How to Prepare a Bill of Quantities in Construction

1. 1 Create a spreadsheet to organize your BOQ.
2. 2 Compile a list of materials needed for your project.
3. 3 Break down your project into categories.
4. 4 Provide the quantity you need of each material.
5. 5 Estimate the labor needed in each category.

Meer items

What is difference between BOM and BOQ?

While BOM is related to the list of inventory, including raw materials, parts, components, etc., BOQ lists the total number of materials required to complete a project. BOQs help project developers in getting detailed quotes for project requirements and BOM give a clarity on what all is needed for completion.

What is quotation and bill of quantities?

29 Jan 2019. A bill of quantities (commonly known as BOQ or BQ) is a document prepared by a quantity surveyor or cost consultant to define the quality and quantity of works required to be carried out by the main contractor to complete a project.

Does BOQ include Labour costs?

What Is Bill Of Quantities (BOQ)? A bill of quantities (BOQ) is a document created by a quantity surveyor or cost consultant that contains information on the quantity of materials, labour, and their costs in a construction project. The Bill of Quantities is an essential part of the tender.

1. Without a suitable Bill of Quantities, a tender is incomplete.
2. It generally includes information such as the scope of work, the cost of labour, the materials utilized, the number of workers employed, and so on.
3. Contractors can use this information and data to quote rates for their specific work.
4. A Bill of Quantities ensures that the project runs smoothly and without complications.

A Bill of Quantities is sometimes used as a reference for future projects. After a construction, design has been completed and specifications have been created, BOQs help in cost computation. It acts as an important link between stakeholders, consultants/engineers, and contractors.

• To make the tendering process more uniform.
• For establishing a method for valuing the project that is both transparent and exact.
• To provide a thorough description of the work and its rates, as well as the overall cost.
• To help quantity surveyors in ensuring that individual contractors have filed valid tenders that comply with the specifications.

Significance of Bill of Quantities (BOQ)

• One of the most essential documents in the construction industry is the bill of quantities.
• A Bill of Quantities offers a contractor a clear picture of the whole project about which contractor has to work on it.
• BOQ gives a base to the clients for valuing, comparing tenders, and comparing contracts.
• It’s required for preparing the contractors’ final bill.

General Format of a BOQ BOQ is prepared in tabular form which includes Item nos., Item description, Quantity, Unit of measurement, Unit rate, Amount, and Remarks (if any). BOQ’s basic format is as follows:

• How to Prepare Bill of Quantities :
• There are three primary phases to creating a BOQ. The following are the details:
• 1. Description of work

This is the first and most important stage in making a BOQ. The work to be carried out is detailed and written in simple words so that the contractor knows exactly what he or she is liable for.2. Quantity take-off The quantity of work is calculated and taken off once the work is described.

1. It provides a precise estimate of the quantity of work that a contractor will be responsible for.
2. The amount of work is measured in Cu. m, Sq.
3. M, rm, foot, and other units as per specifications.3.
4. Rates per unit of work The final stage in creating a BOQ is describing the rates of work items per unit.
5. Each item’s rates are calculated.

Market survey, current rates, schedule of rates (SOR), and other criteria are considered. Lastly, the total quantity of work is multiplied by the unit rate of the item of work to calculate the total amount for a specific item of work. Common Errors in Bill of Quantities Preparation :

1. Error in calculating the quantity of work and the rates of work items.
2. Inaccurate assumptions about certain work items.
3. The incorrect measurement is taken.
4. Work items can be counted twice.
5. Taking non-essential items to work.
6. Taking non-essential items to work.

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Who prepares the Bill of Quantities?

Generally, the Bill of Quantities (BoQ) is drawn-up by the quantity surveyor (employer’s consultant) with construction information provided by the design team. The primary purpose of a BoQ is to ensure all tenderers are provided with a standardised document to price and submit a fair and accurate tender.

