Which construction adviser do I need?
Choose support by the decision and deliverable you need. Quantity surveyors, claims consultants, delay analysts and solicitors can have complementary roles.
by Jack Butler-Kettle · About 3 min readShare
The answer
Choosing a construction adviser starts with a defined task: pricing work, managing an account, substantiating a claim, analysing programme effects or obtaining legal advice. Job titles alone do not establish a person’s competence or the scope of an appointment. Ask who will do the work, what they will produce and what is excluded.
Key differences
Scroll across to read all columns.
| Role | Typical focus to discuss | What to establish before appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity surveyor | Measurement, cost planning, procurement, valuations and commercial accounts | Relevant project experience, deliverables, information needed and any formal contract-administration duties |
| Claims consultant | The contractual and factual presentation of a claim or response, including valuation | Relevant claim experience, procedure, evidence review, legal-advice boundary and representation scope |
| Delay analyst | Programme logic, progress, event effects and the basis of time analysis | Programme expertise, suitable method, required records and the distinction between advisory and expert work |
| Construction solicitor | Legal rights, contract interpretation, dispute strategy and legal representation | Relevant specialism, procedural scope, team, costs and how technical evidence will be obtained |
Define the output before comparing providers
A request to help with a dispute could mean an initial review, an itemised valuation, a formal submission or litigation support. State the decision, deadline, available records and expected output. Ask each provider to identify dependencies on another discipline and who will coordinate them.
An expert appointment has its own duties and scope. Do not assume that a party’s commercial adviser has also been appointed as an independent expert.
Check the person and scope
Request examples of relevant experience that the provider can properly disclose, identify who will perform the work and check any claimed qualifications or firm status. RICS Find a Surveyor provides a starting point for surveying firms; Ciarb’s member directory lists participating members. A listing is not a comparison of your project’s specific needs.
Compare the written scope, exclusions, conflict checks, fee basis, timetable and document requirements. Quantsurv provides quantity surveying and claims consultancy; this comparison is our practical explanation, not an independent ranking of firms. The quantity-surveyor selection guide sets out an appointment process.
Our quantity surveying services show the particular commercial tasks Quantsurv offers, so readers can compare scope rather than relying on a job title.
Example
The facts
A fictional contractor has a disputed final account containing quantity differences, a delay claim and a threatened court action.
What happens
The contractor separates the measured valuation dispute from the programme issue and the legal procedure.
A QS or appropriately experienced claims consultant is scoped to reconcile the account; a delay specialist is considered for the programme analysis.
A construction solicitor is asked to advise on the threatened proceedings and legal strategy. The appointments identify how the factual, programme and valuation material will be coordinated.
What this shows
The required outputs determine the team and its boundaries. Appointing one person without checking scope would leave important tasks unallocated.
Sources
- Find a Surveyor: Quantity Surveying (checked 12 October 2026). RICS.
- Member directory (checked 12 October 2026). Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.