Trend in the Nigerian Quantity Surveying Consulting Practices
Solomon Michael Ojo
Department of Quantity Surveying
Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
Email: goodsolex1@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This paper examines trends in the Nigerian Quantity Surveying Consulting Practices (NQSCP). The survey elicits the view of top management staff in Quantity Surveying Consulting Firms (QSCFs) on traditional and non-traditional building services, non-building services and software application. The intent of the survey was to ascertain the frequency of involvement of (QSCFs) in traditional and non-traditional building services, non-building services and to determine level of software usage in rendering consultancy services. The paper investigates the organizational set-up of (NQSCP) in terms of categories of professional membership and number of year in the industry. Relevant data were obtained through questionnaire. Only 45 out of 60 administered questionnaires were filled and returned. Analysis of the responses from these firms indicates that; 42% of the Consulting firms have been practicing for an average of 18years. The survey further discloses that, 93% of these firms have at most 5 employees as Members of Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. Among the 45 firms, only 20(44%) registered with (QSRBN). Among the employee Qs, 106 out of 148 in the firms are members of Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (MNIQS). This implies that, most of the Qs in the consulting firms considered are in this category. Most of these firms engage in traditional building services compared to non-traditional and non-building building services. The rate of use of computer aided software among these firms is still low. All the firms alluded to the use of email and spread sheets but master bill maker, workmate 5.0 bill maker and Qs Cad ranked low. The study concluded that Qs Consulting firms need to develop in the area of non-building services delivery and improve on the use computer aided software applications in order to improve in their service delivery by turning to indigenous computer engineers keywords: Trends, Quantity Surveying Profession, Consulting Practice, Software, Nigeria
