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A quantity surveyor reviewing a JCT variation instruction and priced contract bills on site

How to Price Variations in JCT Contracts

Getting variations JCT contract valuations right means knowing the clause 5.6-5.10 hierarchy in order: contract rates, pro-rata rates, fair rates, then daywork. This guide walks through each tier with a worked example and the records needed to defend it.

Date17 Aug 2026CategoryContracts & Law
A design team reviewing construction drawings during a value engineering workshop

Value Engineering in Construction: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Value engineering construction gets confused with cost cutting more often than any other commercial practice term. This guide explains function analysis, the VE job plan, when in the RIBA stages VE should happen, who runs it, and what goes wrong when it's done badly.

Date17 Aug 2026CategorySkills & Practice
A construction project manager reviewing site plans and a project programme on a UK building site

What Does a Project Manager Do in Construction?

Ever wondered what a construction project manager actually does? This guide breaks down their core responsibilities, typical day, salary and qualifications — and explains exactly how the role differs from a quantity surveyor.

Date16 Aug 2026CategoryCareer Development
Quantity surveyor reviewing an elemental cost analysis and construction drawings in a UK project office

Elemental Cost Analysis in Construction: A Complete Guide

Elemental cost analysis helps quantity surveyors break a construction budget into meaningful building elements so clients and design teams can see where money is being spent and where costs are moving.

Date15 Aug 2026CategorySkills & Practice
A quantity surveyor reviewing cost and valuation figures on a laptop and printed reports at a site office desk

How to Prepare a CVR: Step-by-Step Guide for Quantity Surveyors

Learn exactly how to prepare a CVR construction report: gather the right data, reconcile value against cost, calculate a defensible cost-to-complete, and turn the numbers into a report commercial management can act on.

Date14 Aug 2026CategorySkills & Practice

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