A Quantity Surveyor is the person who tells you exactly how much your building project will cost — down to the materials, labor, and contracts — before construction even starts.

Think of it this way: an architect designs what the building will look like. An engineer makes sure it stands up safely. A Quantity Surveyor makes sure you know, with real numbers, what all of that will actually cost to build.

What a Quantity Surveyor actually does:

• Estimates material and labor costs before construction begins
• Manages the bidding process so you get fair, competitive contractor pricing
• Tracks spending throughout construction so the project doesn't go over budget
• Reviews contracts to protect you from hidden costs or unfair terms

Why this matters for you:

Construction projects without a Quantity Surveyor often run over budget — sometimes by a lot — because costs were estimated loosely or contractors weren't compared fairly. A Quantity Surveyor catches these problems before they become expensive surprises.

Do I need one for a small project?

Even smaller renovation or build projects benefit from accurate costing. The earlier you know your real numbers, the easier it is to plan financing and avoid mid-project budget shocks.

Need accurate project costs before you commit? FESMC's Quantity Survey service, delivered in partnership with DREMT Enterprises, gives you clear, competitive cost estimates and ongoing budget tracking.

BERDE stands for Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence. It's the Philippines' official green building rating system, run by the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC).

In simple terms: BERDE certification is an official "report card" that proves your building is energy-efficient, water-efficient, and built with the environment in mind — not just claims, but measured and verified.

Why building owners pursue BERDE certification:

• Lower long-term operating costs (less energy and water waste means lower bills)
• Higher property value and easier resale or lease, especially to environmentally-conscious tenants and investors
• Compliance with green building requirements increasingly required by local government units and certain developments
• A genuine marketing advantage — "BERDE-certified" is a credible, verifiable claim, not just marketing language

How does BERDE compare to LEED or other green certifications?

BERDE is built specifically around Philippine climate, materials, and construction practices, while LEED (used internationally, including in the US) and Green Mark (used in Singapore) are calibrated to their own regions. If your project is in the Philippines, BERDE is the most locally relevant and recognized standard.

Is BERDE only for new buildings?

No — BERDE has certification tracks for new construction, as well as for existing buildings being retrofitted or renovated for better performance.

Want your building to qualify for BERDE certification? FESMC's Green Building Design team is BERDE-certified and guides you through design, documentation, and the certification process from start to finish.

Adaptive reuse means taking an old, unused, or underperforming building and redesigning it for a new purpose — instead of demolishing it and starting from scratch.

A classic example: an old warehouse converted into a modern office space, or a vacant commercial building turned into a co-working hub. The structure stays; what happens inside it changes.

Why consider adaptive reuse instead of demolition and rebuild?

• Usually faster and less expensive than building entirely new
• Preserves the embodied value and character of the existing structure
• Often more sustainable — reusing a structure avoids the environmental cost of full demolition and new construction
• Can unlock value from a property that's otherwise sitting idle and earning nothing

When does adaptive reuse make sense — and when doesn't it?

Not every old building is a good candidate. The right call depends on the structure's condition, the local zoning rules, and whether the new intended use is realistic for the building's layout and systems. This is exactly the kind of assessment that needs a professional evaluation before committing either way.

What's involved in the process?

A proper adaptive reuse evaluation looks at structural condition, code compliance for the new intended use, and a cost comparison against building new — so you're deciding with real numbers, not guesswork.

Have a property that's sitting idle or underused? FESMC evaluates the technical and financial potential of adaptive reuse for any property type before recommending a path forward.

Controlled demolition is the safe, carefully planned process of tearing down a building — done step-by-step so the structure comes down exactly as intended, without unexpected collapse or damage to nearby property.

This is different from simply knocking a building down. Old or large structures can behave unpredictably once you start removing parts of them. A controlled demolition plan accounts for the building's structural history, materials, and surroundings before any work begins.

What goes into planning a controlled demolition:

• A structural analysis of the existing building to understand how it will behave during teardown
• A sequencing plan — the specific order pieces are removed, to avoid unplanned collapse
• Safety planning for the surrounding area, especially in dense urban locations
• A plan for waste and debris disposal that meets local environmental requirements

Why proper planning matters so much:

Most demolition site accidents happen because of under-planned teardown work — rushing the process or skipping the structural assessment. A properly planned controlled demolition dramatically reduces that risk, for the work crew and for the surrounding community.

Is this only for large buildings?

No — even smaller structures benefit from a planned approach, especially in urban areas like Metro Manila where buildings are often close together.

Planning to demolish an old structure? FESMC's Controlled Demolition Analysis service is grounded in careful structural assessment, so the work is planned safely from the start.

Project and construction management means having one team coordinate every moving part of your building project — the architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers, budget, and schedule — so nothing falls through the cracks.

Without it, a property owner is often left coordinating between multiple separate parties themselves — the designer, the contractor, the suppliers — and catching problems only after they've already become expensive.

What a project and construction manager actually handles:

• Coordinating between architects, engineers, and contractors so designs and execution stay aligned
• Keeping the project on schedule and flagging delays early, before they cascade
• Managing the budget against actual spending throughout construction
• Acting as the single point of contact and problem-solver when issues come up on site

Why this matters for project owners:

Construction projects rarely go exactly as planned. The value of a project manager isn't avoiding every problem — it's catching and solving them quickly, before they cost you extra time and money.

Ready to start a building project the right way? FESMC's Project & Construction Management service runs every job around cost, quality, safety, and schedule.