A Bill of Quantities (BoQ) is a detailed and itemised pricing document. It is a reflection of the work to done abstracted from the design team’s drawings, specification and any other documentation in respect of. The BoQ is set out in accordance with a standard method of measurement. The BoQ is created and issued as part of the tender documentation, thus providing detailed information for the tenderer to submit an accurate estimate, The BoQ provides sufficient information for the tenderer to price everything necessary to carry out the works, e.g. manufacturing and delivery of materials, plant, labour and any other associated costs on top of this. A detailed BoQ will also set out the out the terms and conditions of the construction contract and itemise the work involved.

So, the BoQ helps tenderers to calculate construction costs and to follow a fair and effective system for tendering. Having a solid and accurate tender and cost estimate will allow for a significantly improved construction process. The work will be carried out on a less confrontational basis, the client will be satisfied, and any potential wastage and surprises along the way will be reduced.

Why is it important? A BoQ helps contractors produce an accurate and fair tender. Having this as a standard document ensures that competing contractors price the items of work on the same basis. Thus, reducing the risk of ambiguity through, addendums, omissions or misunderstandings. Though the adjudication process the quantity surveyor is able to analyse the competing contractors’ BoQ on an itemised rate for rate basis.

A BoQ can also be used after the tendering process. Contractors use the document for material scheduling, construction planning, cost analysis and cost planning. The BoQ defines the extent of the work that needs to be carried out and also provides the estimated contract sum.

Thus, it is a very useful document for contractors and clients alike. Having a solid BoQ also makes quantifying the works much easier and more transparent. This is something that needs to occur during the procurement process of any project to get accurate prices or to value the work for payment. Producing an effective BoQ is therefore essential for a successful bidding process.

Getting this process right can help contractors to provide a better service, as well as win over more clients. Preparing a Bill of Quantities Preparing a BoQ is a process that includes several steps. The quantity surveyor or cost consultant will usually prepare it during the pre-construction phase.

Obtaining the design team’s drawings and specifications. Understanding the type of contract to be used and all the associated terms and conditions. Taking off quantities from the drawings. Draw up a Bill of Quantities using the information from the specification and measurements from the drawings. The Bill of Quantities should be set out in accordance with a standard method of measurement.

Using construction estimating software is incredibly useful for formatting and organising the categories within your BoQ. This will help to group tasks that still need to be completed. For example, contractors can easily import their Bill of Quantities into Candy, manually add in items, allocate trade codes, and price bill items using plug rates, split plug rates and free format rate sheets.

1. By using software, contractors can also ensure that their BoQ layouts are consistent and have all the necessary columns.
2. Final Thoughts To submit bids efficiently and accurately, it’s important to ensure the Bill of Quantities pricing and tender adjudication process is right.
3. Having an accurately priced BoQ will eliminate unwanted rework, wasted time, and unnecessary expenses.

This will mean winning more bids and overall, happier clients.

What are the two types of BOM?

Types of Bills of Materials (BOMs) – A BOM list is necessary when building a product and ordering replacement parts, and reduces possible issues if product repairs are required. It helps to plan for acquisition orders and reduces the possibility of errors.

The two main types of BOMs are engineering BOMs and manufacturing BOMs. An engineering bill of materials defines the design of the finished product. It includes all alternative and substitute part numbers and parts contained in the drawing notes. Every line of the bill of materials (BOM) includes the product code, part name, part number, part revision, description, quantity, unit of measure, size, length, weight, and specifications or features of the product.

The engineering BOM is often organized by engineers based on a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing. For a finished product, there may be more than one engineering BOM created. This is a part of product lifecycle management, A manufacturing bill of materials (BOM) comprises all the assemblies and parts required to construct a finished item ready to be shipped.

What should be included in a bill of quantities?

The basics – A bill of quantities is a document that lists every single item that’s involved in the construction project as well as the cost associated with it. This includes building materials, labour and any other elements that are required to complete the project.

1. A standard BOQ template that is commonly used in Australia will have plant cost, labour cost and materials cost sections – amongst others.
2. With an effective bill of quantities put into place prior to the project commencing you can ensure that everything runs smoothly and as close to budget as possible.

