The flip side of unreasonable cost-cutting on engineering surveys

Abstract: This paper by our special correspondents, who are also employees of a major development company, addresses a long-standing problem: attempts to save money on engineering surveys and the lack of proper quality control by investors inevitably lead to significant project cost increases. Based on the analysis of case studies from various regions, the authors demonstrate that a reasonable increase in survey costs can pay off many times over through accurate work volume estimation and the prevention of potential risks. The key to quality is not a high price by itself, but a well-prepared technical assignment, the selection of reliable contractors, and strict quality control of survey results, the main criteria for which are their validity, required level of detail, and alignment with project needs.

Key words: site investigation; engineering survey, engineering-geological survey; contractor; expenses; cost; price; quality