Quantity surveying has been a profession widely regarded with prestige and high respect due to the valuable contribution given by the practitioners to the entire construction industry. In their profession, quantity surveyors act as the main financial consultants in the construction industry. Their training and expertise puts them at a proximal position to give advice regarding to cost and other contractual planning as well as in preparation of documents related to building contracts. A case study on the quality of service delivered by these professionals and ho w they are meeting their clients and market demands in South Africa gives us a worrying trend. Over the recent past, there has been a slackening attitude towards these practitioners by the consumers of their service in the terms of the quality of their service delivery (Tarr, et al, 2006, p.85). The current crop of quantity surveyors seems not to be meeting clients demands and expectations which has become a matter of concern.
The profession seems to have reached its dusk stage. A closer view of this industry has been necessitated by the need to understand the challenges and other opportunities that this scenario presents to practitioners in South Africa and other African countries. In this context, application of cradle-to-grave concept is very suitable (Zelner, 2008, pp.214). This concept refers to two phases of a subject where the cradle phase is the time when a given subject has a lot of life and seen to make a significant contribution. On the other hand, the grave phase is the period when a subject moves from its productive phase to a period of little or no activity. Looking at the quantity surveying profession in South Africa, one cannot stop to question whether this profession is has already moved from cradle phase to grave phase. The level of dormancy and low level of satisfaction both from practitioners and the clients seems to support this view to a large extent. To address this problem, we need to focus on the source of the underlying challenges so as to know where the problem lies. We also seek to answer the question of whether the practitioners are getting the right kind of training. The major regulating bodies involved and their equivalent contribution in maintaining the high level of integrity of this profession (Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, n.d).
The entry to industry procedures and whether there is adherence to the ethics of the profession. In addition, we need to know whether the practitioners are getting the right satisfaction in their jobs.
Background history of quantity surveying in South Africa
Emergence of construction of complicated housing designs in South Africa and other African countries came with the arrival of Europeans. In the early days, the task of getting at an exact estimate of cost for each stage of such building became a complex undertaking as each builder had to prepare a separate bill of quantities.
The idea of employing a surveyor who could measure the quantities of all building requirements brought about economy of work. Consequently, building owners saw it as beneficial for them to appoint and pay for the services of a quantity surveyor. By this, the existence of independent quantity surveying services achieved a consultant and professional status. In South Africa, the term gained its recognition and usage after the passing of the Quantity Surveyors Act of 1970 (Government Gazette, 2009). This was exclusively reserved for personnel with necessary qualifications and experienced as required by this Act. One of major qualification apart from training was registration with the South African council of Quantity Surveyors before serving in the public. Another requirement which is still in force is the adherence to a strict code of conduct.
This code of conduct requires the practitioners to act responsibly towards their clients, employers and profession with a full regard of the public interest. This conduct is aimed at helping in upholding the dignity and good reputation of the quantity surveying profession (Bowen, et al, 2010, p.p.49). In addition, it helps the quantity surveyors to carrying out their duties efficiently, promptly and in a competent manner.
Among the major duties conducted by quantity surveyors in South Africa include the estimation and advice on cost, planning for cost, advice on property development, advice on tendering procedures and other contractual agreements.
Current trends
From the client field of view, one can clearly see that, the present day performance of quantity surveyors in South Africa is very poor. This view has also been acknowledged by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, who have received complains from public over the inferior services from professionals in this field. A research by Southern African academicians has gone further to establish that the pre-tender estimating performance of South African professionals is always less accurate and less consistent in comparison to that of their foreign counterparts. Another recent study has gone further to establish that, there has been no any notable improvement in estimating performance. In addition, the construction time estimation of South African quantity surveyors trails behind that of their international counterparts.
A study on the procurement issues has revealed many flaws in the methods applied and service levels of by South African quantity surveyors. This has also brought to the limelight the theoretical and technological ignorance and use of unsatisfactory channels of communication between environmental and built professionals. Over 70 of clients are also not satisfied with the type of communication they have with their quantity surveyors (University of Witwatersrand, n.d).
As seen earlier, it has been a common phenomenon for the stakeholders to complain about indecency of work done by the quantity surveyors in this profession. It is of basic sense to put the blame squarely on the doors of training institutions. This is on the basis of the institutions failure to produce people professionals with adequate skills. In addition, the clients are also in look-out for people who have gone through programs which have an environmental concern in their application. Lack of regular audits in profession also has been pointed as a cause of slackness in performance of quantity surveying professionals. The profession has also been said to have neglected the rural development projects which is very necessary in a growing nation.
