Abstract
The study explored the current practice of preparing bill of quantities by Quantity Surveyors in southwest Nigeria with a view to determining their project cost control and communication effectiveness. A survey questionnaire was administered on the 85 frontline consulting firms of Quantity Surveyors (those with not less than 10 years practice experience) in Southwest Nigeria. The questionnaire elicited information on the formats of bill preparation, the codes of measurement used for preparing bills of quantities, the methods of billing engineering services in buildings and the factors influencing these billing practices. Using the 58 retrieved questionnaire, percentages were computed for the practices and factors. The study concluded that most quantity surveyors in Nigeria use archaic methods in preparing bills of quantities. The use of these billing practices was influenced more by availability and familiarity of practioners with them than by current global practice requirements. It is also concluded that the presentation of engineering services installations in bills of quantities is confused in Nigeria. The study therefore recommended that Quantity Surveyors in Nigeria should embrace current global practices in bill preparation as well as ensuring that engineering services are measured in details so as to enhance project cost control and planning.
Key Words: Bill, Communication, Practice, Preparation, Quantity surveyor
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