Vasilios Targakis Quantity Surveyors, For Effective Planning, Management & Control Of Clients' Building Construction Costs

Practice Profile

Vasilios Targakis Quantity Surveyors : Building Construction Cost Planning And Cost Management Consultantcy

Vasilios Targakis Quantity Surveyors is a firm of practicing registered professional Quantity Surveyors engaged in the effective planning, management & control of client's, building construction costs.

Introduction

The principal of the practice is Vasilios Targakis {BSc (QS) (UCT) RQS MAQS} - Registered Quantity Surveyor & Practicing Quantity Surveyor.

Member Registration No 1463 of The S.A. Council for Quantity Surveyors.
Member No 1980 of The Association of S.A. Quantity Surveyors.

A qualified and well experienced quantity surveyor, Vasilios Targakis has been involved in all aspects of quantity surveying practice since 1973 and has handled a wide variety of projects both small and large, up to an individual value of R155million at current rates.

With the experience gained, he established his own practice in March 1988 and has since undertaken numerous commissions.

Through personal involvement in all projects, Vasilios Targakis Quantity Surveyors are committed to providing a professional quantity surveying and construction cost management service that responds to a client's particular needs and financial interests.

The practice adopts a thorough and systematic approach towards commissions and assures an efficient and reliable service expediting the completion of commissions on schedule. All liaison with clients and consultants is maintained by the principal, who attends personally to every commission undertaken. Delegation of work to staff is kept to a minimum.

Supporting Systems

• Infrastructure on a par with that of leading medium-size practices.
• Computer serviced operations.
• Extensive library of up-to-date documentation and specifications on Computer.
• Research based information and analyses on all services.
• Computerised master bills of quantities and contractual documentation.
• All services available in English and Afrikaans.
• Comprehensive professional indemnity insurance cover.

The computerised library of contractual documentation, specifications and items of work comprising the master bills of quantities, enables the practice to prepare ordinary or provisional Bills of Quantities in minimum time for projects which require construction to be commenced with urgently to avoid escalation of costs.

For the individual who has not yet used the services of a quantity surveyor, the benefits of these services are:

• A significant reduction in construction costs leading to enhanced financial feasibility of building projects.
• Thorough tender documentation which ensures competitive tenders, contributes towards high quality building work, avoids disputes with contractors and promotes problem-free completion to scheduled dates.

With the streamlined operations at its disposal, the practice has the capacity and experience to undertake commissions for large projects and to complete assignments within the required time constraints.

The practice undertakes commissions at negotiated fees according to the nature and size of a project.

Range Of Projects Handled By The Practice

The following projects averaging a contract value of R21million each at current rates, were dealt with:

Office buildings, university buildings, banks, shopping centres, housing schemes, churches, homes for the aged, schools, apartment buildings, workshops, hospitals, auditoriums, community centres, creches, student housing, business schools, gymnasiums, childrens. homes, magistrates courts, petrol service stations, parking garage buildings, hotel and time share project, golf club houses, individual houses, alterations and renovations to existing buildings, and security measures to existing buildings.

Range Of Services

The following services normally provided by quantity surveyors are also provided by this practice, either as part of a normal general commission or as separate partial services :

• Financial feasibility studies to enable clients to decide whether and in what form to proceed with projects.
• Special cost planning, cost analysis and cost monitoring services. Initial budget at feasibility stage prior to detailed design. Preliminary cost studies, comparing alternative materials and designs in terms of capital, operating,maintenance and depreciation costs.
• Evaluating designs as they evolve to ensure compatibility with budget.
• Preparing bills of quantities or other tender documents for pricing by contractors.
• Preparing final estimate based on bills of quantities.
• Investigating, checking and reporting on the suitability of tenders submitted.
• Examining and verifying the pricing of bills of quantities.
• Preparing schedules of anticipated interim payments.
• Attending progress meetings on site at intervals to suit the nature and size of the project.
• Preparing valuations for the issue of payment certificates.
• Tender documentation for sub-contract work.
• Evaluating fluctuations in costs under contract price adjustment provisions.
• Estimating the value of variations, maintaining a running financial statement and monitoring against cost plan.
• Measuring, pricing and agreeing all variations including all provisional items of work executed for incorporation into the final account.
• Compiling the final account, negotiating and finalising it with the contractor, including fluctuations in costs.
• Preparing and presenting the final account to the client.

The following special services are also provided :
Valuations of existing buildings for the assessing of fire insurance, rental return, taxation, etc. Measurement of:

• Lettable areas.
• Assignable areas for various types of facilities.
• Areas for SAPSE, SAH and other cost norms.

Preparing schedules of materials for which bills of quantities have not been prepared.

Evaluation and administering of costs of tenant requirements.

Project management. Acting as the client's primary agent.