The future of quantity surveying for contractors
Watch the episode on YouTube right here!
Let’s face it: quantity surveying isn’t exactly known for rapid reinvention. But times have changed, and so must the profession.
In our latest episode of Inventing Construction, we sat down with Tom Haley, founder and director of Quantik, to discuss the future of quantity surveying from the contractor’s perspective. From navigating technology to challenging old workflows, Tom brings a refreshingly honest and practical take on how QSs can avoid becoming obsolete.
Spoiler: If you’re still copy-pasting your way through spreadsheets, it’s time to wake up.
In this blog, we break down:
- The QS role is changing – whether we like it or not
- Tech won’t save you. Smart use of tech might
- So what does the future look like?
The QS role is changing – whether we like it or not
The modern quantity surveyor faces a simple question: where do you add value? According to Tom, too many quantity surveyors are stuck in a cycle of repetitive data handling and administrative overhead. “Nobody wakes up every day excited to move data from one spreadsheet to another,” he says. Yet, that’s how many QSs spend large portions of their week.
What’s driving the change? Two things: productivity pressure and technology.
Contractors are under increasing pressure to do more with less. With margins tighter than ever and a shortage of skilled professionals, every wasted hour counts. And while digital tools have promised to free up time, in many cases they’ve just introduced a new type of inefficiency: poor integration, scattered systems, and unclear data ownership.
“We are data rich, but information poor.”
The result? Mountains of systems but zero insight.
Tech won’t save you. Smart use of tech might
It’s easy to assume that digital tools will naturally lead to better outcomes. But as Tom points out, technology only works when it’s implemented with purpose. Too many systems are rolled out in silos with no strategy for how they integrate or how the data flows between them.
“Software won’t solve your problems unless you know what they are.”
The real challenge? Understanding the questions you need your data to answer.
Tom uses the example of monthly project reviews, where teams spend days filling out 50-page reports – but still can’t answer the basic question: What’s stopping this project from progressing? Instead of insights, they’re left with paperwork.
Contractors have a unique position to drive change. Unlike clients, who are often removed from day-to-day operations, contractors live and breathe the inefficiencies. They see the broken workflows. And they have a lot to gain from improving them.
But change takes guts.
Tom admits that many contractors only come to Quantik when they’re already in trouble – under pressure, facing claims, or battling with program slippage. It often takes a bad experience to force real change.
However, he’s also seeing signs of hope. Forward-thinking businesses are starting to ask the right questions at the front end of a project. They want systems in place that prevent chaos, not just clean it up afterward.
So what does the future look like?
Tom isn’t betting on overnight transformation. But he is betting on consistency, leadership, and a new generation of QSs who understand their value beyond the spreadsheet.
He envisions a team that doesn’t need to be told to improve – they’re already doing it. A business where technical excellence and tech fluency are the standard, not the exception. And an industry where the QS role has been redefined not by disruption, but by design.
It might be tempting to think your QS skills are future-proof. But if you’re still spending half your day on admin, you’re not just wasting time. You’re risking relevance.
That’s the challenge, and the opportunity.