Roles & Responsibilities of a QS (Quantity Surveyor) & Billing Engineer
- Estimation & Costing Preparing preliminary cost estimates from drawings and specifications
- BOQ Preparation – Drafting the Bill of Quantities for tendering
- Tender Analysis – Comparing vendor/subcontractor quotations, negotiating rates
- Rate Analysis – Working out unit rates for materials, labor, and equipment
During Construction
- Measurement of Work Done – Taking site measurements as per drawings and actual execution (this is the core of "billing")
- Running Account (RA) Bills – Preparing interim/progress bills for contractors or clients based on work completed
- Final Bill Preparation – Compiling the final bill upon project completion
- MB (Measurement Book) Maintenance – Recording measurements systematically for audit/reference
- Rate Reconciliation – Ensuring billed rates match contract/agreed rates
- Variation & Extra Item Billing – Identifying and billing for work outside the original scope (extra items, deviations)
- Cross-checking Quantities – Verifying quantities against drawings, site execution, and material consumption
- Certifying Subcontractor Bills – Reviewing and approving subcontractor/vendor bills before payment
Cost Control & Reporting
- Budget Monitoring – Tracking actual costs vs. estimated/budgeted costs
- Cost Variance Reports – Reporting overruns or savings to project management
- Material Reconciliation – Comparing material issued vs. material consumed vs. wastage
- Cash Flow Forecasting – Projecting upcoming billing and payment cycles
Contractual & Documentation
- Contract Administration – Ensuring billing complies with contract terms and conditions
- Claims & Disputes – Handling contractor claims for extra work, delays, or rate disputes
- Compliance – Ensuring statutory deductions (GST/TDS, labor cess, etc., depending on country) are correctly applied in bills
- Documentation – Maintaining records of approved drawings, work orders, correspondence for audit trail
Coordination
- Liaising between site engineers, project managers, clients, and accounts/finance department
- Coordinating with planning/design teams for BOQ updates due to design changes
- Working with procurement for material rate updates