive work shall be applied. Reimbursable expenses
shall be allowed in addition to the agreed sum when authorized and
approved by the employer in respect of transportation, accommodation
and any form of traveling, supervision and printing of documents.
1.3

SCALE OF FEES FOR CONSULTANT QUANTITY SURVEYORS

For the purpose of remunerating the Consultant Quantity Surveyor for his
services projects are classified into the following two broad based groups.
i.

SCALE OF FEES FOR QUANTITY SURVEYING WORKS IN PROJECTS

WHERE

THE

ARCHITECT,

MECHANICAL,

ELECTRICAL

OR

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IS THE PRIME CONSULTANT

The scale of fees for Quantity Surveyors in Projects where the
Architect, Mechanical, Electrical or Structural Engineer is the Prime
Consultant shall be as in Table 1.0
Table 1.0

Scale of fees for Quantity Surveying works in projects where

the Architect, Mechanical, Electrical or Structural Engineer is
the Prime Consultant
COST O PROJECT (N)

FEES AS A PERCENTAGE OF

COST OF PROJECT
Up to 5 million
2.75%
Next 10 million of part thereof 2.50%
Next 15 million or part 2.30%
thereof
Next 45

million

or

part 2.0%

thereof
Next 75

million

or

part 1.75%

or

part 1.40%

thereof
Next 150

million

thereof
Next
200million

or

part 1.0%

thereof
Balance over 500 million
(iii)

0.8%

Scale of fees for Quantity Surveying Works in Projects where

the Civil Engineers is the Prime Consultant.
The scale of fees for Quantity Surveyors in projects like roads,
bridges, etc. where the Civil Engineer is the Prime Consultant
shall be as in Table 1.1 below.

Table 1.1

Scale of fees for Quantity Surveyors where the Civil Engineer

is the Prime Consultant
COST O PROJECT (N)

FEES AS A PERCENTAGE OF

Up to 5 million
Next 10 million of part thereof
Next 15 million or part thereof
Next 45 million or part thereof
Next 75 million or part thereof
Next 150 million or part

COST OF PROJECT
1.37%
1.25%
1.15%
1.0%
0.87%
0.70%

thereof
Next
200million

or

thereof
Balance over 500 million
1.4

SCALE

OF

FEES

FOR

part 0.5%
0.40%

QUANTITY

SURVEYING

IN

MULTI-

FARIOUS PROJECTS WHERE THE CONSULTANTS IN VARIOUS

DISCIPLINES PERFORM AS PRIME CONSULTANTS
On this type of project, there are several Prime Consultants. Examples of
such projects are the University, complexes, Housing Estates etc where
the civil Engineer (Prime Consultant) takes care of Estate Roads, Architect
(prime Consultant) takes care charge of Building, Electrical Engineer
(Prime Consultant) takes care of street lighting, while the Structural
Engineer (Prime Consultant) takes charge of the sewage treatment plant.
Under these circumstances, the scale of fees for quantity surveyors as in
table 1.0 and 1.1 are applied appropriately using each Prime Consultant
as a base to determine the Estimated Total Cost of Project for his area of
operation.
1.4.1 SCALE OF FEES APPROVED AS PART OF THE QUANTITY
SURVEYORS FEES TO THE MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL
ENGINEER
i.

Where the services of the Mechanical or Electrical Engineer is

employed by the Quantity Surveyors in the preparation of bills of
Quantities or making an input into the preparation of the bills of
Quantities for a project, the fee payable to each Engineer shall be
negotiated, but not more than 50% of the fee accruable to the
Quantity Surveyors in consideration of cost of works of the
respective Engineers.

ii.

SCALE FEES APPROVED AS PART OF THE QUANTITY SURVEYORS

FEES TO THE CIVIL ENGINEER
Where the services of the Civil Engineer is employed by he Quantity
Surveyors in the preparation of bills of Quantities or making an input
into the preparation of the bills of Quantities for a project, the fee
payable to the Civil Engineer shall be negotiated, but not more than
50% of the fee accruable to the Quantity Surveyors in consideration
of the cost of civil works

iii.