New trends
In its strive to address the dissatisfaction from the clients and improve the public image of this profession, the government through the Parliamentary monitoring group in October of 2009 was presented with a report by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE). In this report, the council set targets on how to meet its legal requirements through attaining five objectives (Engineeering News, n.d). First, improving stakeholder relations and creating partnerships. Second, improving of performance and delivery of skills. Third, ensuring there is alignment of activities of the council wit a national importance. Fourth, ensuring there is an effective and efficient public protection to the regime of quantity surveying. And lastly, transforming and consolidating of the regulatory institutional and structural framework that is involved in regulation and functioning of the council and its professionals.
According to these new trends, regulating councils in South Africa and other African nations has a challenge of making sure that the profession is meeting their obligations through promotion of various values. Such achievements can be achieved by promotion and protection of interests of the public. Promotion and maintenance of a sustainable built environment and natural environment. Promotion of a progressive development in human resource in a built environment. Facilitation of the participation by built the environment professionals in integrated development. Promotion of the application of appropriate standards of health, environmental protection and safety in the built in environment (Parliamenytry Monitoring Group, 2009). Promotion of sound governance of built in environment experts. Promotion of liaison in the training field in the republic and other areas. Formation of a platform where the relevant professionals can discuss the relevant issues and ensuring there is a cross board application of professional customs and guidelines as set by the profession and regulating bodies.
Opportunities for change
A major focus needs to be shifted to the registration procedures of the professionals practicing on the field. In addition to the focus on the training offered to the professionals in the tertiary institutions, one would consider a proposal of educational exchange programs with other training institutions out of the country to give the young professionals a global view of practice. At the level of accreditation, these institutions should embrace the use of logical and objective assessments in their assessment. The learning should be oriented to practice rather than just assign the examination and consequent accreditation (Nkado, 2008). The administrations should also have an aspiration of changing this mode of learning to that based on success of practice. The idea of learning as a continuous process should be embraced where the professionals should learn from the mistakes made so far and try to make things better.
The current scenario in the profession of quantity surveyors In South Africa is not a call for celebration. The appearance of many challenges has the potential for creating a great opportunity to a creative e mind in coming up with an evolutional strategy that can save the industry forever. The acknowledgement by both industry players and the consumers of the service can form a good platform for making corrections. Any implementation of noteworthy improvements lies in the hands of the management of regulating councils of the various built environment experts. Changes in registration procedures would require a change in perception of these council members in the terms of ensuring that there is a formation and sustenance of a viable process driven by knowledge as its top priority (AAC Report, 2008). In addition, every practitioner has his or her role to play in ensuring that this profession regains its glory by making an individual contribution. One has a role in ensuring that he or she contributes towards a positive growth by following the ethics of profession putting in mind other public considerations.
In addition, other African professionals have the chance to develop a global view of their profession by breaking the culture of domestic view of their professional practices. A continued failure of local professionals will lead to a takeover by more efficient professionals from other countries as the world moves to a global village.
The profession seems to have reached its dusk stage. A closer view of this industry has been necessitated by the need to understand the challenges and other opportunities that this scenario presents to practitioners in South Africa and other African countries. In this context, application of cradle-to-grave concept is very suitable (Zelner, 2008, pp.214). This concept refers to two phases of a subject where the cradle phase is the time when a given subject has a lot of life and seen to make a significant contribution. On the other hand, the grave phase is the period when a subject moves from its productive phase to a period of little or no activity. Looking at the quantity surveying profession in South Africa, one cannot stop to question whether this profession is has already moved from cradle phase to grave phase. The level of dormancy and low level of satisfaction both from practitioners and the clients seems to support this view to a large extent. To address this problem, we need to focus on the source of the underlying challenges so as to know where the problem lies. We also seek to answer the question of whether the practitioners are getting the right kind of training. The major regulating bodies involved and their equivalent contribution in maintaining the high level of integrity of this profession (Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, n.d).
The entry to industry procedures and whether there is adherence to the ethics of the profession. In addition, we need to know whether the practitioners are getting the right satisfaction in their jobs.
Background history of quantity surveying in South Africa
Emergence of construction of complicated housing designs in South Africa and other African countries came with the arrival of Europeans. In the early days, the task of getting at an exact estimate of cost for each stage of such building became a complex undertaking as each builder had to prepare a separate bill of quantities.
The idea of employing a surveyor who could measure the quantities of all building requirements brought about economy of work. Consequently, building owners saw it as beneficial for them to appoint and pay for the services of a quantity surveyor. By this, the existence of independent quantity surveying services achieved a consultant and professional status. In South Africa, the term gained its recognition and usage after the passing of the Quantity Surveyors Act of 1970 (Government Gazette, 2009). This was exclusively reserved for personnel with necessary qualifications and experienced as required by this Act. One of major qualification apart from training was registration with the South African council of Quantity Surveyors before serving in the public. Another requirement which is still in force is the adherence to a strict code of conduct.
