Voices of Evercam: Meet Scarlett Oliver – UK Account Executive
June 20, 2024
It is no debate that any construction project that desires to put control measures with regards to cost, time and material must employ a quantity surveyor. The role of a quantity surveyor varies from one construction site to another and will cover areas like formation of contract, forecasting the cost of projects and respective cash flow, collating maintenance manuals of the project, generating valuations for the work done to date, and overseeing the payment of the subcontractors.
These responsibilities come with its fair challenges of accuracy of data from the job site activities. In order to facilitate ease of undertaking their roles, it is important for contractors working in tandem with quantity surveyors to introduce the right tools to capture as much data from their site as possible. Visual documentation plays an important role in establishing variations in costs on site, such as deliveries, disputes and muck away costs. Advancements in construction cameras technology now provide quantity surveyors with a tool that captures every moment of the construction process that can be used to support their work..
Disputes are inevitable in any construction project. The installation of construction cameras ensures that the activities of the site are visually documented. In case any claims arise from the contractor that are post dated, the quantity surveyor is able to verify such claims by going back to the recorded clips of the said day and time to ascertain before raising/lowering the value for works done and charging the client.
Evercam has designed a tool that quantity surveyors use for this purpose. The X-ray tool feature enables one to be able to scan the image and make a comparison of the current status of the project against a past selected date. This visual documentation also helps the client save money as there will be no cases of false claims.
One of the main functions of the contractor’s quantity surveyor is to ensure that payment for works done on site are timely and paid in full. For most contractors, interim valuations and certificates form their only source of income, from which they fund the whole of their building operation. In general, building contracts provide within their conditions regular and timely payments to the contractor. This includes the physical measurement of the work on the site and materials delivered. The valuation for interim certificates should be made as accurately as is reasonably possible, and the contractor is entitled under the terms of the contract to the full value of work executed on site, less a specified retention sum.
This particular QS role has had its own share of challenges following the ‘new norm’ of operating in the pandemic. Such a challenge as ensuring little to no human contact as per the covid-19 regulations affects physical measurement of the works on site. With installation of construction cameras, the QS is provided with an extended overview of the construction progress.
Evercam construction cameras provide a measuring tool feature which eases the work of a QS as they are now able to take measurements remotely. This also helps the QS interact with all of their projects without the need of going to the site in person. The QS is also able to quickly calculate materials which will need to be ordered and quantify an approximate amount by using the measuring tool feature that is integrated in the construction timelapse cameras.
One of the key concerns of a developer is ensuring that the desired building is constructed within budget and on time. The quantity surveyor is responsible for monitoring and controlling costs and use of materials throughout the duration of a construction project. Installing a construction camera on site goes a long way to contribute to achieving this goal. Using the Gate Report feature as provided by Evercam construction cameras, the QS is able to tell the quantity of earthworks done as per a particular date, is able to tell the type of vehicles that enter and exit the site and what material has been brought on site. This helps the QS to calculate the amount of material used so far and how much more may be needed as per the projections in the bill of quantities. With the use of construction cameras, the QS is also able to control costs through remote site monitoring of deliveries of materials and therefore no false claims on quantities can be made.
A quantity surveyor is the consultant in charge of the budget. With the help of construction cameras installed, the quantity surveyor is provided with a systematic way of overseeing the project and the risk that may arise to affect the construction budget. Evercam construction cameras provide recording in high-resolution images of the construction site progress. These cameras can digitally zoom upto 18-times beyond the basic zoom level and be able to capture every detail in your project. This enables the QS to identify any potential risks as early as possible before they become major factors that can become additional to the final cost of a project.
Quantity surveyors are key personnel in monitoring the progress of the construction project as well as ensuring the right construction practice is put in place. In the case of any variations and modification of initial design, this will affect the cost of the project. The QS ensures that the information provided by BIM is consistent with the design. Construction cameras that have BIM integration makes it easier for the QS to monitor consistency of design or ensure that any changes are reflected in all associated contract documents, as well as the respective cost changes.
The reasons highlighted above are just but a few of the many that clearly show the essence of camera installation in construction sites. The construction cameras facilitate the roles of the quantity surveyor on site and therefore contribute to the achievement of the desired goal of completing a project in time, within cost estimates and with minimal wastage of materials provided.
If you are interested in learning more about how your team can benefit from using a construction camera on your next project, please contact us today.