MULTI-FARIOUS PROJECTS
The rules enunciated in items (i) and (ii) shall apply to multi projects
appropriately.

1.4.2

STAGE PAYMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS

Stage payment for Consultant Quantity Surveyors are made as stipulated

in paragraph 2 of section A.
1.4.3 CALCULATING FEES FOR STAGE PAYMENTS FOR CONSULTANT
QUANTITY SURVEYORS
Fees for stage payment for Consultant Quantity Surveyors shall be
calculated as stipulated paragraph 3 of section a
1.4.4 REPETITIVE WORKS FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS
The scale of fees for repetitive works for Consultant Quantity Surveyors
shall be as stipulated in section a (in paragraph 4)
1.5 ADDITIONAL SERVICES
When the consultant Quantity Surveyors is employed to perform
additional services beyond the normal service and contract period, he
shall be entitled to remuneration at the rates indicated for the individuals
services considered hereunder.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES STAGE 1
i.

Feasibility or Viability Studies

The Consultant Quantity Surveyor is entitled to remuneration for this

Additional Service at the rate of 0.2% of the Estimated Total Cost of

Project.
ii.

Pricing Bills of Quantities

This is the normal service of the Quantity Surveyor However,

Revalidation or re-evaluation of a suspended, abandoned of terminated
contract is an additional service which should be remunerated at a fee of
0.1% of the Estimated Total Cost of Project (ETC)

ADDITIONAL SERVICES STAGE 3

i.

(See Table 20)

Making Any Site Visits or Attending Any Site Meetings Other

Than The Normal Single Monthly Meetings
The Consultant Quantity Surveyor is entitled to remuneration in
accordance with the man month rate(s) on Time Charges (Table 21)

ii.

Any Visits or Work Done To Rectify defects During The

Defect Liability
This is normal service of the Consultant Quantity Surveyor and
therefore shall not be additionally remunerated.

iii.

Any Normal Supervision Rendered Beyond The Original

Contract Period
The Consultant Quantity Surveyors is entitled to remuneration
accordance with the man month rates on Time Charges (Table 21).

Table 1.3:

ADDITIONAL SERVICES STAGE 3

ITEM
(i)

(ii)
(iii)

2.0

DESCRIPTION
OF
SERVICE
Making any site visits or
attending any site meetings
other than the normal
single monthly meetings
Any visits or work done to
rectify defects during the
Defect Liability Period
Any supervision rendered
beyond the original contract
period

FEES PAYABLE
Man-month rates
on Time Charge
(Table 21)
Normal Service No
Additional
Remuneration
Man-month rates
on Time Charges
(Table 21)

SCHEDULE OF MATERIALS/PLANTS

Where a Quantity Surveyor is invited to prepare the schedule of materials.

It shall constitutes an additional service and shall be remunerated at the
rate of 0.1% of the Estimated Total Cost of Project
2.1

LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION

The fee payable for these services shall be negotiated

2.2

REHABILITATION, RESTORATION AND REFURBISHING WORK

ON DAMAGED EXISTING BUILDING AND STRUCTURE

The Consultant Quantity Surveyor is remunerated in accordance with the

relevant scale of fees for basic Quantity Surveying services applying the
cost of restoration in place of cost of the project.
2.3

CONSTRUCTION COST OF REPLACEMENT FOR INSURANCE

AND OTHER PURPOSES

The service shall attract a fee of 0.5% of the Estimated Cost of

replacement
2.4

LIQUIDATION

Where an independent consultant Quantity Surveyor is appointed to

advice the client on issues of Liquidation, he shall be remunerated in
accordance with the man month rate(s) on time charges.
2.5

VARIATION

Stage 3 payment which shall in this case be based on the Total

Construction Sum (TCS) shall take care of this service. Therefore no
additional fee is payable.
FLUCTUATIONS:

PRICE INVESTIGATION

The fee payable for this service shall be limited to 1% of the amount to
fluctuation
WHEN WORKS ARE DAMAGED
PERIOD OF CONSTRUCTION

OR DESTROYED

DURING

THE

Stage 3 payment based on the Total Construction Sum (TCS) shall take
care of this service. Therefore no additional fee is payable.
RESIDENT SUPERVISION FOR QUANTITY SURVEYING SERVICES
The Quantity Surveyor is involved in resident Supervision in the following
situations.
i.