If there is no clear cost outlined, then the project could run into delays and even risk being shut down in some serious cases.

What are three main uses of a bill of quantity?

The prime purpose of the Bill of Quantities (BQ) is to enable all contractors tendering for a contract to price on exactly the same information. Subsequent to this, it is widely used for post-tender work such as: material scheduling; construction planning; cost analysis; and cost planning.

What is BOQ in Excel?

Bill of Quantity Excel Format | Bill of Quantities Excel Sheet Free Download BOQ stands for ” Bill of Quantity ” and is a document prepared by a cost estimator that shows the exact cost of the projects multiplied by their rate. It is the most important document for making a contract and agreement What Is BOQ? A BOQ – Bill of quantity is a document prepared by a cost estimator to calculate the exact cost of a project by multiplying the material works by their rate.

Bill of Materials	Bill of Labour
In this Bill of Materials document, only the cost of the material is estimated from the quantity of material and its unit ratio. For example, the quantity of sand for the project we need a quantity of sand is 100cft and its cost is Rs 45/cft. therefore, its estimated cost, = 100 x 45 = 4500Rs.	In this Bill of Labour document, only the cost of the Labour is estimated from the quantity of Labour and its day rate or sqft. For example, 2 labours are required two days to complete plastering work, so consider labour wage 900 = 2 x Rs 900 x 2 days = 3600 Rs.

Format of Bill of Quantity Download Bill of Quantity Format Excel Sheet Advantages of Preparing Bill of Quantity (BOQ) It is useful in cost planning before the bidding process. Tendering – BOQ is issued to contractors or bidders with a mere unit rate. They fill the ratio according to their prices and the lowest bidder is declared the winner. (and based on other eligibility criteria).

It gives the investors a basic idea of ​​the cost of the project. The basis for the valuation of variance is provided in BOQ. (The variation should be discussed in detail) ALSO USE:

: Bill of Quantity Excel Format | Bill of Quantities Excel Sheet Free Download

How do I save a BOQ file in Excel?

CONVERSION > Conversion of a BoQ into an Estimate

• Use Case
• Refer to,
• The created estimate inherits from a template all the settings:
• ▪ Layout (frames)
• ▪ Global variables
• ▪ Version number
• ▪ Security settings and permissions
• ▪ Language, the settings in the Options menu (default folders).
• It does NOT inherit the other options (VAT, rounding, colors) nor the behavior related to the management database.
• Principle
• QDV7 Converter executes automatically the phases #1, 4 and 5 of the process of converting a workbook into a qdv file:

		Estimating template		Rows to exclude
		↓		↓
	1	2	3	4	5
BoQ →	OPEN	MAP WBS & MINUTES COLUMNS	SET EACH ROW’s LEVEL	CHECK ROWS	BUILD	→ Populated frame
			AUTO-LEVELING

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The phases #2, 3 and 4 can be aided.

When a BoQ is open, the Build tab of QDV7 Converter features two flaps whose separating line can be moved:

▪ A right flap hosts the working spreadsheet; the third row can be used to fill in extra columns using formulas (to fill merged cells, unlock the cells in Home>Format>Lock Cell, then enter the formula)

▪ A left flap includes a table that lists out the mapped fields of the template, and a structural view below (visible after step #4) with tooltip /

Each flap features its own focus. Both foci follow each other: to select a column, you can either click it on the right (or use the arrow keys ← and →), or click the related field on the left (or use the arrow keys ↑ and ↓).

