QS Guide · Overview

Quantity Surveying Guide

Your comprehensive resource on AIQS-aligned quantity surveying practice in Australian infrastructure. From the Australian Standard Method of Measurement to final account preparation.

QS Guide Chapter 00 of 5
00Overview 01Introduction 02Methods of Measurement 03Cost Planning 04Contract Administration 05Final Account
A Practitioner's Guide

What This Guide Covers

This Quantity Surveying Guide is Cenex's open reference on the discipline of quantity surveying as it is practised in Australian infrastructure. It is written for engineers, project managers, contract administrators, and asset owners who need to understand how QS works — what the formal standards require, what deliverables to expect at each stage of a project, and how the discipline integrates with cost engineering, contracts, and project delivery.

The guide aligns with the standards published by the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) — including the Australian Standard Method of Measurement (ASMM) and the Best Practice Costing Manual — and references the international body of practice maintained by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Who this guide is for

  • Project managers and engineers who need to engage QS services correctly and interpret QS deliverables
  • Asset owners and government clients procuring infrastructure through formal contract
  • Contract administrators and commercial managers handling progress claims, variations, and EOT
  • Anyone preparing for AIQS membership or RICS chartership in QS

Chapter outline

The guide is organised into five chapters that follow the lifecycle of a typical project:

  • 01 Introduction — what quantity surveying is, who AIQS is, what a Certified Quantity Surveyor does, and how QS differs from cost estimating
  • 02 Methods of Measurement — ASMM for buildings, the Civil Engineering SMM, TMR Schedules of Rates and the international NRM
  • 03 Cost Planning — the AIQS Stages A–F cost plan series, elemental cost analysis, and the Best Practice Costing Manual
  • 04 Contract Administration — progress valuations, variation pricing, EOT cost claims, and the Queensland Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act framework
  • 05 Final Account — final account preparation, reconciliation to original contract sum, audit closure
Why It Matters

Why Quantity Surveying Matters for Infrastructure

Properly measured quantities are the foundation of fair tendering, accurate progress payment, defensible variations, and clean final accounts. The AIQS framework is what makes that possible.

Fair Tender Comparison

A common Bill of Quantities, measured to ASMM, lets every tenderer price the same scope on the same basis. Tender returns become directly comparable. Without it, projects compare apples to oranges and the lowest commercially-credible bid is impossible to identify.

Auditable Progress Payments

Monthly site-measure valuations against the BOQ give clients confidence that payments reflect work actually in place — not just contractor claims. This is essential under SOPA timing and notice requirements.

Defensible Variations

Variations priced against contract BOQ rates and ASMM measurement rules can be settled efficiently. Star rates are built transparently from first principles. Result: fewer disputes, faster final account closure.

Need a Quantity Surveyor on Your Project?

Cenex's AIQS-aligned QS team is ready to help — from cost plans through to final account.

QS Services Read Chapter 01 →