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Navigating Rising Building Costs: Strategies for UK Quantity Surveyors

May 09, 2025

Navigating Rising Building Costs: Strategies for UK Quantity Surveyors

As the UK construction industry prepares for a projected 12% increase in building costs by 2030, quantity surveyors are having a harder time helping contractors maintain profits and avoid unviable projects. Inflationary pressures, reduced availability of skilled workers, increased demand for environmentally-friendly construction techniques seasonally, and firm and uneven pricing policies for materials are driving this endless increase in costs. 

Given these barriers, the profession of quantity surveying has never been more important as it is now compulsory to be in precise control of budgets, organized scheduling of resources, timely booking and decisive action than ever before.

The impact of increases in costs of construction

Construction companies are facing:

  • Volatile material costs: Global supply chain issues and soaring energy costs have resulted in massive increases for steel, timber, concrete and actually any type of insulating materials. 
  • Reduced availability of workers: The spotlight placed on immigration policies in the UK following Brexit combined with a net decrease of potential skilled workers is pushing wages higher.
  • Increasing compliance obligations: The resources needed to manage eco-friendly compliance and permit processes, as well as safety, is an additional demotivating cost for construction companies.

Add it all up, and contractors are squeezing their profit margins and escalating the risk of signing long-term or fixed price contracts.

Key Strategies for Managing Increasing Costs

Quantity surveyors have the following strategies to remain competitive: 

  1. Early Cost Planning 

By engaging in cost planning as early as possible, surveyors can prepare a budget for the stakeholders, and provide it prior to too much design development. This enables stakeholders to consider relevant factors and make decisions aligned with their financial objectives. 

  1. Lock-In Material Price

Purchasing materials through forward purchasing or supplier contracts will help mitigate price increases. Discussing and developing relationships with suppliers will allow codes, or even unique codes for items with a brand, which can develop competitive pricing and dependable delivery dates, which have become harder to find.

  1. Use Value Engineering 

Value engineering typically involves looking at the cost of each element in a building and assessing whether value can be maintained by using a different method or material. Using this process early even as early estimates may be developed is valuable.

  1. Use Digital Tools 

Modern estimating software can help manage estimating with necessary confidence and accuracy. Modelling software, known as Building Information Modelling (BIM), can similarly help modellers enhance collaboration, reduce design errors, and assist in collaborating with clients. Digital tools aid stakeholders involved in predicting, estimating, exploring, and planning cost increases, before budgets are compromised.

  1. Monitor Market Trends

Relevant factors, including occurrences of inflation and the cost of commodities, can help keep measurement and reporting informed and capable of providing updates. There are multiple resources available in industry reports, supplier membership updates, and economic predictions about the future of inflation and commodity prices. 

Opportunities For Quantity 

Opportunities for Quantity Surveyors

As cost constraints become tighter, demand is increasing for qualified professionals who can effectively manage budgets and control financial risks. This has led to a surge in Quantity Surveyors jobs across the UK construction sector.

Those looking to develop their careers or explore new opportunities in this rapidly changing environment can find a wide range of Surveyor Jobs UK, where they can join businesses that prioritise the strategic management of construction costs and long-term project sustainability.

Conclusion 

Building cost is projected to increase significantly, which brings challenges for the industry but if quantity surveyors adopt effective measures and then take action we can help contractors plan to stay financially viable. Early planning, technology advances and early procurement practices can assist in promoting a more resilient and cost-effective construction industry.

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