Questions You Ought to Ask Your Quantity Surveyor

The simplest way to explain what a quantity surveyor does is to say that they’re administrators in charge of the contractual and financial side of any construction project. From this, it would be quite easy to tell why they would be needed by construction companies, independent contractors and homeowners/real estate investors alike. Now add to this the fact that they’re also in charge of the tax depreciation estimations and this gives you the full extent of why their services are in such a need. However, finding the right person for the job might be harder than you’ve expected. Here are six questions to help you make the right choice.

A couple of questions about the construction itself

The first thing you need to know about quantity surveying is the fact that the person you choose to work with needs to have a contractor-like knowledge of the construction itself. This is something that you can easily check by asking a couple of sub-questions. These are the same questions that you’ve asked the real estate agent when buying the property, as well as the contractor that you’ve brought for the inspection. By getting same or similar answers (or in an adverse role, by having them repeat these same questions), you’ll be able to rest assured that the person that you’re dealing with knows what they’re talking about.

What are their qualifications and previous work history?

Another thing you need to inquire about is your surveyor’s previous work history and qualifications. Ideally, you want someone with local experience. This way, you alone can have a better understanding of their company’s portfolio. You shouldn’t, however, just settle for their certificates, permits and degrees. Instead, you need to inquire about their other clients. Sure, they might be permitted to give their personal information but they may at least tell you who some of their biggest clients are.

Are they familiar with the local laws and regulations?

The issue of taxes, as well as tax depreciation, are issues regarding both federal and state laws, which is why you need to make sure that the surveyor you hire is great in both of these fields. Therefore, even when you’re just looking for a couple of tax depreciation quotes, you might want to narrow down your search to your nearest surroundings. Such a practice will ensure that they have enough specific experience to answer your question with the highest level of accuracy. This will make the answer that you get the most relevant.

Do they have a digital presence?

The next issue you need to consider is whether your quantity surveyor has a digital presence. Another thing you should consider is the digital presence of the surveyor that you intend to work with. Whether or not you can contact them online will become a major issue and something that’s of major concern, seeing as how it has a direct impact on their availability. In the present-day business world, having a website is a must, however, they also need to be present on social media like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram. This way you can keep up with them at any moment.

How good are their people skills?

It’s far more important that the person you’re dealing with has an understanding of the industry than to be great with people, right? Well, the truth is that you can’t really have one without the other. Think about it, when it comes to honouring contracts, juggling finances and making all of this work on a single project, you need someone who can stay in touch with so many different people at the same time. Other than this, you alone will rely on their communication abilities, which is why you need to know that you’re dealing with someone capable of conveying a message.

In conclusion

One last thing you need to understand is that while you should look for competitive pricing, you shouldn’t settle for the lowest bidder. Think about it, a low-quality report will lose you more money than going for a more expensive option could, which means that you’re not really saving money in the long run. Working with professionals and esteemed industry representatives is probably the best course of action for your property, which is why sticking to the above-listed tips may be just the thing you need.