NEW ZEALAND QUANTITY SURVEYING EXAM – QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS PLUS
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1. Which standard form of construction contract is most commonly utilized in New
Zealand for major civil engineering and building works involving a consultant designer?
A. NZS 3910:2013
B. NZS 3916:2013
C. NZS 3902:2004
D. NZS 3604:2011
NZS 3910:2013 is the standard New Zealand condition of contract for building and civil
engineering construction where the design is provided by the principal. NZS 3916 is for design
and build, making NZS 3910 the correct baseline for traditional consultant-designed delivery.
2. A contractor submits a variation claim for unforeseen ground conditions during
excavation on a commercial site in Auckland. Under NZS 3910:2013, what is the primary
prerequisite for the contractor to successfully recover costs for this variation?
A. Verbal agreement from the site supervisor before work proceeds
B. Immediate stoppage of all site operations until the principal inspects the strata
C. Written notice given to the engineer prior to proceeding with the varied work, where
practicable
D. Retrospective inclusion of the costs within the next monthly payment claim without prior notice
NZS 3910 emphasizes contractual procedure requiring timely written notice of variations to
allow the engineer to monitor and evaluate costs, preventing surprise claims after work
completion.
3. When preparing a elemental cost plan for a multi-story office building in Wellington, a
quantity surveyor applies the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS)
elemental cost analysis standard. Which component is strictly classified under Elemental
Group 1 (Substructure)?
A. Ground floor suspended concrete slab forming part of a basement ceiling
B. Foundation excavation and pile caps
C. External retaining walls built as part of the superstructure facade
D. Columns supporting the first-floor deck
_ Elemental Group 1 covers substructure works, specifically foundations, earthwork related
directly to foundation placement, and basement excavation below the lowest floor level.
Ground floor slabs and columns belong to upper groups._
,4. Under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA), what is the statutory timeframe for a
principal or payer to respond to a valid payment claim by issuing a payment schedule,
assuming no specific contractual schedule is agreed that overrides the default provisions?
A. 5 working days
B. 10 working days
C. 20 working days
D. 15 working days
The Construction Contracts Act 2002 sets a default maximum of 20 working days for payment
release, but a payment schedule must be provided within a reasonable time, typically
constrained to 10 working days under standard amendments to avoid adjudication penalties.
5. A quantity surveyor is measuring structural steel for a commercial warehouse.
According to standard New Zealand measurement rules (NZS 1222 or accepted NZIQS
practice), how are connection plates, bolts, and welds typically treated within the bill of
quantities item description?
A. Measured separately as individual items for every single bolt and weld
B. Deemed to be included in the tonnage rate of the structural steel members unless specifically
requested otherwise
C. Excluded entirely from the contract and claimed as dayworks
D. Calculated as a fixed 25% surcharge applied to the total linear meterage
Standard measurement practice dictates that standard cleats, connection plates, bolts, and
shop welds are deemed included in the weight rate of structural steel sections to simplify
pricing.
6. During the construction of a retail complex, the client requests a variation that involves
substituting specified imported marble tiles with a locally sourced porcelain tile. What
pricing hierarchy should the quantity surveyor apply first under NZS 3910?
A. Daywork rates based on contractor labor and plant returns
B. Valued at scheduled rates in the contract if the work is of a similar character and executed
under similar conditions
C. Direct cost plus a blanket 30% margin for head office overhead and profit
D. Market rate determined by an independent arbitrator
Contract pricing rules prioritize existing schedule rates for similar work executed under
comparable conditions before resorting to dayworks or entirely new rate negotiations.
7. Which of the following indices is published by Statistics New Zealand and is most
commonly used by quantity surveyors to calculate rise-and-fall (fluctuations) adjustments
on long-duration civil construction contracts?
A. Consumers Price Index (CPI)
B. Capital Goods Price Index (CGPI)
C. Producers Price Index (PPI) - Inputs to the Construction Industry
, D. Average Hourly Earnings Index
The PPI inputs for the construction industry directly reflect changes in the cost of
construction materials, labor, and equipment, making it the accurate benchmark for
contractual cost fluctuation formulas.
