Every Client wants to know that he is getting value for money. Value for money; not only in respect of the capital cost, but also in respect of running and maintenance costs. This is, appreciated by the Quantity Surveyor and he had evolved a technique known as "cost planning" which enables his cost advice to be used objectively during the design process on every aspect of the structure.

Cost planning involved a systematic analysis of the structure, which enables the price for each constituent to be valued against its performance requirements and aesthetic considerations. It works like this; the preliminary estimate is analyzed, allocating costs to various functional parts of the structure. Alternative designs can then be prepared by the Architect or Engineer and these in turn are costed.

The Client is then offered a number of alternatives to his building requirements, each with its financial and design implications clearly known at the outset. For example, the cost of a particular type of demountable partition giving flexibility of space and low maintenance costs, can be compared with a different variety offering no flexibility but a lower capital cost. decisions on the various alternatives are made with the total budget and cost in mind and, when made, establish the cost plan. The Architect or Engineer then prepares his detail drawing and these are passed to the Quantity Surveyors who will prepare the tendering documents, and keep a constant check on how the completed details compare with the cost plan.