PREDICTING THE FUTURE ROLE OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

This paper is an exploratory study on the likely developments of quantity surveying profession. Throughout time, Quantity Surveyors (QS) have struggled to prove their value as a skilled profession, with many opposing forces that challenge its existence. The roles of Singapore- QS have been changing in response to shifting market and technological conditions and increasing client requirements. Most significantly, the QS’s role will be transformed in response to the metamorphosis of the construction sector into a digital and innovation dependent industry. Through a sequential multi-phase method involving exploration, description and validation, the study aims to predict the upcoming developments in quantity surveying practice for Singapore professionals. The exploratory phase analysed the QS’s future role through two perspectives – global megatrends which will transform the construction industry and the QS’s current involvement under various procurement models. The exploratory phases informed the operational themes and described the profession’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which are presented in the SWOT analysis. Of which, the findings were validated by conducting interviews with specialists in the quantity surveying field. The developments in quantity surveying practice for Singapore professional are predicted to be more international in context. Facilitated by advanced Data Management skills and processes and automated valuation using 5-D BIM, QSs will also participate in increasingly more advisory and service-based activities. The difficulty in attracting, retraining and retaining talent is also found to be the main impediment to the growth of the quantity surveying profession.