Quantity surveying for clients building in Nigeria from abroad
Independent measurement, dated site evidence and a written payment recommendation, for clients whose project is in Nigeria and whose life is not.
The problem is not distance. It is the absence of measurement.
You are in London, Houston, Toronto or Dubai. Somebody in Nigeria is building your house. Money leaves your account every month and photographs arrive showing blocks going up. What you do not have, and cannot easily get, is an answer to three questions: is the work done worth what I am being asked for, is it being built properly, and will it be finished for the money I have?
Those three questions are arithmetic, not trust. Work done can be measured. Quantities can be checked against your drawings. Materials on site can be counted. Payments can be certified against measured progress. None of it requires you to be in the country, and none of it requires the contractor's permission.
That is what we provide: an independent quantity surveyor in Nigeria, working for you, producing a written report before each payment rather than an explanation after it.
Choose your country
United Kingdom
For clients across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK clientsUnited States
For clients in Houston, Atlanta, Maryland, New York the DMV and beyond.
US clientsCanada
For clients in Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Canada clientsUnited Arab Emirates
For clients in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Gulf.
UAE clientsWhat the engagement looks like
A short brief
What is being built, where, at what stage, who is on site, and what you have paid so far.
Two documents before site work begins
A BOQ or cost plan establishing what the building should cost, and a written scope of monitoring if the project is ongoing.
Visits at stages that cannot be checked later
Reinforcement before concrete, services before plastering, roof structure before covering, plus regular progress visits.
A report before every payment
Dated evidence, measured progress, comparison with the claim, and a recommendation.
A final account review
The closing statement checked against the contract, the BOQ and every approved variation before you release the balance.
What we will not do
This matters more than what we will do, because the value of the service depends on these limits.
We will not hold your money
No payments, no procurement, no acting as your agent. Money stays with you or your nominated account holder, which is the source of your leverage.
We will not recommend a contractor for a fee
No commission, no referral payments, no hidden interest in who builds your project.
We will not act for both sides
If a contractor approaches us on the same project, we will tell you and decline.
We will not flatter the report
If measured work is worth half the claim, the report says so. An independent surveyor who always agrees is not independent.
Diaspora client questions
Can I engage you without ever visiting Nigeria?
Yes, and most diaspora clients do. Drawings, payments and site access are arranged with whoever is on the ground. Our engagement is with you, and the report comes to you.
How do I pay a Nigerian quantity surveyor from abroad?
Bank transfer to a Nigerian account is the usual method and is straightforward from most countries. You will receive a written fee proposal and an invoice before any work starts.
What if you find a serious problem?
You will be told in the report, in plain language, on the day it is identified if it is urgent. We do not wait for a monthly cycle to report something that is being covered up this week.
Can you recommend a contractor, architect or lawyer?
We do not take commission or referral fees from anyone, which is what allows us to be independent. We can tell you what to look for when appointing those professionals, and we will say plainly that we are not making the choice for you.
Do you work in the currency I am paid in?
Fees are quoted in naira for work in Nigeria. Where you prefer to pay in another currency, ask and we will discuss the practical arrangement before work begins, so that exchange rate movement does not become an argument.
Start before the next payment
Send the drawings, the stage of work and the last claim you received. We will tell you what can be established and what it costs.
We read everything sent to info@peterch.org. Replies go out by WhatsApp — include a working number, with country code, in your first message.