• Open
• Click File>Open; in the dialog box, select Convert to an estimate.
• Select the BoQ; QDV7 Converter opens the BoQ in the right flap flanked with a blue area consisting
• ▪ on the right of column A, of seven columns with a heading 1 thru 7 (level in the WBS tree-view) and a column Minutes
• ▪ above, of two blank rows topped by a combo box + formula bar.
• It is possible to enter new values either in the Converter, or in Excel, by clicking Edit Outside With Microsoft Excel; both versions can be opened simultaneously; the changes made in Excel pass on to Converter when the xls file is closed.
• To insert a new row, select the row that will follow/precede it, click Home>Edit>Insert and select Insert Rows Before/After.
• To insert a new column, select the column that will follow it, click Home>Edit>Insert and select Insert Columns.
• To enlarge/narrow the columns, click Home>Edit>Format>Column width.
• To rearrange the sheets in the workbook or to hide some of them, click Build>Select Sheets.
• Tool: bar Build

Map WBS & Minutes Columns Click Build>Select Template and select a “.qdv” estimate (to enlarge the choice, in the dialog box, check Select my estimate). To populate the list, refer to, To match the BoQ columns with the template fields: 1. Select the sheet of interest 2. Right-click in a cell J1, K1, and select Map Column to WBS OR right-click in a cell J2, K2, and select Map Column to minutes (alternative ways: double-click in row #1 or 2 and menu Mapping>Map Column to WBS/Minutes); a dialog box Select column shows

1. 3. Select a field (all the free columns inserted in the template are eligible); for more native fields, check the box View all columns for mapping
2. 4. If the need arises, check the box Link to BOQ rows and, for the WBS fields, Link to BOQ chapters (below the field list); this will be used to export the estimate values back to this BoQ column (blue cell in QDV7)
3. 5. Click OK; the field name displays as a heading; in the left flap, depending on the step #4, the box Link to BOQ rows and, for the WBS fields, Link to BOQ chapters are checked or not (the boxes are editable; with two separate boxes for WBS, you can keep formulas in a column for chapters, and still link Tasks cells)

6. Repeat with other columns; it is possible to map new columns and treat several sheets in different manners. The left flap displays by default only the columns Field and Data type (with the maximum char counts). To display Source column, Import field and Links to BOQ, drag the vertical separating line.

• To delete a mapping, in step #3, select “Cancel mapping of this column”.
• To speed up the step #3, preselect the fields in the Fields Managers: right-click their row and select Show by default in the converter; their get tagged by a comment (visible in the WBS Properties).
• To aid mapp ing:
• 1. Select a heading row in the BoQ (row 17 in the example)
• 2. Click Map>Identify according Selected Row

3. Confirm in the message; QDV7 Converter then forcefully maps the columns whose BoQ label matches a field name; besides, the row is excluded (mark X: see ). In aided mapp ing, do NOT use any abbreviation in the heading row, as the matching must be total.

1. To delete all the mapping in a sheet, click Map>Clear Mapping.
2. To use a file QDV converter settings, see,
3. To deploy the mappings and formulas to other sheets, click Build>Copy to Sheets.
4. Set Each Row’s Level
5. The WBS is built from some BoQ elements, but the bidder defines the structure at his/her own discretion, using an outline.
6. To enroll a row to WBS, enter X in the column corresponding to the level (1 thru 7); alternative: double-click.

To inform QDV7 Converter that a row is a total or a sub-total, enter T in the column corresponding to the level (1 thru 7). See, To transform a row into a minute, enter X in the blue column. To transform a row into a row in the, enter D in the blue column. NOTES – One X or one T is allowed in a row across the columns B to H; X and T are exclusive of each other. – Another X is allowed in the column I; it will be used to insert a first Minute with the same description as the WBS (if it is mapped to WBS AND Minutes); QDV7 Converter assigns the values in the other columns (quantity,,) according to the mapping; if the column is mapped as Quantity for WBS and Quantity for Minutes, both will get the quantity.

		WBS	Field		Field
		Min		Field	Field
First case	X		to WBS	to none	to WBS
Second case		X	to none	to Minutes	to Minutes
Third case	X	X	to WBS	to Minutes	to both*

The second case applies to most free fields. * If both mappings are to Quantity, the quantity is assigned to the Minute, while WBS Quantity value is set to 1. – The following structures are forbidden; on the left, the row is not a terminal element as it is a parent row; on the right, there is a hole in the structure. A message indicates that QDV7 Converter invalidates them.