This code of conduct requires the practitioners to act responsibly towards their clients, employers and profession with a full regard of the public interest. This conduct is aimed at helping in upholding the dignity and good reputation of the quantity surveying profession (Bowen, et al, 2010, p.p.49). In addition, it helps the quantity surveyors to carrying out their duties efficiently, promptly and in a competent manner.
Among the major duties conducted by quantity surveyors in South Africa include the estimation and advice on cost, planning for cost, advice on property development, advice on tendering procedures and other contractual agreements.
Current trends
From the client field of view, one can clearly see that, the present day performance of quantity surveyors in South Africa is very poor. This view has also been acknowledged by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, who have received complains from public over the inferior services from professionals in this field. A research by Southern African academicians has gone further to establish that the pre-tender estimating performance of South African professionals is always less accurate and less consistent in comparison to that of their foreign counterparts. Another recent study has gone further to establish that, there has been no any notable improvement in estimating performance. In addition, the construction time estimation of South African quantity surveyors trails behind that of their international counterparts.
A study on the procurement issues has revealed many flaws in the methods applied and service levels of by South African quantity surveyors. This has also brought to the limelight the theoretical and technological ignorance and use of unsatisfactory channels of communication between environmental and built professionals. Over 70 of clients are also not satisfied with the type of communication they have with their quantity surveyors (University of Witwatersrand, n.d).
As seen earlier, it has been a common phenomenon for the stakeholders to complain about indecency of work done by the quantity surveyors in this profession. It is of basic sense to put the blame squarely on the doors of training institutions. This is on the basis of the institutions failure to produce people professionals with adequate skills. In addition, the clients are also in look-out for people who have gone through programs which have an environmental concern in their application. Lack of regular audits in profession also has been pointed as a cause of slackness in performance of quantity surveying professionals. The profession has also been said to have neglected the rural development projects which is very necessary in a growing nation.
New trends
In its strive to address the dissatisfaction from the clients and improve the public image of this profession, the government through the Parliamentary monitoring group in October of 2009 was presented with a report by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE). In this report, the council set targets on how to meet its legal requirements through attaining five objectives (Engineeering News, n.d). First, improving stakeholder relations and creating partnerships. Second, improving of performance and delivery of skills. Third, ensuring there is alignment of activities of the council wit a national importance. Fourth, ensuring there is an effective and efficient public protection to the regime of quantity surveying. And lastly, transforming and consolidating of the regulatory institutional and structural framework that is involved in regulation and functioning of the council and its professionals.
According to these new trends, regulating councils in South Africa and other African nations has a challenge of making sure that the profession is meeting their obligations through promotion of various values. Such achievements can be achieved by promotion and protection of interests of the public. Promotion and maintenance of a sustainable built environment and natural environment. Promotion of a progressive development in human resource in a built environment. Facilitation of the participation by built the environment professionals in integrated development. Promotion of the application of appropriate standards of health, environmental protection and safety in the built in environment (Parliamenytry Monitoring Group, 2009). Promotion of sound governance of built in environment experts. Promotion of liaison in the training field in the republic and other areas. Formation of a platform where the relevant professionals can discuss the relevant issues and ensuring there is a cross board application of professional customs and guidelines as set by the profession and regulating bodies.
Opportunities for change
A major focus needs to be shifted to the registration procedures of the professionals practicing on the field. In addition to the focus on the training offered to the professionals in the tertiary institutions, one would consider a proposal of educational exchange programs with other training institutions out of the country to give the young professionals a global view of practice. At the level of accreditation, these institutions should embrace the use of logical and objective assessments in their assessment. The learning should be oriented to practice rather than just assign the examination and consequent accreditation (Nkado, 2008). The administrations should also have an aspiration of changing this mode of learning to that based on success of practice. The idea of learning as a continuous process should be embraced where the professionals should learn from the mistakes made so far and try to make things better.
The current scenario in the profession of quantity surveyors In South Africa is not a call for celebration. The appearance of many challenges has the potential for creating a great opportunity to a creative e mind in coming up with an evolutional strategy that can save the industry forever. The acknowledgement by both industry players and the consumers of the service can form a good platform for making corrections. Any implementation of noteworthy improvements lies in the hands of the management of regulating councils of the various built environment experts. Changes in registration procedures would require a change in perception of these council members in the terms of ensuring that there is a formation and sustenance of a viable process driven by knowledge as its top priority (AAC Report, 2008). In addition, every practitioner has his or her role to play in ensuring that this profession regains its glory by making an individual contribution. One has a role in ensuring that he or she contributes towards a positive growth by following the ethics of profession putting in mind other public considerations.
In addition, other African professionals have the chance to develop a global view of their profession by breaking the culture of domestic view of their professional practices. A continued failure of local professionals will lead to a takeover by more efficient professionals from other countries as the world moves to a global village.
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