Module Name: Measurement and Documentation

Code: CON4110

Year: December 2021

Student Name and

Number……………………………………………

Title of the Assignment: Design of a new VEPT

Information Centre

Name of the
Lecturer……………………………………

Date of Submission……………………………………
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF FIGURES.............................................................................................4

CHAPTER ONE......................................................................................................5

1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................5

1.1 BACKGROUND...........................................................................................9

1.2 METHOD STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION....................................10

1.2.1 Concrete block curbs.............................................................................11

1.2.2 Steel railing work..................................................................................12

1.2.3 Steel reinforcement...............................................................................13

1.2.4 Photovoltaic sets...................................................................................14

1.3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES............................................................................16

CHAPTER TWO...................................................................................................17

2.0 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................17

2.1 CONCRETE BLOCK CURBS....................................................................17

2.2 STEEL RAILING........................................................................................17

2.3 STEEL REINFORCEMENT.......................................................................18

2.4 PHOTO VOLTAIC SETS...........................................................................18

2.5 WORKS PROGRAM..................................................................................19

CHAPTER THREE................................................................................................20

3.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION...............................................20

3.1 CONCLUSION............................................................................................20

3.1.1 Sustainable procurement.......................................................................20

3.1.2 Building Information Modeling (BIM).................................................20

3.1.3 Professional value addition...................................................................21

3.1.4 Professional ethics.................................................................................21

3.2 RECOMMENDATION...............................................................................22

REFERENCES.......................................................................................................22

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APPENDIX I..........................................................................................................23

APPENDIX II........................................................................................................30

APPENDIX III.......................................................................................................32

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TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Sample of Bills of Quantities...................................................................4

Figure 2: A sample dimension paper.......................................................................5
Figure 3: A sample of Abstract sheet.......................................................................6
Figure 4: Sample of the billing sheet.......................................................................7
Figure 5: Sample of a Query sheet...........................................................................8
Figure 6: Project drawings.......................................................................................9
Figure 7: Design data...............................................................................................9
Figure 8: Sample forms of concrete curbs.............................................................11
Figure 9: A picture of a roof railing.......................................................................12
Figure 10: Steel reinforcement sizes......................................................................12
Figure 11: Strength of steel according to Code of Practice for Structural Use of
Concrete 2013........................................................................................................13
Figure 12: A picture of photovoltaic sets of a roof of a residential house.............13
Figure 13: Solar energy production system...........................................................14
Figure 14: A sample of the works program...........................................................15
Figure 15: Section through the edge of the roof....................................................16
Figure 16: Reinforcement unit weight for different bar sizes................................17
Figure 17: Work Breakdown Structure..................................................................18

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The calculation of the construction materials required on a project in known as

Quantity surveying. This involves using the designed drawings from the
consultants to come up with the quantities to be used in estimation of the
construction cost with a higher degree of accuracy. The quantities are compiled in
a document known the Bills of Quantities (B.Q.).

The types of construction for taking off are;

 Demolition and wide-ranging construction

 Repairs and construction of residential, office block and other expert
construction such as steel structures.
 Civil works such as roads, bridges, railways and airports.
 Aesthetic works such as painting, branding and tiling.

Figure 1: Sample of Bills of Quantities

The B.Q. is used for the following reasons;

 Quantification of materials to be used on the construction of a project.

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  Project tendering. The document is prepared and presented to potential
contractors to use for the purpose of tendering for a project.
 Works done by a contractor. The contractor can prepare the B.Q. to
quantify whatever is done and used to compare with those presented by the
Quantity Surveyor.
 Cash flow forecasting during construction. Construction is a capital-
intensive work and therefore requires planning to avoid delays in
continuous payment to suppliers for construction materials supplied.
 Value engineering. This is revealed by the itemized breakdown of the
requirements for construction. It is easy to identify overly reinforced
concrete structures by getting the reinforcement required and comparing
with industry standard.

The process of preparing of B.Q. is as follows;

a. Taking off: this is also referred to as the material take off because it
involves the calculation of the materials required to finish a project. It also
involves calculating material to be disposed.
b. Working up: this is a systematic process of working raw dimension data on
the dimension sheet to find the volumes, area, length, numbers and items.
The data is categorized in the abstracting and transferred to the billing to
form the B.Q.

The documents used in preparing the B.Q. are;

i. Dimensions paper: this is the document in which the calculations are

carried out and is arranged as shown.