			WBS				WBS
level	n	n+1	Min		n	n+1	Min
row	X		X		X
		X					X

AUTO-LEVEL QDV7 Converter can infer the row level from rules. If they are impossible to enforce, they are ignored. The field Item must be mapped at the WBS level.

• The structure results from two basic rules:
• ▪ The item numbers are based on the rule Node (n+1) = node (n) + tag; hence the level 1 features the shortest item numbers
• ▪ A row without an item number is considered as the child of the preceding row; that is why the comments must be excluded (from the structural view).
• After mapping at least the columns WBS Description and Item:
• 1. Click Auto Levels
• 2. Answer Yes to the message; this fills the column A as described

3. Fill in the dialog box. The rules defined by the user on a sheet basis include the start level, forceful leveling and downgrading to Minutes:

Level for one-char item such as A or 1 (mandatory, 1 by default); this level is applied to first valid row, which is used as baseline. The box value is ignored if the first valid row has a WBS Item
The rows without items or the longest items are downgraded to Minutes (condition: a Minute field must be mapped) Includes item-less rows in the Minutes view Marks also blank rows as (interpolated) Minutes depending on their position in the BoQ
The rows without items or the longest items are downgraded to terminal element (lowest task i.e. leaf)
Range of rows to process
Level of rows whose item shows with boldface type Level of rows whose description shows with boldface type
Criteria for automatic exclusion from the structural view (comments, titles)
Wildcard char ? and * are allowed; case-insensitive. See paragraph TOTALS. Overridden by the next setting
When this string of chars (case-insensitive) is detected in the Description column, a T writes at the same level as the row whose it sums the components (parent row). See paragraph TOTALS. Overrides the preceding setting

Click OK. This enforces the rules, as far as possible. If the exclusion rules have allowed unwanted rows, click Mapping>Exclude Row; the first cell gets a red cross.

• NOTE If there are several numbering patterns, several structures are created in parallel.
• TOTALS
• Description matching pattern:
• ▪ Unchecked box: no row with correct formats is excluded a priori from the structural view
• ▪ Checked box: all the row descriptions are tested against a string; this excludes the matches from the structural view; they get neither X, not T (unless it is detected as a total by the setting Totals).
• Totals: the result is as follows:

level	n	n+1
parent row	X
		X
		X
matching row	T

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The T row wordings are harmonized to Total chapter: and aligned on the left ; QDV7 Converter creates the related formulas.

If a comment precedes directly a total row, it is recommended to exclude the comment row.

Check Rows

QDV7 Converter checks the formats only at the intersection of rows with mapped columns. Note that a text is allowed for a quantity.

• To check the conformance of imported data against the field format, carry out the following operations, at least step #3:
• 1. Select in column A a cell of rows to exclude from the estimate, and click Mapping>Exclude Row; the cell gets a red cross
• 2. To cancel the step #1, select in column A the cell of rows with a red cross and click Mapping>Include Row; the cell empties; to restore the green color, click Build>Check only

3. Click Build>Check Only; answer Yes to allow the conversion in spite of errors; then a validation report displays and the column A turns green in the valid rows. Legend of column A:

	Description	Shown in estimate?
	Error in the row, usually due to merged cells; the embedded comment indicates the error type and the column where the error is	No
XX	Row ignored (the content formats are different in the template, or it is a WordArt text). To keep comment rows, a missing item does NOT result in ignorance, but a missing Description does	No
X	Excluded row (thru the menu) for other reasons; this exempts the row from check, but excludes it from the estimate. This can also be used after auto-leveling	No
	Valid row	Yes

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Whenever the column mapping is modified, the results of the check are deleted.

Note: the WBS quantity values are not tested; hence a text does not make its row ignored.

STRUCTURAL VIEW

QDV7 construes any row with an X at the intersection with a column 1,7 as a node. The nodes feature a pictogram and the mark –.