Where several Contractors and sub-contractors are opening on

the same site or there are multiple contracts on one project.

ii.

Large projects of complex nature that require measure and value

as work progresses on daily basis.

iii.

Where contracts are based on schedule of Rates or Approximate

Bills of Quantities, which require site remeasurement as the work
progresses.

The fees for Resident Supervision by the Consultant Quantity Surveyors is

in accordance with the man-month rates as shown in Table 21
3.0

TIME CHARGES

All man-month rates are applicable to time charges in accordance with the
following principles
10 months (200 days) in a year
20 days in a month and
8 hour in a day

TABLE 1.4

MAN-MONTH RATES
SURVEYOR IN 1996

FOR

CONSULTANT

QUANTITY

CATEGORY OF STAFF

MINIMUM YEARS MAN-MOTH

OF EXPERIENCES RATES N
Chief Resident Quantity 5
92,400
Surveyor
Principal
Resident 12
78,000
Quantity Surveyor
Senior Resident Quantity 8
56,100
Surveyor
Resident
Quantity 4
46,200
Surveyor
Assistant
Resident Under 4
33,000
Quantity Surveyor
Snr. Technical Officer
52,800
Technical Officer
33,000
Asst. technical Officer
23,100
Draughtsman
16,500
The above detailed man-month rates are applicable in 1996. To obtain
figures applicable in 1997 and other succeeding years, the Central Bank
inflation index for 1996 and other proceeding years is applied.
3.1

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Where a Quantity Surveyor is the project manager, the sliding scale of

fees as detailed in paragraph 6 table 4 section A shall apply.

3.1.1

REIMBURSIBLE EXPENSES FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS

The Clause under Reimbursible expenses applicable to Prime Consultant in

Paragraph 7 or Section A shall apply.

3.2

PAYMENT STAGES

The proportion of the total fees payable to all categories of consultants for
normal services at the different stages of implementation is as follows:
Stage 1: 25% of fees based on the estimated total cost of the project.
Stage 2: 50% of fees based on estimated total cost of project.
Stage 3: 25% of fees based on the estimated total cost of the project
The above is the position of the federal ministry of works and housing as
at April 1996, while the Nigerian institute of Quantity surveyors(2004)
stipulate that the fee payable to the consultant quantity surveyor shall be
made as follows:
Stages

Description of each stage

1
2

Preliminary Estimate

% of fees
10%

Final Budget Estimate

15%

Tender Documentation

20%

Tender Analysis and Report

5%

Contract Documentation

20%

Contract Administration

25%

Final Account
TOTAL

5%
100

3.2.1 REIMBURSABLES
Reimbursable expenses are maximum of 1% of the project and its
distributed as follows:
Architect or prime consultant

40%

Structural engineer

15%

Quantity surveyor

15%

Mechanical engineer

10%

Electrical engineer

10%

Geotechnical engineer

5%

Builders

5%

3.2.2 NEGOTIATION OF FEES

Clients most times particularly private clients may not want to pay the
total fee of a commissioned quantity surveyor due to the selfish nature of
private

clients

and

corrupt

activities

of

government

officials

on

government projects. The quantity surveyor; in a bid to get commissioned

break the code of conduct stipulated by the regulatory body of Nigeria
institute of quantity surveyors by negotiating their fees or quoting any
variation from the fees which is unethical on part of any culprit.
3.3

CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT

As the name implies, consultancy agreement for construction professional

is the agreement which states the involvement of any professional in a
project, the relationship among the professionals, the roles taken by
various professionals, the superiority of each of the professionals and an
oath to abide by the ethical conduct of the various profession. Included in
the consultancy agreement is the conditions of engagement of the
professionals and the consultancy agreement is recognized by the Federal
Government and the various professional bodies in the construction
industry. The consultancy agreement is not expected to be breached by
the professionals engaged in a construction work.
3.4 CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors are governed by
its Constitution, Bye-laws and Code of Professional Conduct, in addition to
the General Laws of Nigeria. The practice of quantity surveying profession
in Nigeria is regulated by Decree No.31 of 1986, which set up the Quantity
Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria. The purpose of the code is to
regularise the level of discipline/skill and the behaviour of all categories of
the membership of the Institute and the Registration Board in the
pursuance of the practice of the profession of Quantity Surveying in
Nigeria.
The code comprises six main sections containing inter-related clauses,
which will be of universal application and deal with specific injunctions. All

practitioners are expected to be conversant with all the provisions and

apply the rules in their dealings with fellow professionals and the public in
general. The subject headings of the Code of Professional Conduct include
Introduction, Preface, Professional Obligations, Professional Conduct,
Partnership and Company details, Registration of Practicing Firms,
Remuneration,

Firms/Companies,

Consortia,

Engagement

in

other

Businesses/Occupations, General Practice rules; Services commissions,

Taking

over

uncompleted

commissions

or

supplanting

existing

commissions, Independent assessment of work by other practitioners,

Presentation of Quantity Surveying documents etc., Standard name places
and

site

boards,

Copyright,

Advertisement

and

Publicity;

General

Brochures, letters and Published Articles, Public Speaking, Lectures, Radio

and Television appearance; Relationship with other Professional colleagues
and Glossary .
3.4.1 THE POSITION OF NIQS ON NEGOTIATION OF FEES AND
CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT
The NIQS is a body regulating and/or governing the quantity surveying
profession in Nigeria and has set out the code of conduct for quantity
surveyors in Nigeria including remuneration amongst others. Violating any
of the clauses in the code will subsequently affect the practitioners
membership of the institute (NIQS) and the registration board (QSRBN).
The institute permitted not quoting any variation on the published fees in
competition to secure work as it believes that competition should be on
the standard of service rendered by respective professionals rather than
on the amount of fees charged. However, for a regular client, a quantity
surveyor can decide to discount the total fee on a project but its believed
that its a non negotiated.
The institute believes that a written agreement of surveyors appointment
is desirable but not essential but in the interest of all parties to a contract,
its advisable to have a properly constituted written agreement.

3.4.2 EFFECT

OF

FEES

NEGOTIATION

AND

CONSULTANCY

AGREEMENT ON QUANTITY SURVEYORS SERVICES

The issue of consultancy agreement and negotiation of fees has to do with

formalizing the commissioning of a consultant quantity surveyor as
regards the remuneration and condition of service with respect to the
extent of work to be carried out.
Fees are given in the published scale of fee as percentage of contract
value of a project or final account value or final account value in case of
final account value in case of post contract services. Quantity surveyors
are entitled to 2.75% of the first five million, 2.50% of the next ten million,
2.30% of next fifteen million or balance thereof. For repetitive contract
work, quantity surveyors are entitled to full fee on the non-repetitive
aspect of such work like the foundation and preliminaries and 20% of the
total fee of the first ten buildings and 30% 0f the total fee for the next ten
buildings for the repetitive aspect. Quantity surveyors are entitled to
reimbursable of 15% out of 1% of the total contract sum subject to
agreement with the client.
The total consultancy fee for quantity surveyor in a contract work is
however payable in stages of the contract work. 25% of the total fee will
be paid at the pre contract stage preferably up to the preliminary
estimating stage while 50% of the calculated fee is paid to the consultant
during the contract stage(tender report/signing of the contract). If the
consultant agrees to work with the client after the contract stage at the
post contract stage where the fee payable is 25% of the fee calculated
from the final account.
Quantity surveyors who are expert in cost and procurement management
making their services inevitable to the various clients, all ensuring the
attainment of sustainable National development and goals are affected by
the negotiation of fee and consultancy agreement and negotiation of
their fees thereof in a bid to secure job does not speak well which in
turn can affect the quality of work. Consider a project which is expected
to

span

years

and

the

quantity

surveyor

had

compromised

his

remuneration, at the later stages of the project; he may not have the
financial capability and commitment to do a good job. This poses a threat
to the project quality.