8. Under the Construction Contracts Act 2002, what powerful legal remedy does an unpaid
contractor or subcontractor have if a scheduled amount is not paid by the due date and no
payment schedule was issued?
A. Immediate forfeiture of the principal's land title via local council decree
B. Suspension of work after giving the required minimum written notice
C. Confiscation of all equipment belonging to the principal's subcontractors
D. Mandatory imprisonment of the company directors for breach of contract
The CCA 2002 grants unpaid parties the statutory right to suspend work and/or supply of
goods and services after providing proper written notice, serving as a powerful enforcement
tool for cash flow.
9. When calculating the net floor area (NFA) of a commercial office building for lease-
space analysis according to property industry standards in New Zealand, how are external
perimeter walls measured?
A. To the exterior face of the building enclosure
B. To the internal finished surface of the dominant portion of the exterior wall
C. Measured from the centerline of all external walls regardless of glazing
D. Excluded entirely along with all structural columns
Standard commercial property measurement rules in New Zealand (following Property
Council guidelines) measure net lettable or usable floor area to the internal finished surface
of the perimeter walls.
10. A principal wishes to engage a contractor under a Target Cost Contract arrangement.
What is the primary operational characteristic of this contracting model?
A. The contractor carries 100% of the cost overrun risk while keeping all savings
B. Actual reasonable costs are reimbursed, and any variance (savings or overruns) between actual
cost and the target cost is shared between principal and contractor based on an agreed formula
C. The price is completely fixed with zero adjustments allowed for ground conditions
D. The contractor is paid strictly on an hourly labor rate plus material receipts with no upper cap
Target cost contracts align the incentives of both parties by reimbursing actual verified costs
and sharing the financial pain or gain relative to an agreed target sum.
11. A quantity surveyor is measuring concrete quantities for a ribbed flooring system. The
ribs measure 150mm wide and 300mm deep, spanning between precast beams. How should
the volume of concrete be billed in a traditional bill of quantities?
ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS PLUS
RATIONALES | GUARANTEED PASS | LATEST EXAM UPDATE | EXAM
PREP | STUDY GUIDE | PRACTICE TEST | DOWNLOAD INSTANT PDF
1. Which standard form of construction contract is most commonly utilized in New
Zealand for major civil engineering and building works involving a consultant designer?
A. NZS 3910:2013
B. NZS 3916:2013
C. NZS 3902:2004
D. NZS 3604:2011
NZS 3910:2013 is the standard New Zealand condition of contract for building and civil
engineering construction where the design is provided by the principal. NZS 3916 is for design
and build, making NZS 3910 the correct baseline for traditional consultant-designed delivery.
2. A contractor submits a variation claim for unforeseen ground conditions during
excavation on a commercial site in Auckland. Under NZS 3910:2013, what is the primary
prerequisite for the contractor to successfully recover costs for this variation?
A. Verbal agreement from the site supervisor before work proceeds
B. Immediate stoppage of all site operations until the principal inspects the strata
C. Written notice given to the engineer prior to proceeding with the varied work, where
practicable
D. Retrospective inclusion of the costs within the next monthly payment claim without prior notice
NZS 3910 emphasizes contractual procedure requiring timely written notice of variations to
allow the engineer to monitor and evaluate costs, preventing surprise claims after work
completion.
3. When preparing a elemental cost plan for a multi-story office building in Wellington, a
quantity surveyor applies the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS)
elemental cost analysis standard. Which component is strictly classified under Elemental
Group 1 (Substructure)?
A. Ground floor suspended concrete slab forming part of a basement ceiling
B. Foundation excavation and pile caps
C. External retaining walls built as part of the superstructure facade
D. Columns supporting the first-floor deck
_ Elemental Group 1 covers substructure works, specifically foundations, earthwork related
directly to foundation placement, and basement excavation below the lowest floor level.
Ground floor slabs and columns belong to upper groups._
,4. Under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA), what is the statutory timeframe for a
principal or payer to respond to a valid payment claim by issuing a payment schedule,
assuming no specific contractual schedule is agreed that overrides the default provisions?
