Thesis (MAppSc in Building Environment) --University of South Australia, 1991

It is the intention of this dissertation to determine the most influential factors affecting the accuracy of design · price forecasts. As a result of the lack of research relating to the accuracy design price forecasts in South Africa, quantity surveyors are unaware of the level of accuracy that they attain. It is proposed that an awareness of their forecasting accuracy.and the factors which affect will contribute towards enhanced performance. By means of an analysis of a sample of quantity surveyors estimates, the factors which exert the most significant influence over identified.

Submitted in fullfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of the Built Environment (Survey), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Surveying concepts are difficult to understand, especially when students are exposed to surveying for the first time. Surveying is best understood when linked to field applications; however, students are only exposed to surveying and related field operation procedures during practicals. Two-dimensional (2D) explanations of surveying equipment used is shown during class lectures, which makes understanding of field procedures difficult to teach and learn during normal class lectures. A new approach to lecture delivery is required to make lectures more interesting and visually stimulating via three-dimensional (3D) animated models of levelling equipment and simulation of field observations and data collection. Additionally the learning of basic surveying concepts cannot be limited to field practicals, but in conjunction with learning that takes place in the classroom. Students' ability to properly learn the correct use of surveying equipment during time-tabled practicals is limited. The students do not have sufficient time in their normal scheduled practicals to learn to use surveying equipment to the required proficiency level. The main objective of this research was to deal with these inadequacies by exposing students to (3D) animated models of surveying equipment during lectures and the corresponding field applications created within SketchUp software. Students were exposed to these animated 3D models during lectures, so that their actual field operation and application could be simulated. Quantitative analysis of the student achievement data revealed that there was a significant difference between the test scores of the control and experimental groups. Additional analysis of the developed Likert-type scale questionnaire revealed that students' had a positive attitude towards the teaching tool.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The following report gives an overview of my internship completed with HEB Construction Limited on the tender for Tamahere to Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway. The focus of the internship was on quantity surveying and the process of tendering. An emphasis was also put on investigating and understanding aspects of tendering related to the New Zealand Transport Authority. After analysing the work completed during the internship, the main finding was that efficiency during the early stages of quantity surveying can be increased. In the future, this will be achieved through replacing scale rulers with computer software which simplify many of the time consuming processes currently used to capture the information on design drawings.

M. Tech. Quantity Surveying (Structured) / The aim of this research is to identify the major cost overrun factors in the construction sector of the Free State Province of South Africa and the effective remedial cost control measures, generate and recommend possible solutions. The primary objective of the research is to identify the major causes of cost overrun in the construction sector of the Free State Province of South Africa and the related effective remedial cost control measures.

Thesis (MAppSc in Project Management) --University of South Australia, 1994

Purpose In South Africa 48% of all quantity surveyors are identified as generation Y, a generation born between 1981–2000. This highlights the importance of generation Y to the quantity surveying profession as they are the future upon which this profession will build. Employers in the quantity surveying industry need to know what makes the workplace attractive and satisfying for this generation in order to effectively recruit and retain the talent of generation Y. A literature review done on job satisfaction of quantity surveyors indicated that very little research has been conducted on the subject in general and no research was found specifically on job satisfaction of generation Y quantity surveyors. The purpose of this study was to investigate if generation Y quantity surveyors are experiencing job satisfaction. Methodology The research approach for this study consists of a comprehensive literature review and substantiated empirical research. Various sources of literature were reviewed including books, articles, reports and papers. The literature review examined information with regards to generational theory, the relation between motivation, job satisfaction and employee turnover and lastly aspects about the quantity surveying industry in South Africa. Empirical research was conducted making use of focus groups as qualitative research method. Research participants were generation Y quantity surveyors who were profiled according to gender, race and experience to ensure diversity within the focus groups. Findings It was found that the majority of generation Y quantity surveyors are experiencing job satisfaction within their current working environment. This was only achieved once the correct “employee-employer fit” was found. It was also established that generation Y quantity surveyors are motivated by growth opportunities, rewards/bonuses, recognition, appreciation, support/help/mentorship and being part of the team/business. It was further found that these workplace factors also affect employee turnover among this generation. Research limitations The focus of this study was limited to the quantity surveying profession in South Africa with a specific focus on generation Y quantity surveyors. Research informants were limited to generation Y quantity surveyors born during 1980–1990 and included both candidate and professional quantity surveyors. What is original / value The findings of this paper will be of value to employers in the quantity surveying profession, as job satisfaction of generation Y employees has not previously been addressed. Adapting management strategies according to the findings may result in higher job satisfaction, lower employee turnover and increased profitability. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Construction Economics / MSc / unrestricted

The purpose of this thesis was to acquaint the reader on the nature of the uncertainty present in construction price forecasting and to introduce an environment that has the ability to integrate these uncertainties with greater consistency than that possessed by available price models. The objective of this thesis was to establish that uncertainty can be explicitly treated in price forecasting models. This would have two benefits to concerned parties. Firstly, the effectiveness of price forecasts could be improved as provision could be made for any uncertain variable. This will be of great benefit to the client, as a more accurate assessment of the building process could be established at an earlier stage of the design process. Secondly, the price forecast will be more useful to quantity surveyors, architects and clients, as it would 'quantify' the extent of the uncertainty which could be provided for in a more meaningful manner. In order to establish that existing price models do not deal with the uncertainty present at the time of forecasting, the price models used by practitioners were evaluated against the different types of uncertainty found at the different stages of the price forecasting process. Once this had been established, eight techniques that have the ability to treat various forms of uncertainty, were presented. After analysing the techniques abilities to cope with the uncertainties associated with price forecasting, it was established that certain of these techniques do have the ability, and are suitable, to be incorporated into the price forecasting process. From the results of a questionnaire survey conducted on quantity surveying offices in South Africa, it was found that the price models used by practitioners do not take uncertainty into account, and have in fact, the potential for uncertainty inducement. Some of the uncertainty found to be present in the preparation of a construction price forecast include the lack or incompleteness of design information, the uncertainty in the communication of design information, the variability in the data used by quantity surveyors and, the uncertainty in the choice of price model during the different stages of the design process. As a possible solution to the problem of uncertainty, an expert system environment, utilising a three-dimensional classification of uncertainty, has been proposed. It has been proved that this environment has the ability to cater for the uncertainty associated with the price forecasting process, as well as having the attribute of providing the user with the reasoning behind the logic that the expert system has followed, a characteristic not possible with the traditional forms of price models. From the findings of this thesis, it can be concluded that the methods of price modelling used by quantity surveying practitioners, are unable to take uncertainty into account effectively. It can also be concluded that an expert system environment has the ability to handle the different forms of uncertainty found at the various stages of construction design. The proposed model is conceptual in nature and has not been tested in practice. It is therefore recommended that further research be carried out in this field, with the aim of producing a construction price forecasting expert system which utilises the proposed three-dimensional classification of uncertainty.

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Master / Master of Science in Construction Project Management