Quantity surveyors in Bali

A quantity surveyor (QS) works on the cost side of a build. Indonesia’s national competency standard for the job (SKKNI, Kepmenakertrans KEP.06/MEN/I/2011) lists the core tasks:

• cost studies and alternatives, and cost plans from schematic and developed design drawings;
• the owner’s estimate (rencana anggaran final);
• a bill of quantities (BQ) measured to a standard method of measurement;
• tender and contract documents;
• interim valuations of work in progress;
• valuing variations (pekerjaan tambah-kurang);
• regular cost reports, and the final account.

The same standard lists specialist work such as development appraisal, technical due diligence on cost, and acting as an expert witness.

For a private owner, the useful part is independence: a QS engaged by you checks the builder’s prices and claims before you pay. See what a quantity surveyor checks and how to hire a builder in Bali.

• Which of the tasks above are included, and at which stages: before design is fixed, at tender, during construction, at the final account.
• The drawings and specification the estimate or BQ will be based on.
• How often site valuations are made, and what the report to you contains.
• Whether the QS is engaged by you or by the builder. Ask them to say so in writing.
• How the estimate is built up. The Ministry of Public Works’ guideline for public works builds a cost estimate from labour, materials and equipment, plus the cost of the construction safety management system (Permen PUPR 8/2023 Article 1); privately funded work may use the same guideline (Article 2(2)).
• The fee basis (fixed, per visit, or a percentage) and what counts as extra work.

• SKK certificate of the named surveyor. Construction workers must hold a work competence certificate (UU 2/2017 Article 70(1)). The Ministry of Public Works lists the quantity surveyor job title at three levels, Ahli Muda, Ahli Madya and Ahli Utama (levels 7, 8 and 9), under the construction cost estimation subclassification, with the 2011 SKKNI as its reference (Director General decision 33/KPTS/Dk/2023). Check the certificate in the LPJK worker search (lpjk.pu.go.id).
• The firm’s registration. Construction consultancy is one of the three kinds of construction services business, alongside construction work and integrated construction (UU 2/2017 Article 12). Ask whether the firm holds an SBU and look it up in the LPJK business search (lpjk.pu.go.id).

• The surveyor is paid by the builder but presented to you as independent.
• Valuations that repeat the builder’s claim without a site measurement.
• A cost plan with one lump sum and no quantities or unit rates behind it.
• No named person with a certificate you can check.

We have no published sample of QS timings in Bali yet. Agree in writing how many working days the QS has to return a valuation after each payment claim, so payments are not held up.