Managing construction costs

IVY VUGUZA MUGODO, 25, is an assistant quantity surveyor at M&M Construction Consultants. She told MATILDA NZIOKI what a career in this field entails

What does your job entail?

It entails giving advice on the cost aspects of the construction. This starts from the inception of such a project to its completion.

What is the importance of a quantity surveyor in a construction project?

Cost management in terms of advice, planning and control.

Are you always at the construction site or do you also work from the office?

It is a mix of both. In the first stages of a construction project, most of the work is done in the office, with a few visits to site to establish existing conditions that may influence costs in the preparations of initial estimates and tender documents. After a contractor has been appointed, managing the work on site requires regular scheduled site meetings and inspections to assess the progress of the work, and to do valuations to advise the client on the interim payments up to when the final account is settled at the conclusion of the project.

Construction work is usually considered a man’s job. How do you find it?

It’s been thought to be so in the past, but times have changed. There’s nothing too complicated about it. As long as everyone is given equal opportunities to get an education in any course, women can do the job equally as well as men.

It can be a little dusty at the construction sites or muddy if it rains, but we carry appropriate clothing like gumboots and coveralls.

How would you describe your experience in the industry?

It is exciting to witness the transformation of a project from start on a ground where there was nothing, to a complete development. Other than that, it’s a great learning experience on the job because the industry is made up of many professionals such as architects, engineers (civil or structural and services), interior designers and property managers to name but a few. We also interact with other stakeholders such as developers, financiers and contractors. Interacting with all these professionals at some point during any one project definitely adds to my wealth of knowledge and skills. It is also one of the right places to invest, as the returns are handsome.

What do you love most about your job?

Being able to manage a construction project well such that no major disputes arise, all the way to the conclusion is rewarding. Being a lady in a ‘male-dominated’ industry is also sort of impressive.

What is your most memorable moment in your line of duty?

I get to meet very important people and travel a lot.

How about the challenges of your job?

It’s a technical profession that involves lots of work. Also, having to beat deadlines sometimes means working till very late. Travelling to some sites can also be challenging, especially to marginal areas.

How does a typical day play out for you?

It’s an eight-to-five job. Some days are spent in the office while others are spent on site, which could be situated anywhere in the country, so travelling is something we are always prepared to do.

What is your long-term vision?

To have my own practice in the future.

Did you know about this career before you were admitted to pursue it at the university?

I had heard about it but was not really interested. In high school, there is a mentality that courses like medicine were the most prestigious. I blame that on lack of information. When I didn’t make the cut to do what I initially wanted to do, my friend Justine and I settled for a Bachelor of Quantity Surveying at the University of Nairobi. We were impressed by a professional who had done it and seemed to be doing very well.

What did you want to become growing up?

I wanted to become a medical doctor, but the cut-off point for admission on the regular programme was quite high.

Would you advise girls to follow in your footsteps?

Definitely yes. If it’s something they would be interested in pursuing, they should go for it. This is one of those careers that everybody gets taken into employment almost immediately after finishing studies, sometimes even before you graduate.

What kind of curriculum should anyone interested in this career path expect in college?

Mainly mathematics (not necessarily the one considered hard), theory of structures (roughly to do with things constructed or built), geography, technical drawing (not fine art), some law (to handle contracts) and also computers, especially to appreciate computer-aided design (CAD).