Figure 2: A sample dimension paper

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The column 1 is the timesing column where the multiplying numbers are written
down. Column 2 is the dimension column where the dimensions from the working
drawing are written down. Column 3 is the squaring column where the product of
columns 1 and 2 are recorded in the form of volume or area (Lee, Trench, &
Willis, 2014).

ii. Abstract sheet: this document assists in the transferring of values worked
in the dimension sheet to the final B.Q. The values are arranged in groups
in this document.

Figure 3: A sample of Abstract sheet

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 iii. Billing sheet: this document has the categorized section of the calculated
quantities and the prices for the estimation of the cost of the work.

Figure 4: Sample of the billing sheet

iv. Query sheet: this sheet originates from the one taking off to the consultant
(Architect or engineer) asking for clarity on an item that is to be included
in the B.Q. The queries that may be asked are of dimension, quality or
quantity.

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Figure 5: Sample of a Query sheet
1.1 BACKGROUND

The project take-off for this project is done by using the Group method. This
method structures the quantities according to the process of construction. The
processes are;

 Substructure: they are foundation strip, pad, retaining wall, masonry wall,
slab, beams, columns.
 Superstructure: they are columns, beams, suspended slabs, beams
 Electrical and mechanical installations: conduits, lighting, heating,
 Internal finishes: they are plastering, painting, decorating

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1.2 METHOD STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION

The Government of Hong Kong is interested in constructing a new Information

Centre that requires quantities to be derived. The drawings for the project are
shown below.

Figure 6: Project drawings

The values for the dimensions are extracted from the Group 6 row of data as
shown below;

Figure 7: Design data

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1.2.1 Concrete block curbs

These are precast concrete elements that are used on the edges of roads, gardens,
pedestrian walkways. The curbs can be straight or curved and the come in
different shapes and sizes.

The uses of curbs are:

 Demarcate the transition from one zone to another. The curbs are used to
separate the road and pedestrian sidewalks.
 Channel water from the engulfing surface such as road to the drainages.
 They prevent the wearing of roads and sidewalk edges. The edges of roads
or sidewalks are the weakest zones and therefore need protection from
wearing off.
 Protection of pedestrians from vehicles on the road. The use of high curbs
prevents the free movement of vehicle on to the sidewalks without
damaging the vehicle.
 Aesthetic appeal. Use of colored and curved curbs beautifies a place.

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Figure 8: Sample forms of concrete curbs
1.2.2 Steel railing work

Roof railing is a continuous element that is constructed on the edge of the building
for protective and aesthetic purposes. The preferred material for railing is steel
due to the strength and durability. The steel used for the railing must be painted
with oil-based paint to prevent corrosion.

Steel railings come in different forms and patterns to enhance the aesthetics of a
building. The railings should be embedded in the concrete beams to assist in
resisting lateral movement.

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Figure 9: A picture of a roof railing
1.2.3 Steel reinforcement

Steel reinforcement is used together with concrete to form reinforced concrete

(R.C). Reinforcement is good in resisting tension while concrete is good in
resisting compression. The reinforcement in concrete is of different sizes and
strength class. The Structural engineer designs the building and provides the
reinforcement drawing

Figure 10: Steel reinforcement sizes

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Figure 11: Strength of steel according to Code of Practice for Structural Use of
Concrete 2013
1.2.4 Photovoltaic sets

These are used to covert light energy from the sun to electric energy. The
photovoltaic cells in the solar panel are made of crystalline silicone.

Figure 12: A picture of photovoltaic sets of a roof of a residential house

The photovoltaic sets come in three forms;

 Thin film: this is made of amorphous silicon

 Mono silicon and poly silicon which are both made of crystalline silicon.

The photovoltaic sets produce more electricity when the sun is brightest and does
not produce electricity at night.

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The solar energy system consists of the following;

a) Solar panels: the solar panels are mounted outside in a position to absorb
maximum sunlight.
b) Inverter: the electricity from the solar panel is in Direct current (DC) and
needs to be converted to Alternating current (AC) by the inverter.
c) Switch board: this assists in changing power into the home between that
from the main grid and from the solar panel. The change is dependent on
solar energy production.
d) Battery: solar energy is produced during the day and may not be fully
utilized and therefore used to charge batteries that will release electricity at
night.

Figure 13: Solar energy production system

1.2.5 Works program

This is a document that shows the breakdown of the construction process from
ground breaking to the completion of the project. This document is represented by
a Gantt chart. The Gantt chart gives a good picture of the activities and their
execution. Some activities overlap and therefore speeding up the process of
construction.

