The two leading institutions representing those who provide quantity surveyor services have come to “historic” arrangement, under which they have pledged to work more closely together. The move has been welcomed by another sector body, the Construction Industry Council (CIC).
Presidents of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) have agreed to a memorandum of understanding which recognises the role each organisation has to play in supporting Britain’s surveyors, both in the UK and abroad. It’s been reported that the deal was struck and the agreement signed at RICS’s London offices towards the end of January.
The memorandum of understanding recognises the common goals of both organisations as well as the separate specialised skill sets and knowledge of the two institutions.
Alan Barrow, the president of the ICES, commented: “This builds on the unique expertise and knowledge each institution has in the various sectors of the industry. It puts years of friendly rivalry aside to establish an excellent framework with which both organisations can move forward through genuine co-operation and joint engineering community initiatives.”
For his part, the president of RICS Alan Collett said: “This arrangement comes in the wake of a long series of talks and meetings between staff and senior members of both institutions, and offers a strong platform for working together in the future. “Within each organisation, there are opportunities for building capacity and sharing knowledge in areas such as building information modelling, which are new and exciting.” While both organisations differ in significantly in terms of size, they “have a common interest in advancing the profession of surveying as it affects civil engineering”, said a statement.
Members of RICS, a leading authority on surveying, construction and land, encompass a wide range of surveying specialisms. Those belonging to ICES, founded in the 1970s, work specifically on the geospatial engineering and commercial management aspects of civil engineering schemes.
The agreement is also a chance to reflect on the importance of using surveyors or quantity surveying consultants, especially at a time when the climate remains challenging across all industries, including construction.
When making your choice, as well as professional body membership, look for:
A firm that has experience of the same type of property as your project
Lots of experience covering the area where your building scheme is based – that way you benefit from good local knowledge about potential issues like subsidence or flooding.
Budget will be an important consideration for most, and it may be worth getting several quotes before you make your decision. Remember that, in the long run, a thorough survey will be worth its weight in gold in terms of making you aware of any potentially expensive problems hidden in the property that you may not otherwise have known about.
Finally, ask for any personal recommendations from people you know and make sure the firm you use has full professional indemnity insurance.