PROFILE : My career-defining project.

Senior Quantity Surveyor David Rathepe share his story about a project that brought him a sense of accomplishment and filfilment.

During my career, the Isibonelo Bunker project stands out as a significant accomplishment. As the Site Quantity Surveyor, I was part of a team that successfully initiated a claim on a lump sum project. The client had changed the structure's position, and we proposed a cost-to-completion exercise to determine savings and additional costs. The final cost exceeded the original amount, resulting in a successful payment. However, it's crucial to note that our claim was solely based on the structure's repositioning.

The project highlighted the challenge of obtaining additional funds beyond the accepted offer due to the fixed-sum contract. Despite this, our negotiation skills enabled us to secure extra payment. The valuable lesson I learned aligns with the quote by Nelson Mandela, "It always seems impossible until it's done."

One regret I have is the lack of proper communication records between the contractor and client. Maintaining detailed notification records and site diaries could have resulted in a higher payment. However, our good working relationship with the client allowed us to overcome this challenge and secure payment for some of the completed items without proper documentation.

The most rewarding aspect of the project was the opportunity to contribute commercially to its success. Seeing the project function as designed and meeting expectations brought a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.


David Rathepe possesses a Bachelor of Technology degree in Quantity Surveying. He has over 25 years of professional experience as a Senior Construction Quantity Surveyor, specializing in Civil Engineering Projects.

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