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Figure 14: A sample of the works program
1.2.6 Hong Kong Standard Method of Measurement (HKSMM)

This is a document compiled by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors to guide on

the uniformity of the practice within the country. The tables in the document
structured similar to the HMM7 of the United Kingdom (Hong Kong Institute of
Quantity Surveyors, 2005).

1.3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project objectives are;

i. Estimate the weight of reinforcement in the structural reinforced concrete.

ii. Approximate the structural rail work required at the roof.
iii. Estimation of concrete block curbs required.
iv. Advice on the installation of the solar system.
v. Creation of a works program.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.0 INTRODUCTION

The take-off of the quantities of this project are guided by the HKSMM4. The
clauses within the document are self-explanatory. The main clauses used in
solving the project are;

 VII Concrete works

 XV Steel and metal works

2.1 CONCRETE BLOCK CURBS

The concrete block curb from the drawing is on the perimeter edge of the roof
slab. The curbs are classified as roof finishes in the final B.Q.

Figure 15: Section through the edge of the roof

The measurement rule for the curb is HKSMM4 VII (e)7.1.1 which is linear
meter. The working drawings for the roof do not elaborate the size of the curbs
and therefore a query was raised to the Architect for clarification (Appendix II).
The curb is part of the aesthetic elements of the building making the architect the
responsible consultant. The query was replied to by the Architect and the
calculation began with finding the centerline of the length and width. The
perimeter of the centerline gives the length of the curbs required as 39.64m
(Appendix I)

2.2 STEEL RAILING

The steel railing located at the top of the roof and therefore falls under the
category of roof finishes in the B.Q. From HKSMM4 XV(e)2.5, the railing is to
be measured in linear meters.

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The steel railing will run along the centerline of the railing will run along the
centerline of the concrete curbs and therefore share the same length (Appendix I).

2.3 STEEL REINFORCEMENT

The steel reinforcement is quantified in weight as observed from the HKSMM4

VII (c) 2.2.1.

Figure 16: Reinforcement unit weight for different bar sizes

The measurement of reinforced concrete in strip foundation, isolated bases,
retaining wall and columns is in cubic meters. The calculation of the
reinforcement starts with finding the volume of the concrete within the element
and multiplying with 25 Kg/m3.

The reinforcement in the structure is divide into the substructure and

superstructure elements.

2.4 PHOTO VOLTAIC SETS

The photovoltaic sets for the project are to be supplied to the client towards the
completion of the project. The system is not located in any drawings and therefore
a query was raised to the Electrical engineer to clarify the system to be installed.
The reply was that there should be a provisional sum provided for the work but
advised that specialized solar system contractors be invited to tender for the
system. The amount of money to be spent on the system will be dependent on the
willingness of the client to spend money on the whole system.

The cost benefit analysis of the setting up of the solar system should be used to
advice the client on the capital investment into the proje

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2.5 WORKS PROGRAM

The works program comes into the agreement through the client – contractor
correspondence. The program sets out the timeline of the construction activities
and the completion date. This document is important in making project follow up
especially on the time.

Figure 17: Work Breakdown Structure

The Gantt chart for the project is located in appendix III.

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CHAPTER THREE

3.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

3.1 CONCLUSION

The profession of quantity surveying is evolving over time and it is the

responsibility of every professional to keep abreast with the changing times. The
factors affecting the profession are;

3.1.1 Sustainable procurement

In an era where the effect of human activities on the environment is at its highest,
the calculation of quantities comes to the fore. It had been reported that finding
sustainable design solutions raises project cost by 10 percent (Cartlidge, New
Aspects of Quantity Surveying Practice, 2011).

The construction sector is a source of greenhouse emissions and therefore

sustainability will go a long way in keeping the world green.

The quantity surveyor can do the following;

 Advice on procurement of materials that have been certified to minimize

the emission of greenhouse gases such as certified timber.
 Use of electrical and mechanical equipment that have lower power
consumption saving the client energy in the long run.

3.1.2 Building Information Modeling (BIM)

BIM involves the management of the construction design, planning, execution and
documentation through the use of software. The use of BIM supports the
collaboration of the construction professionals on a project. This has been
predicted to be the doom of quantity surveyors. This is because the software is
able to generate the quantities easily without pen and paper.

The use of BIM in its infancy but over time will take over the industry. It is to the
professionals to find their niche and importance within this change.

