quantity_surveying_foundation_course_

Quantity Surveying Foundation Course

Duration: 6 Months Distance Learning Programme
Language: English

RICS Member: £595.00 + VAT
Non RICS Member £695.00 + VAT

Course Summary

Around the world quantity surveyors lead on studying specifications of a new building or
development supplied by architects and engineers. As a quantity surveyor you will be
required to calculate the quantities of materials required for the build. With the economy
ever changing, specific skills and practices are required to be able to provide accurate
calculations of the costs and labour works.

Providing you with foundation level training in the principles and practices this distance
and blended learning programme covers the key topics undertaken by quantity surveyors.
Through this interactive course you will broaden your skills in the practice of cost
estimating and tendering, procurement methods and process used in the pricing of
construction works

Who is this course for?

Learn about quantity surveying from the ground-up…
 Construction professionals who want to learn about the key underpinning
principles quantity surveying
 Professionals thinking of moving into the QS profession and need a practical
understanding of the skills and knowledge needed for the role
 Other professionals in the built environment who are looking to learn about cost
estimating, tendering and procurement techniques and methodologies at a
foundation level.

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Course Structure

Delivered over a 6 months programme, this course teaches the practices of quantity
surveying in a topic approach. Each individual unit teaches a competency required by the
profession and using a blended style of online study, delegates will gain a thorough
grounding of the required skills.

Each unit is composed of the following to support and enhance the learners needs in
gaining the required level of knowledge throughout the course programme.

 Online Technical E-Learning
 Reading Material
 Case Studies
 Online forum

Online Technical E-Learning
The online technical e-learning courses provide you with a detailed overview of the
principles and methodologies covered within each unit. Created by highly experienced
trainers

Case Studies and Practical Exerices
Technical case studies provide you with examples of practice, within these case studies you
will be able to test the training against the theory taught within the unit. Answers and your
examples can be shared within the online forums.

Reading Material

Further your study and understanding of the units and methodologies with the unit reading
material. Sourced from text books and articles, these readings support your development
throughout the course programme.

Online forum

Each unit has a dedicated forum to provide you with constant access to your tutor and a
shared learning area with fellow delegates. Creating a dedicated learning environment you
will be able to partake in topic discussion and share you learning with lots of other people
from all over the world.

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Course Contents

Unit 1 Introduction

 Overview of the course and how it is structured
 The learning activities for the whole course
 Requirements for each technical unit

Unit 2 Construction technology and environmental services

 Functional requirements for domestic construction
 Design process including the RIBA plan of work
 Alternative construction solutions for functional elements of a building

Unit 3 Procurement and tendering

 Procurement routes
 Tendering and negotiation processes
 Production of tender documents
 Ancillary processes such as partnering and framework agreements

Unit 4 Design economics and cost planning

 Factors affecting the cost of a building and its elements
 Cost planning and the financial control of projects
 Source of cost data and adjustments for location, specification, time and market

forces
 Whole life cycle costing.

Unit 5 Quantification and costing of construction works

 Quantification of construction works (including both measurement and definition)
 Process of costing of the construction works
 Use of BIM in undertaking Quantity Surveying activities on a project

Unit 6 Contract practice and Contract administration

 Legal systems and the framework for the operation of construction contracts;

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 contractual mechanisms and procedures relevant to financial management of a
project

 Considering other common contractual mechanisms.

Unit 7 Project financial control and reporting

 Control of costs during the construction phase of a project
 Reporting and forecasting of costs during the construction phase
 Principles of contingencies/risk allowances.
 Applying cash flows in financial management.

Course Overview

The foundation level course is made up of the following 7 technical units covering the
practices and principles of quantity surveying.

Unit 1 – Introduction to foundation quantity surveying
Unit 2 – Construction technology and environmental services
Unit 3 – Procurement and tendering
Unit 4 – Design economics and cost planning
Unit 5 – Quantification and costing of construction works
Unit 6 – Contract Practice and Contract administration
Unit 7 – Project Financial Control and Reporting

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the 6 months, you will be able to:

 Apply the practices and procedures of international quantity surveying
 Demonstrate forms of construction for various property types
 Evaluate the factors which affect the cost of a building
 Undertake the quantification and costing of construction works
 Differentiate between the types of procurement strategies
 Apply cost planning methods to control the financial aspect of a project
 Evaluate the sources of cost data relating to a construction
 Report and forecast costs during the construction phase

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 Identify the contractual requirements and procedures relevant construction
finances

 Manage various aspects of a project, including change procedures and accounts
 Apply the implication of Building Information Modeling to various quantity

surveying activities
 Identify general contractual provisions for a construction project

End of Course Assessment

Delegates are assessed through an online examination within the RICS Online Academy. You
will be supported through your training programme by a dedicated course tutor. The
examination will take place within a one month window period at the end of the 6 month
programme.

Upon successful completion of the course delegates would have completed 150 CPD hours
study over the 6 month period. Delegates will also receive a certificate of course
completion confirming you have successfully attended and passed the Foundation course in
Quantity Surveying.

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