Project Intelligence SA  ·  Q2 2026
Independent Industry Research Initiative

SA Construction
Industry Survey

Design Decisions, Project Pressures & Delivery Outlook 2026

9
Sections
27
Questions
6–8
Minutes
Free
Report
Architects Quantity Surveyors Consulting Engineers Property Developers Project Managers

Most people complete this in 6 minutes  ·  All responses are strictly confidential — aggregate data only will be published

Section 1 1 / 9
Section 1 of 9

Respondent Profile

Quick details about you — helps us cross-tabulate findings by discipline, region and firm size.

Q1Which best describes your discipline?
Architect
Quantity Surveyor
Engineer — Civil
Engineer — Structural
Engineer — Services / Mechanical / Electrical
Property Developer / Investor
Project Manager
Please select your discipline
Q2Your primary role
Principal / Partner / Director
Senior Professional
Professional
Technologist / Technician / Associate
Other
Please select your role
Q3Organisation size
1–5 staff
6–20 staff
21–50 staff
50+ staff
Please select organisation size
Q4Region you primarily work in
Western Cape
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Eastern Cape
National / Multiple regions
Rest of Africa
International
Please select your region
Q5Primary project sectors
Tick up to 3
Residential
Commercial / Office
Hospitality
Retail
Mixed-use
Education / Healthcare
Industrial / Logistics
Public / Infrastructure
Please select at least one sector
Section 2 of 9

Pipeline & Market Outlook

How you see current and near-term activity. These questions feed the PI SA Pipeline Confidence Index.

Q6Compared to 12 months ago, your project pipeline is:
Much stronger
Slightly stronger
About the same
Slightly weaker
Much weaker
Please select an option
Q7Looking ahead 12 months, you expect activity to:
Increase significantly
Increase slightly
Stay stable
Decline slightly
Decline significantly
Please select an option
Q8Biggest current risk to projects proceeding?
Choose up to 2
Funding / finance availability
Rising construction costs
Client confidence / hesitancy
Planning / approval delays
Contractor pricing volatility
Programme overruns
Fee pressure on consultants
Political / regulatory uncertainty
Please select at least one option
Q9Quality of client briefs you typically receive:
Consistently clear and well-defined
Usually adequate but often incomplete
Frequently unclear — significant clarification required
Rarely adequate — brief evolves substantially during design
Please select an option
Section 3 of 9

Where Pressure
Is Happening

Rate the level of pressure you are currently experiencing in each area.

Q10Rate current pressure on each area:
Area
Low
Medium
High
Please rate all areas
Section 4 of 9

Design Stage &
Specification

Core section — questions vary by discipline. Only those relevant to you are shown.

Q11At what stage are most product / system decisions effectively locked in?
Concept design
Developed design
Technical / detailed design
Tender stage
During construction
Please select an option
Architects & Engineers
Q12What most influences product / system selection? Select top 3
Influence factor
Rank 1–3
Please rank at least your top choice
Quantity Surveyors
Q12At what stage do you typically first engage on cost planning?
Concept / inception stage
Schematic / developed design
Technical design
Pre-tender
Post-tender only
Please select an option
Quantity Surveyors
Q13How often does the initial concept cost estimate prove accurate at tender?
Almost always within 10%
Usually within 10–20%
Frequently 20–30% out
Regularly more than 30% out
Please select an option
Quantity Surveyors
Q14What most influences your recommended product / specification decisions? Select top 3
Factor
Rank 1–3
Please rank your top choices
Developers & Project Managers
Q12At what stage do you typically appoint your professional team?
Before concept design
At concept stage
Once funding is confirmed
At developed design stage
Please select an option
Developers & Project Managers
Q13What most influences your contractor selection decisions? Select top 3
Factor
Rank 1–3
Please rank your top choices
Section 5 of 9

Fee Pressure &
Scope Creep

For Quantity Surveyors and Consulting Engineers. If this does not apply to you, click Next to continue.

QS & Engineers
Q14How frequently does project scope expand without fee adjustment?
Very frequently — almost every project
Often — more than half of projects
Occasionally
Rarely
QS & Engineers
Q15Most common cause of uncompensated scope expansion?
Choose up to 2
Client changes post-appointment
Design development beyond brief
Coordination issues requiring rework
Incomplete or changing brief at appointment
Value engineering iterations
Contractor queries and RFIs
QS & Engineers
Q16Are you typically able to recover fees for scope additions?
Yes — routinely
Sometimes — depends on client
Rarely
Almost never
Section 6 of 9

Procurement
Strategy

For Property Developers and Project Managers. If this does not apply, click Next.

Developers & Project Managers
Q17Which procurement route do you most commonly use?
Traditional (design then tender)
Design-and-build
Construction management
Negotiated contract with preferred contractor
EPC / Turnkey
Developers & Project Managers
Q18Where do projects most commonly run into trouble during procurement?
Choose up to 2
Tender prices exceeding budget
Too few competitive tenderers
Contractor capacity constraints
Incomplete documentation at tender
Subcontractor pricing volatility
Programme not achievable at tender sum
Developers & Project Managers
Q19How often do you engage a QS or cost manager from concept stage?
Always
Usually
Sometimes — depends on project scale
Rarely — typically only at tender stage
Section 7 of 9

Information Flow
Into Design

How you find and receive product and technical information. Applies to all disciplines.

Q20Where do you most often get product / supplier information?
Select top 3
Supplier representatives
Technical documentation / product specs
BIM libraries
Peer recommendations
Contractor input
Online research
CPD / industry presentations
Previous project experience
Please select at least one option
Q21At what stage do product suppliers typically engage with your team?
Concept stage
Developed / schematic design
Technical design
Tender stage
Mostly only after tender
Please select an option
Q22Earlier supplier engagement in the design process would:
Improve design certainty significantly
Improve it slightly
Make no meaningful difference
Sometimes complicate or bias decisions
Please select an option
Q22bWhich of these would most improve your design or project process?
Select your top 2
Better technical specifications from suppliers
Early design support from manufacturers
Cost certainty data at design stage
Case studies from comparable local projects
BIM-ready system and product information
Independent performance testing / certification data
Section 8 of 9

Delivery
Reality

How projects are actually performing on site. Applies to all disciplines.

Q23How often do your projects experience significant budget pressure after design completion?
Almost all projects
Most projects
About half
Few projects
Almost none
Please select an option
Q24Where do projects most commonly struggle during delivery?
Choose up to 2
Cost overruns
Trade coordination
Material substitutions
Programme slippage
Contractor capability
Client changes post-tender
Please select at least one option
Section 9 of 9 — Final

Technology, AI
& Your Report

Almost done. A few optional technology questions, then leave your email to receive the free industry report.

Q25Have you experimented with AI tools in your work? Optional
Yes — regularly
Occasionally
Aware but not yet using
Not using
Q26Where do you see most AI potential in your discipline? Optional — choose up to 2
Product / supplier research
Specification writing
Cost estimation and benchmarking
Document coordination and management
Design generation / optimisation
Programme planning and monitoring
Risk identification
Not sure yet
Q27Would you like to receive the free SA Project Intelligence Industry Report?
Yes — please send me the report
No thanks
Please select an option

Thank you

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Your responses are strictly confidential and will only be used in aggregated form in the SA Project Intelligence Industry Report — Q2 2026, distributed free to all participants who provided their email address.

Project Intelligence SA
Interpreting the Signals Shaping South African Construction