Cost planning of construction projects provides a means of controlling the design process to meet the budgetary requirements of the client.It allows the quantity surveyor, with the design team, to design a building to a cost rather than costing a design after it has been completed.

The control of costs can only be achieved by the actions of the whole project team, including the client. It is the quantity surveyor’s role, using cost planning techniques, to facilitate this and achieve excellent results.

The following is a checklist of the factors that affect pricing levels.

• Location

• Use and accommodation requirements

• Size–both floor area and functional units

• Occupation target date

• Level of specification

• Views on design (the name of existing buildings that are

broadly similar to the client’s concept is often a help here)

• Number of storeys

• Any special storey height requirements

• Any specialist engineering or service requirements

• Size of site

• Access to site

• Any likely planning constraints

• Likelihood of problems with ground condition

• What is on the site at the moment

• Any problems with public utilities, either connection or existing services