A. 5 working days
B. 10 working days
C. 20 working days
D. 15 working days
The Construction Contracts Act 2002 sets a default maximum of 20 working days for payment
release, but a payment schedule must be provided within a reasonable time, typically
constrained to 10 working days under standard amendments to avoid adjudication penalties.
5. A quantity surveyor is measuring structural steel for a commercial warehouse.
According to standard New Zealand measurement rules (NZS 1222 or accepted NZIQS
practice), how are connection plates, bolts, and welds typically treated within the bill of
quantities item description?
A. Measured separately as individual items for every single bolt and weld
B. Deemed to be included in the tonnage rate of the structural steel members unless specifically
requested otherwise
C. Excluded entirely from the contract and claimed as dayworks
D. Calculated as a fixed 25% surcharge applied to the total linear meterage
Standard measurement practice dictates that standard cleats, connection plates, bolts, and
shop welds are deemed included in the weight rate of structural steel sections to simplify
pricing.
6. During the construction of a retail complex, the client requests a variation that involves
substituting specified imported marble tiles with a locally sourced porcelain tile. What
pricing hierarchy should the quantity surveyor apply first under NZS 3910?
A. Daywork rates based on contractor labor and plant returns
B. Valued at scheduled rates in the contract if the work is of a similar character and executed
under similar conditions
C. Direct cost plus a blanket 30% margin for head office overhead and profit
D. Market rate determined by an independent arbitrator
Contract pricing rules prioritize existing schedule rates for similar work executed under
comparable conditions before resorting to dayworks or entirely new rate negotiations.
7. Which of the following indices is published by Statistics New Zealand and is most
commonly used by quantity surveyors to calculate rise-and-fall (fluctuations) adjustments
on long-duration civil construction contracts?
A. Consumers Price Index (CPI)
B. Capital Goods Price Index (CGPI)
C. Producers Price Index (PPI) - Inputs to the Construction Industry
, D. Average Hourly Earnings Index
The PPI inputs for the construction industry directly reflect changes in the cost of
construction materials, labor, and equipment, making it the accurate benchmark for
contractual cost fluctuation formulas.
8. Under the Construction Contracts Act 2002, what powerful legal remedy does an unpaid
contractor or subcontractor have if a scheduled amount is not paid by the due date and no
payment schedule was issued?
A. Immediate forfeiture of the principal's land title via local council decree
B. Suspension of work after giving the required minimum written notice
C. Confiscation of all equipment belonging to the principal's subcontractors
D. Mandatory imprisonment of the company directors for breach of contract
The CCA 2002 grants unpaid parties the statutory right to suspend work and/or supply of
goods and services after providing proper written notice, serving as a powerful enforcement
tool for cash flow.
9. When calculating the net floor area (NFA) of a commercial office building for lease-
space analysis according to property industry standards in New Zealand, how are external
perimeter walls measured?
A. To the exterior face of the building enclosure
B. To the internal finished surface of the dominant portion of the exterior wall
C. Measured from the centerline of all external walls regardless of glazing
D. Excluded entirely along with all structural columns
Standard commercial property measurement rules in New Zealand (following Property
Council guidelines) measure net lettable or usable floor area to the internal finished surface
of the perimeter walls.
10. A principal wishes to engage a contractor under a Target Cost Contract arrangement.
What is the primary operational characteristic of this contracting model?
A. The contractor carries 100% of the cost overrun risk while keeping all savings
B. Actual reasonable costs are reimbursed, and any variance (savings or overruns) between actual
cost and the target cost is shared between principal and contractor based on an agreed formula
C. The price is completely fixed with zero adjustments allowed for ground conditions
D. The contractor is paid strictly on an hourly labor rate plus material receipts with no upper cap
Target cost contracts align the incentives of both parties by reimbursing actual verified costs
and sharing the financial pain or gain relative to an agreed target sum.
11. A quantity surveyor is measuring concrete quantities for a ribbed flooring system. The
ribs measure 150mm wide and 300mm deep, spanning between precast beams. How should
the volume of concrete be billed in a traditional bill of quantities?