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The role of BIM is;

a) Client participation: the use of BIM will integrate the client into the
process because of the visual nature of the project. The client input is
easier through the BIM interface.
b) Project planning: the use of a single file for all professionals eases the
process of planning because all the information from various project
professionals is converged into one file.
c) Reduction of cost: the use of traditional methods leaves a lot of room for
changes that make budgets unpredictable. The use of BIM reduces the
unpredictability and therefore minimal changes to the final construction
budget.
d) Time management: the correspondence between the project professionals
may take long when using the traditional method. BIM enables changes to
be made on the model and the interested party notified on the changes.
This reduces the face to face meetings and enable the professionals to
work from anywhere provided they have access to the model.

3.1.3 Professional value addition

Th quantity surveying profession has been subject to ridicule for not adding value
in the project other than generating quantities. The management of the supply
chain by the quantity surveyor leads to reduced costs. Sum of the ways they lead
is through identification of lowly priced bids with few members within the chain.
This increases price flexibility. The contractors can be convinced into reducing
their margins to the benefit of the client.

3.1.4 Professional ethics

The role of the quantity surveyor is central in the exchange of money between the
client and the contractor. The professional misconduct of the quantity surveyor
may lead to loss of money to the client or delay of the project caused by
undercutting the contractor’s work done leading to litigation. These

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3.2 RECOMMENDATION

The following is recommended for the project;

 Communication: the exchange of information among the project

professionals is encouraged. This enhances clarity of the responsibilities
for the professionals. The use of the query sheet is important to help
document the questions and maintain professional liability to one’s
decisions.
 Use of modern technology: the change in technology should be embraced
in taking off quantities’ and documentation. This is possible by use of
BIM compliant software such as Autodesk Revit, Tekla Structures and
ArchiCAD.

REFERENCES

Cartlidge, D. (2009). Quantity Surveyor's Pocket Book. Oxford: Butterworth -

Heinemann.

Cartlidge, D. (2011). New Aspects of Quantity Surveying Practice. Abingdon:

Spon Press.

Committee on Curtain Wall Systems. (2013). Curtain Wall Systems: A Primer.

Reston, Virginia: American Society of Civil Engineers.

Del Pico, W. J. (2012). Estimating Building Costs for the Residential & Light
Commercial Construction Professional. Nw Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Hong Kong Institute of Quantity Surveyors. (2005). Hong Kong Standard of

Method of Measurement - Fourth Edition. Hong Kong: Combined
Building Works & Building Services.

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Lee, S., Trench, W., & Willis, A. (2014). Willis's Element of Quatity Surveying.
West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

Lester, A. (2017). Project Management, Planning and Control: Managing

Engineering, Construction and Manufacturing Projects to PMI, APM and
BSI Standards. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

APPENDIX I

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APPENDIX II

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APPENDIX III

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

1.1 SITE PREPARATION

 HOARDING OF THE SITE

 CLEARING OF THE BUSH AND TREES ON SITE
 STRIPING OF THE TOP SOIL
 EXCAVATION TO FOUNDATION LEVEL

1.2 SUBSURFACE WORKS

 BLINDING THE FOUNDATION TRENCHES

 REINFORCEMENT WORK
 BENDING AND LAYING FOUNDATION REINFORCEMENT
 BENDING AND LAYING COLUMN AND WALL
REINFORCEMENT
 BENDING BEAMS REINFORCEMENT
 CONCRETE WORK
 CASTING FOUNDATION CONCRETE
 CASTING COLUMN AND WALL CONCRETE
 CASTING GROUND BEAMS AND SLAB CONCRETE
 FORMWORK
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  FOUNDATION FORMWORK
 COLUMN AND WALL FORMWORK
 GROUND BEAMS AND SLAB FORMWORK

1.3 SUPERSRUCTURE WORKS

 FORMWORK
 COLUMN FORMWORK
 WALL FORM WORK
 SUSPENDED SLAB FORMWORK
 ROOF BEAMS FORMWORK
 REINFORCEMENT WORK
 COLUMN REINFORCEMENT AND CASTING
 WALL REINFORCEMENT AND CASTING
 SUSPENDED SLAB REINFORCEMENT AND CASTING
 ROOF BEAMS REINFORCEMENT AND CASTING
 MASONRY WALLING
 GROUND TO SOFFIT OF BEAMS

1.3 INTERNAL FINISHES

 PLASTERING
 PAINTING
 FURNITURE AND FITTING
 TILLING

1.4 EXTERNAL FINISHES

 ROOF FINISHES
 TILING
 MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WORKS
 LAYING CONDUITS AND WATER PIPES

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 CABLING
 LIGHTING

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