Average hourly rates fell by 10-17% over last year according to fees survey

Quantity surveyors have seen their fees fall further in the past year than any other type of construction consultant, new figures show.

The annual survey from The Fees Bureau, out today, show that the average hourly rate for a sole principal in a quantity surveying firm fell by 17% between 2008 and 2009 and by 10% for an associate.

This compared poorly with architects, who saw a 4% drop in hourly pay for associates and no change for sole principal. Consulting civil and structural engineers saw no change in the two categories, the bureau said.

Average fees charged for new work also showed a downward trend for all three consultant groups over the past year, though QSs were once again the worst affected.

The QS fees index fell by six points in the past 12 months, compared to a four point drop for both architects and consulting engineers.

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