Measure. Plan. Administer.

What is Quantity Surveying?

Quantity Surveying is the professional discipline of measuring, valuing and managing the financial aspects of construction. A quantity surveyor (QS) translates design drawings and specifications into a structured, auditable measure of work — the Bill of Quantities — and then administers the commercial life of the contract from tender award through to final account.

In Australia the profession is led by the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS), which sets the Standards of Practice, accredits Certified Quantity Surveyors (CQS), and publishes the Australian Standard Method of Measurement (ASMM) and the Best Practice Costing Manual. Internationally the discipline aligns with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the New Rules of Measurement (NRM).

Cenex's quantity surveying service is delivered by senior staff who hold both AIQS membership and RPEQ engineering registration. That combined credential is rare in Australian infrastructure — it means the same person who measures the work also understands the engineering behind it. The result is faster, more defensible measurement on complex civil, structural, rail, water, and energy projects.

Why It Matters

Why Formal Quantity Surveying Matters

Properly measured quantities are the foundation of fair tendering, accurate progress payment, and clean variation pricing. Without them, projects bleed value through dispute, double-counting, and unagreed scope.

Fair Tender Comparison

A common Bill of Quantities lets every tenderer price the same scope on the same basis. Tender returns become directly comparable and the lowest commercially-credible price can be identified objectively, eliminating the apples-to-oranges problem of unstructured tendering.

Auditable Progress Payments

Monthly progress claims measured against the BOQ give the client confidence that payments reflect actual work in place — not just contractor invoices. This protects cash flow on both sides and is essential under the SOPA legislative framework in Queensland.

Defensible Variations

Variations priced against the contract BOQ rates and ASMM measurement rules can be settled efficiently. Where star rates are required, the QS builds them transparently from first principles. The result is fewer commercial disputes and faster final account closure.

Cost Planning & Control

Stage cost plans (A-F under AIQS) track project economics from concept through detail design, flagging cost growth early when there is still time to redesign. Combined with elemental cost analysis, the cost plan becomes the central commercial control document.

Independent Verification

As an independent QS, Cenex is not aligned with any contractor or designer. Our measurement and certification is impartial, defensible, and prepared to the standards expected by Queensland Treasury, Department of State Development, TMR, and major asset owners.

Risk-Adjusted Pricing

A measured BOQ exposes the cost drivers — quantities, rates, prelims, contingency. That visibility lets the client and contractor allocate risk rationally rather than carrying generous contingencies blind. AIQS-aligned measurement is the engine that makes risk-based pricing possible.

Standards & Methodology

AIQS Standards & Methods of Measurement

All Cenex measurement is performed to formal published standards. The choice of method depends on the project type, the contract, and the client's tendering preferences.

Australian Standard Method of Measurement (ASMM)

The Australian Standard Method of Measurement is the AIQS-published standard for building work. It defines what is measured, the units of measurement, the descriptions, and what is included in (and excluded from) each item. ASMM is the default measurement framework for building and structural work in Australia.

Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement

For civil works, the Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement applies. It covers earthworks, drainage, pavements, structures, and ancillary civil items in a way that maps cleanly to the kind of work TMR, Queensland Rail, Powerlink, and Sunwater procure.

TMR Schedules of Rates & MRTS

For Queensland transport infrastructure, Cenex measures to the relevant TMR Schedule of Rates aligned with the Main Roads Technical Specifications (MRTS). This includes pavement, drainage, structures, traffic, and electrical schedules that TMR uses for both panel and stand-alone procurement.

Best Practice Costing Manual

AIQS publishes the Best Practice Costing Manual as the practitioner reference for cost planning, elemental cost analysis, and cost reporting. Cenex's cost plans follow this structure so that they are immediately recognisable and auditable by clients, lenders, and other QS practitioners.

Australian Cost Management Manual (ACMM)

For structured cost management across the full project lifecycle, Cenex applies the Australian Cost Management Manual, which integrates cost planning, value engineering, risk management, and post-occupancy evaluation. ACMM gives clients a coherent commercial framework from business case through to operations.

What You Get

Quantity Surveying Deliverables

A complete commercial toolkit for the life of the project — from cost plan through final account.

Cost Plans (Stages A-F)

Stage A (concept) through Stage F (post-tender) cost plans built on AIQS elemental structure. Each stage tightens the estimate as design progresses, with clear documentation of assumptions, exclusions, design contingency, and escalation. Cost plans are the spine of project commercial control.

Bills of Quantities

Fully measured, fully described BOQs prepared to ASMM, the Civil Engineering SMM, or TMR schedules of rates. Each item is traceable back to the source drawing or specification, with quantity take-offs documented for client audit. Suitable for tender, contract, and post-tender administration.

Progress Valuations

Monthly site-measure valuations against the BOQ with payment certificate recommendation. Includes assessment of stored materials, retention, set-off, and any disputed items. Compliant with Queensland Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act timing and notice requirements.

Variation Assessment

Independent assessment of contractor variation claims using contract BOQ rates, derived rates, or first-principles star rates as appropriate. Includes commercial recommendation, risk assessment, and supporting calculations. A defensible, audit-ready variation register is the single biggest protection against final-account dispute.

Cost Reporting & Forecasting

Monthly cost reports tracking actual vs budget, forecast cost to complete, and cash flow projection. Reporting is structured around AIQS elements and the project WBS so that the same numbers tie to the cost plan, the BOQ, and management dashboards. Ready for board and lender consumption.

Final Account & Reconciliation

Complete final account preparation reconciling original contract sum to final paid value, with full audit trail of variations, valuations, set-offs, and adjustments. Resolves outstanding commercial issues and closes the project commercially. Cenex's final accounts are routinely accepted without challenge by both client and contractor sides.

The Cenex Difference

Why Cenex for Quantity Surveying

Cenex is unusual in the Australian market because our senior staff are simultaneously AIQS Certified Quantity Surveyors and RPEQ-registered engineers. The combination matters more than it sounds.

A pure QS firm measures what is drawn — but is not always equipped to interpret a complex civil or structural design when the drawings are ambiguous. A pure engineering firm understands the design — but may not be steeped in the formal measurement rules and AIQS practice notes that make a BOQ defensible. Cenex sits in the overlap, which is exactly where complex infrastructure work lives.

We pair this dual credential with deep TMR familiarity (CE1 pre-qualified for cost estimating), quantitative risk analysis, and full commercial management capability, so the QS function integrates seamlessly with the rest of the project commercial team.

AIQS
Certified Quantity Surveyor membership held by senior staff
RPEQ
Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland — dual credential
CE1
TMR pre-qualification at the highest level for cost estimating
$16B+
Total project value measured, valued, and administered

Need a Quantity Surveyor on Your Project?

Whether you need a Stage C cost plan, a fully measured tender BOQ, monthly progress valuations, or independent variation assessment, Cenex's AIQS-aligned QS team is ready to help.