Overview
Quantity surveying is sold for cost control, and the bill of quantities is the line the contractor reads first
Quantity surveyors (QS) measure, value, and control the cost of construction projects. The customer is a developer wanting an independent cost check, a homeowner overseeing a self-build, a building contractor pricing a tender, a client's QS reviewing a contractor's claim, or a loss adjuster valuing damage after an insurance event. The deliverable depends on the engagement: a bill of quantities priced item by item for a tender, a cost plan at design stage, an interim valuation during construction, a final account on completion, or a forensic delay-and-disruption analysis when a project goes wrong. A flat 'QS fees, 1 percent of project value' quote without naming the deliverable, the engagement length, and the specific scope misses what the client is actually buying.
QuoteGenio gives quantity surveyors a quoting shape built for cost-control work. Initial scoping and project review as the first line, deliverable named (cost plan, bill of quantities, interim valuation, final account, forensic delay analysis), engagement duration (one-off, project-life, retainer), team composition with the seniority of the QS, expenses and any specialist sub-consultancy, and a contract conditions reference (RICS standard, JCT, NEC). Send via email or WhatsApp to the client (developer, homeowner, contractor, insurer), take a deposit at engagement, raise milestone or monthly invoices, and the same record holds the cost reports and the variation register.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for QS practices, from solo cost consultants to small teams handling commercial and residential project cost work.
The problem
The pain points of QS fee proposals
QS fees are stage-driven across pre-construction, contract admin, and final accounts. Without a structured proposal, clients see a flat fee and try to negotiate without seeing the stage value.
Stages bundled
BOQ, cost report, tender, contract admin, final account — each has different effort and value. Lump-sum quoting undervalues the back-end stages.
Variations and disputes unbilled
Construction variations and disputes are real work. Without quoting them at the start, you bill them late or not at all.
Retainer model not pitched
Many QS practices benefit from monthly retainers on long projects. Without quoting one, you invoice piecemeal.
The fix
QuoteGenio handles QS proposals
A stage-billed workflow for QS work. Itemise pre-construction, tender, contract admin, and final account stages. Bill milestones, run retainers, and quote variations as add-ons.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for QS fees
Line items for BOQ preparation, cost report, tender admin, contract admin, valuations, variations, final account.
Send to procurement-ready
Branded PDF on every send. Public link for client review. Print-ready format for project files.
Quote in under 10 minutes
Templates per project size and type. Save them per practice for repeat work.
Track stages and retainers
See which stages are invoiced, which monthly retainers are running, and which final accounts are open.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how quantity surveyors actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Quantity Surveyors choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Quantity Surveyors build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Quantity Surveyors job pricing
Rough guide to what quantity surveyors charge. Pricing varies by project value, complexity, and scope. Commercial projects with full contract admin sit at the top of these ranges.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Initial consult and brief | $ 280 - $ 1,200 |
| BOQ preparation | $ 1,800 - $ 18,000 |
| Cost report (per report) | $ 850 - $ 4,500 |
| Contract administration (monthly retainer) | $ 1,500 - $ 8,500 / mo |
| Valuation (per valuation) | $ 580 - $ 2,800 / valuation |
| Variations admin (hourly) | $ 120 - $ 320 / hr |
| Final account preparation | $ 1,800 - $ 12,000 |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Always quote contract administration as a monthly retainer. Construction projects run for months and invoicing piecemeal makes cash flow lumpy. Recurring monthly retainers smooth the income.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed fees for BOQ, cost reports, and final accounts. Use monthly retainers for contract admin. Use hourly for variations and disputes.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Residential development QS services (12-unit build, full pre-construction + 6-month contract admin)
Pre-construction cost planning
BOQ preparation (full build)
Tender preparation and analysis
Contract admin (6 months retainer)
Monthly valuations during construction (6)
Final account preparation
Variations admin (hourly allowance, up to 20 hrs)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-construction cost planning | 1 | $ 4,500 | $ 4,500 |
| BOQ preparation (full build) | 1 | $ 12,500 | $ 12,500 |
| Tender preparation and analysis | 1 | $ 3,800 | $ 3,800 |
| Contract admin (6 months retainer) | 6 | $ 4,200 / mo | $ 25,200 |
| Monthly valuations during construction (6) | 6 | $ 1,200 | $ 7,200 |
| Final account preparation | 1 | $ 6,500 | $ 6,500 |
| Variations admin (hourly allowance, up to 20 hrs) | 20 | $ 220 / hr | $ 4,400 |
| Subtotal | $ 64,100 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 6,410 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 70,510 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Peer snapshot
How Quantity Surveyors actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Quantity Surveyors on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
16
Quotes sent per month
46%
Average quote acceptance
2 min
Median time to send quote
$ 70,510
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Quantity Surveyor jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of quantity surveyors. The same stage-billing, retainer, and variation mistakes come up project after project. Fix these and your monthly recurring revenue base will compound.
Mistake: Flat fee for everything
Better: Quote stage-by-stage. Pre-construction, contract admin, and final accounts have different value.
Mistake: Contract admin invoiced ad-hoc
Better: Quote it as a monthly retainer. Smooths cash flow over a 6-12 month build.
Mistake: Variations not quoted at start
Better: Quote a variations allowance at the start. Variations always happen.
Mistake: No exit clause
Better: State exit fee or notice period if the project pauses. Protects both sides.
Mistake: Vague final-account scope
Better: Specify what the final account includes (cost, variations, claims). Without it, expectations diverge.
Mistake: No deposit on big BOQ jobs
Better: Take 25 to 50 percent on bigger BOQ work. Real time investment.
Mistake: Plain text proposals
Better: Use a branded PDF. Construction clients take you more seriously.
Mistake: No payment terms
Better: State net 14 or net 30. Without it, contractors drift to net 60+.
Step by step
How to quote QS services
Quote stage-by-stage. Pre-construction (BOQ, cost planning), tender, contract admin, valuations, variations, and final account each have different value. Lump-sum quoting undervalues the back-end work.
Quote contract admin as a monthly retainer. Construction projects run 6 to 24 months. Monthly retainers smooth cash flow and lock in the engagement for the build life.
Quote a variations allowance at the start. Construction always has variations. Quote a banded allowance ('up to 20 hours at $220/hr') so the client agrees to the model upfront.
Take a deposit on bigger BOQ jobs. BOQ preparation is real time investment. 25 to 50 percent deposit is standard. State deposit terms on the proposal.
FAQ
Common questions from quantity surveyors
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Pre-construction, contract admin, valuations, final account each as line items. Bill stages cleanly.
Yes. Premium includes recurring invoices, ideal for monthly contract admin retainers.
Yes. As a banded allowance at the start. Variations always happen on construction.
Yes. As individual line items, or as a banded monthly allowance.
Yes. The free plan covers 5 quotes and 2 invoices a month. Premium unlocks unlimited quotes plus recurring retainers.
Yes. Save line items per project type (residential, commercial, infrastructure) and reuse in seconds.
Yes on bigger BOQ jobs. 25 to 50 percent.
30 to 60 days. Construction sales cycles can be slow. State validity.
Yes. Upload your logo and brand colours. Every proposal goes out with your practice's branding.
Yes. Every quote has a public link. Acceptance is one tap.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Reviews
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Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
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Glazier · Auckland
Guides
Guides for Quantity Surveyors
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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