Negotiating is something that no one can avoid, not least a Quantity Surveyor. As you progress through your career, you won’t always have people who can fight your battles. Eventually, you’ll need to learn the skills required to ensure the best outcome in any negotiation.
In this article, we’re going to equip you with some tactics that you can employ in any negotiation setting to ensure you get the results you want. We’ll tie each step back to a real-world example in construction.
Negotiation is a discussion between two or more parties, aiming to resolve an issue or reach an agreement. So how can you be a good negotiator? We’ll break this down into 6 steps of effective negotiation.
Let’s say you’re acting on behalf of the client on a live project. The contractor has submitted a variation for some additional works, and they’re claiming that this had a major impact on the programme. You believe the claim is overstated — yes, there was an impact, but not to the extent they’re suggesting.
Let’s get into the steps.
Step 1: Research & Plan
Before you start communication, you should already know what you’re walking into. Pull together the relevant records: early warning notifications, progress updates, site diaries, photos & programmes. You’ll need to properly understand the contractor’s claim, so you’re not caught off guard.
In our example, we reviewed the original scope, looked at when the additional works were instructed, and analysed the programme impact. We used the data available to construct our own view on the impact of this change.
Step 2: Communicate Openly
The way we communicate is often overlooked. People have an idea, or point they want to convey. However, when they start talking, it comes out as a jumbled mess.
Go in with a clear narrative. In this case, we acknowledged the additional works but were upfront that the claimed 3-week delay wasn’t supported by the records. We also made it clear we wanted to reach a fair agreement — this isn’t about ‘winning’, it’s about being reasonable.
Framing your points with clarity and professionalism shows strength without being confrontational.
Step 3: Manage Expectations
Ensure expectations are communicated early.
In this example, we set the tone straight away: “We’ve reviewed the variation in detail, and from our side, we can’t support the full extent of your claim. But we’re happy to run through our reasoning and hear your side too.” That stops the contractor expecting you to roll over — and shows you’ve done your homework.
If your assessment differs significantly from the contractor’s, flag that early in the discussion. It gives them time to sit with the information, which softens the blow later and avoids any nasty surprises.
Step 4: Listen & Understand
Don’t go into a negotiation just waiting for your turn to speak. You need to actively listen to the other side. A good tactic here is summarising a point they’ve just made — “So you’re saying the additional works took longer than expected due to delivery issues?” — which showed we were engaged and gave them space to clarify. You could also employ mirroring, where you repeat the last few words back to them “delivery issues?”. The power of feeling listened to should not be overstated.
Be empathetic, stay respectful, and try to understand their objectives. Even if you don’t agree, analyse their position as if you were an independent third party. That perspective helps you respond with logic, not emotion.
Step 5: Conclude, Offer & Persuade
This is where you assert your position. Not aggressively — assertively.
You’ve listened, now it’s time to offer a fair resolution. “Based on our review, we agree there was an impact — but based on the programme data, it looks more like 1 week, not 3. We have attached our calculation which breaks down our assessment”
Use persuasion techniques here: reference the contract if needed, cite records, and show fairness. The goal is a fair settlement that doesn’t escalate into a dispute.
Step 6: Let it Land
Once you’ve made your offer, stop talking.
Silence can feel awkward, but it’s a powerful tool. Let the other side process what you’ve said. Don’t rush to fill the gap or backtrack.
In this case, after putting forward the revised position, we simply stopped and waited. When negotiating over email, sometimes you might be waiting a few days — or even a couple of weeks. The other party may need to discuss things internally or go through sign-off before they come back to you.
Try not to come across desperate. You want a resolution, but you’re happy to wait for the right outcome.
Conclusion
Negotiation isn’t about being the loudest in the room — it’s about preparation, clarity, empathy and timing. Follow these six steps and you’ll find you start getting more out of your discussions, and more respect along the way.
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