CHAPTER 2

TAKING OFF
QUANTITIES FOR
BUILDING & CIVIL
ENGINEERING WORKS
Taking Off & Bill of Quantity

LEARNING OUTCOMES :
I) ABLE TO PREPARE
TAKING OFF SHEET FOR
CONCRETE WORKS,
FORMWORK &
REINFORCEMENT BAR
 Concrete

 Concrete is the most important material in

construction because its cost is very cheap and easily
obtained compare to other materials.
 The word concrete comes from Latin word
‘concretus’ (meaning compact or condesed) and is a
construction material that composed of cement,
aggregates, water and some chemical admixtures.
 The work in concrete work comprises the following :
 Concrete

a) In situ concrete designed mix

b) In situ concrete prescribed mix
c) Precast concrete
d) Formwork
e) Reinforcement
f) Concrete ancillaries
g) Ancillary work for water retaining structure
Table 4.1 : Concrete-Method Of Measurement
 The items for concrete include supply, placing in
forms or Shuttering vibrating and curing.
 Shuttering is measured by the area of concrete,
which requires support during setting.
 The items for shuttering include supply and
erection, including all necessary struts and bearer,
treatment before concreting and removal when the
concrete has set.
 The items for reinforcement includes supply,
bending to the shapes shown on the bending
schedules and fixing the reinforcement in the works.
 Usually it is not possible to give the precise
quantities of reinforcement in the bill of quantities,
as the detailed drawings are not available when the
bill is prepared and the quantities must be estimated
 Reinforcement

 Concrete is strong in compression, but week in

tension, and therefore reinforcements are used to
strengthen the concrete in tension. The components
of this category are:
i) Mild steel bars
ii) High tensile bars
iii) Reinforcing bars of other stated materials
iv) Special joints
v) High Tensile steel fabric
vi) Fabric of other stated materials
Table 4.2 – Anchorage (hooks) and bending of reinforcement
Concrete works
Example 1- slab
Prepare taking off sheet and bill of quantity for the
slab shown in Figure 4.2 with the thickness of slab
300 mm. The dimension sheet shall include
concrete work (mass concrete for slab) and
reinforcement (bottom only).

Figure 4.2 : Plan View Of Slab

Example 2- Beam
The following example illustrates the method of
preparing a taking off sheet and BQ for the
reinforcement of the r.c beam (6 units) as shown in
Figure 4.3

GROUND BEAM

For column & beam

Figure 4.3 :Cross – Section of Beam

 Formwork

 Formwork is the mould for concrete, and its

normally made of wood or steel.
 Formwork shall be measured for surfaces of in situ
concrete which require temporary support during
casting, except where otherwise state.
 Formwork is to be measured based on whether it is
for sides, soffit or sloping formwork.
 activities involve in the formwork operations are: -
1) fabricating
2) erecting
3) stripping
4) moving
5) cleaning
6) oiling
 At the time of take-off, the design of the forms does
not have to be concerned since only the area of
formwork is measured, thus, the formwork shall be
measured in square metre of contact area
 WORKED EXAMPLES

1) Based on drawing as shown in Figure 5.4.3, calculate the

amount of formwork required, thus prepare taking off
sheet and bill of for the beam. The column is 200x200mm.
2) Based on the drawing as shown below, calculate
the amount of formwork required (prepare taking
off sheet) and bill of for the slab if the area of slab is
4m x 3.5m.
Based on the Figure 3a(i) and 3a(ii),
prepare a taking-off sheet for
reinforcement bar and concrete at
Grade 25 of Ground Beam.

Assumption :
Reinforcement
Length of bending for reinforcement shall be 5.5d
Length of hook for link shall be 24d
Concrete cover for ground beam is 30mm thick
FIGURE 3a(i) – GROUND FLOOR PLAN
COL (225X225)

GB 1 (225 X375)
COL (225X225)

GB 2 (225 X 450)

FIGURE 3a(ii) – GROUND BEAM DETAIL