quantity

surveyor

that

gets

commissioned

on

compromised

remuneration may do it to get a job on hand and because he knows how

to swindle or carry out fraudulent activities with respect to a
contract and may therefore carry out fraud motivated by the reduced fees
accruable to him on the contract. Low quality of work and corrupt
activities resulting from compromising the approved fee by quantity
surveyors may spell doom for the image of the profession as clients
may not trust the profession again. Its noteworthy to know that the nature
of the profession which as to do financial matters requiring absolute trust
and transparency and therefore sharp practices among the professionals
means that clients will no longer engaging quantity surveyors or
transferring

their roles

to the less qualified professionals

in the

construction industry.
All the professionals in the construction industry have their respective
regulatory bodies who ensure that various professions are practiced
ethically in line with laid down rules. The quantity surveying profession
has the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS (NIQS) and
QUANTITY

SURVEYORS

REGISTRATION

BOARD

OF

NIGERIA

(QSRBN). Any quantity surveyor caught negotiating his fee will lose his
membership of the institute and professional practice as the
institute state it clearly that competition amongst members should be on
the basis of competency in practice and not fee negotiation. Loss of a
good number of professionals due to this unethical act may result to
shortage of professionals available per time.
Consultancy agreement of professionals has its effect on the quantity
surveyors services as the independence of quantity surveyors
involved in a project is questionable. Quantity surveyors and other
professionals involved in a particular construction work are regarded as
separate entity that should be respected for their various services to be
rendered but consider situations where Architects are made the prime
consultants on projects and other professionals are subjected to his
decision directly and indirectly. Quantity surveyors are expected to
prepare valuations of work done by contractors subjected to architects
approval as stated in the consultancy agreement. Also quantity surveyors
prepare the value of daywork carried out which has to be approved by the
architect and fluctuation claims inclusive. The subjectivity in which

quantity surveyors are put to on most matters on construction work as

stated by the consultancy agreement affects the service rendered as they
are playing second fiddle to the architect on building work and engineer
on engineering work. Quantity surveyors are trained to ensure the quality
of construction work at a reduced cost and this may make them be at
loggerheads with the so called prime consultant (Architect) who in a bid
also to exhibit their own designing flair on a proposed structure incur
unnecessary cost which the quantity surveyor by training should be
against and because the architects are the prime consultants on the job
gets things done their way most times. This is a special case of one man
show where the other man is regarded as idealess or his ideas are not
useful.
The consultancy agreement gives little or no respect for the quantity
surveyors as they are made to be subjected to architects instruction and
approval and quantity surveyors signature is not really paramount except
on few issues on construction site.
Theres however gain in the consultancy agreement as regards the
services of quantity surveyor because the agreement contains rule
and condition of engagement which states the limitation and excesses of
professionals including quantity surveyors with respect to a project.
Quantity surveyor that knows his level of involvement in a construction
work will be able to appreciate his duties and liabilities on the contract.
The knowledge of quantity surveyor of his duty will help him guard his
loins against any blame whatsoever. Gainfully considering the effect
of the approved scale of fees on the services of Quantity
surveyors; clients are made aware of the financial implication of hiring a
Quantity surveyor and this reduces dispute on fee with respect to
construction work.
4.0

CONCLUSION

This write up discuss extensively the professional fees payable to a

quantity surveyor in Nigeria. The effect of the approved scale of fees
which is being negotiated on one hand and the effect of the consultancy
agreement on another hand as they affect the quantity surveyor services
positively and negatively.

It is therefore of great importance if the approved scale of

professional fees is being followed strictly by the Quantity Surveyor.

REFERENCES
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (Lagos) (1992): Professional scale
of fees for
Consultant in the construction industry. Pg. 18-21
Federal Republic of Nigeria: Consultancy Services Agreement . pg. 6, 32
Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), (2000): Conditions of engagement and

Consultancy Agreement