	Expanded node	Collapsed node
	Unselected	Selected	Unselected	Selected
WBS chapter
WBS leaf	o is overlaid on the pictogram
Minute			–	–

To update the structural view after editing the gray and blue table, click again Check Only. Build To prevent some mapped columns from being inserted, uncheck the box Import field on the left. In addition, this exempts these columns from the check.

• Applicability: this is NOT allowed for:
• ▪ Item, Description (WBS and Minutes): although possible, this forbids checking rows
• ▪ Cost per unit (WBS) as it is a read-only field
• ▪ etc
• To create the estimate in QDV7:
• 1. Click Build>Check and Build
• 2. Select the folder
• 3. Enter an estimate name

4. In the dialog box, indicate to QDV7 Converter how rows without X in the WBS part must be treated; in any case, it inserts an interpolated row between node rows (see ).

The XX-row place is retained and there is an interpolated row between all the rows (even nodeless)
The XX-row place is removed (except ahead) and the nodeless rows (without X) are attached to the preceding node (no interpolated row)
Compact estimate: comment rows and nodeless rows are removed; T totals are retained

If a box Link to BOQ has been checked, the resulting estimate owns a BoQ tab, where the related columns feature a blue background in the rows with an X and of the first level (Link to BoQ chapters) or of the WBS branch level (Link to BoQ rows). Refresh the estimate. If the template has a special field “Has reference in the BOQ” (see ), the Minutes of the built estimate with at least one linked column, feature a value 1 in the column “Has reference in the BOQ”. To save the workbook and column mapping, click File>Save. This way the original workbook is retained; to populate it with the estimate’s data, select, in the created estimate, the tab BoQ and click Data>Excel>Export to Microsoft Excel.

1. Settings
2. To save the current file’s settings, click Build>Save Settings and choose a name.
3. The settings file is a text file, whose extension is qdvconvert; it includes in addition to the potential formulas:
4. 1. After the template selection, the full path to the template
5. 2. After the mapping, in addition, all the column mapping, including the check status of the boxes Import field and Link to BOQ chapters/rows)
6. 3. If the Autolevel is used, the last used Auto Levels properties

4. After exclusion, in addition, the line number of the excluded rows. To load settings: 1. Click Build> Load Settings and select a “.qdvconvert” file 2. Click Build>Mapping>Load Mapping and reselect the “.qdvconvert” file; if the workbook features several sheets requiring specific treatments, make the selection in the relevant dialog boxes; the column headings and the left flap populate accordingly 3. If the workbook features several sheets with some unchecked ones, to remediate this, click Build>Mapping>Copy to Sheets.

• NOTE
• The name atop and in the taskbar gets longer as you carry out the operations:
• – After opening: – where the path is C:\Users\ \AppData\Local\Temp\QDVTempFilesMain

– After template selection: – – After saving, the name by default is: – ] : CONVERSION > Conversion of a BoQ into an Estimate

What is BOQ equipment?

Introduction: What is a Bill of Quantities? – A bill of quantities (commonly referred to as “BOQ” or even “BQ”) is a document that itemizes labor, materials, parts and their costs. It is prepared by a cost consultant (typically a quantity surveyor) and issued to tenderers so they can determine a price.

• Since all tendering contractors price the same quantities, the bill also lays out an accurate and fair system for tendering.
• Quantities’ or ‘quantity’ in this context means the calculated or “measured” amounts that are included in the BOQ.
• They may be measured in area, volume, number, length, time or weight.

Developing the bill of quantities demands that the design has been completed and that a specification has been made. Specifications refer to the materials, work, and products required by the construction contract, and exclude quantity, cost and drawn information.

Furthermore, it is crucial that the BOQ is developed to a standard methodology that is recognized by everyone involved in the construction project. This is to avoid ambiguities or misunderstandings. For example, until recently in the UK, BOQs for general construction work were usually prepared according to the,

(It was replaced in 2013 by the,)

What is BOQ means in tender?

BILL OF QUANTITIES or SCHEDULE OF QUANTITY means the price and completed BOQ or Schedule of Quantities forming part of the tender.