QUANTITY SURVEYING & CIVIL ENGINEERING

PRACTICE

(CE-421)

LECTURE NO 1
 QUANTITY SURVEYING
 Quantity surveying is basically estimating quantities of all
possible items of work required for construction of any building or
structure.

 These quantities are worked out from the drawings of the

structure.
 ESTIMATION
 Estimate: An estimate/estimated cost is the probable cost of a
construction work and is computed before construction is started.
 For a good estimate the, actual cost of a project should not differ by
more then 5 to 10 % from its estimated cost, provided there are no
unusual circumstances.

 Estimation requires a thorough Knowledge of the construction

procedures and cost of materials & labour in addition to the skill and
experience.
 IMPORTANCE & NEED OF ESTIMATION
 It helps to work out the approximate cost of the project in order to
decide its feasibility with respect to the cost and to ensure the financial
resources, if the proposal is approved.

 If the estimated cost is greater than the money available, then attempts
are made to reduce the cost by reducing the work or by changing the
specifications.

 It is used for framing the tenders for the works and to check contractor’s
work during and after its execution for the purpose of making payments
to the contractor.

 From quantities of different items of work calculated in detailed

estimation, resources are allocated to different activities of the project
and ultimately their durations and whole planning and scheduling of the
project is carried out.
 EFFECT OF SITE CONDITIONS ON OVERALL COST
 Weather conditions affect the output and, hence, the overall cost.

 Ground conditions vary and change the method of construction.

e.g. excavation may be dry, wet, hard, soft, shallow or deep
requiring different efforts.

 The work may be in open ground such as fields or it may be in

congested areas such as near or on the public roads, necessitating
extensive watching, lightening, and controlling efforts, etc.

 The source of availability of a sufficient supply of materials of

good quality is also a factor.
 QUALITIES OF GOOD ESTIMATOR
 In preparing an estimate, the Estimator must have good knowledge
regarding the important rules/methods of quantity surveying.
 He must thoroughly understand the drawings of the structure, for which
he is going to prepare an estimate.
 He must also be clearly informed about the specifications showing
nature and classes of works and materials to be used because the rates at
which different types of works can be executed depend upon its
specifications.
 Having information regarding machinery needed.
 Ability to be careful, thorough, hard working and accurate.
 Ability to collect, classify and evaluate data(rates etc.) relating to
estimation.
 TYPES OF ESTIMATES

Estimate

Rough Cost Detailed

Estimate Estimate
(Based on Purpose)

Contractor’s Engineer’s Progress

Estimate Estimate Estimate
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE/PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE

 Estimation of cost before construction from preliminary plans or

architectural drawings of the project scheme, when even detailed or
structural design has not been carried out, is called Rough Cost
Estimate.
 This type of estimate may be prepared approximately by various
methods without going into details of the different items of work, to
know the approximate cost.
 The approximate estimate is prepared from the practical knowledge
and cost of the similar works.
 It is used for obtaining administrative approval from the concerned
authority.
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE/PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE

 The estimate is accompanied by a brief report explaining the

necessity and utility of the project (feasibility report).
 This is also accompanied with a site plan or layout plan.
 Sometimes, on the basis of rough cost estimates, a proposal may
be dropped altogether.
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE METHODS
Rough cost estimate may be prepared on the following basis for
different types of projects:

 Cost per square foot of covered area (plinth area) is the most
commonly adopted criterion for preparing rough cost estimate for
most of the residential buildings. (Plinth area estimate)

 For public buildings, cost per unit is used. For example,

 Students hostel———————---Cost per student
 Hospitals————————————Cost per bed
 Hotel—————————————----Cost per guest
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE METHODS
Rough cost estimate may be prepared on the following basis for
different types of projects:

 Cost per cubic foot is particularly suitable for commercial offices,

shopping centers, and factory buildings, etc. (Cube Rate
Estimate/Cubical Content Estimate)

 Cube rate estimate is most accurate as compared to the Plinth Area

Estimate as the height of the building is also compared.
 For water tank/reservoir, cost may be worked out on the basis of
capacity in gallons (cost per gallon) of water stored.
 For roads and railways, cost may be found out per mile/kilometer of
length.
 For streets, cost may be per hundred feet/meters of length.
 In case of bridges, cost per foot/meter of span may be calculated.
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE EXAMPLE
Calculate the total rough cost estimate and cost per Flat for
a multi-storey (4-storeyed) block consisting of 40 residential
flats. Other details are given in the table:
Sr. PORTION AREA UNIT COST (Rs./sq.ft.)
No. (sq. ft) Building Sanitory Electric Sui Gas
Works Works Services Services
1 Main Flat Area
(i) Ground Floor 20030 1800 130 100 60
(ii) Ist Floor 20030 1500 130 100 60
(iii) 2nd Floor 20030 1650 130 100 60
(iv) 3rd Floor 20030 1800 130 100 60
2 Park Area at G. Floor 75,800 800 -------- 40 -------
3 Circulation Area in 1936 1050 -------- 70 -------
all 4 floors
4 Covered Shopping 920 950 -------- 70 -------
Area at G. Floor
5 Attached Servant 2112 1150 55 70 40
Quarters
 ROUGH COST ESTIMATE EXAMPLE
Add the following cost as lump sum;

 Road and Walkways = 15,00,000/-

 External Sewerage = 7,00,000/-
 External Water Supply, Overhead and Underground Water Tanks
with pumping machinery for each set of Flats = 19,00,000/-
 External Electricity = 3,00,000/-
 Boundary Wall = 6,00,000/-
 Add appropriate contingencies 3%
 Add appropriate supervision charges 8%
 DETAILED ESTIMATE
 Detailed estimates are prepared by carefully and separately
calculating in detail the costs of various items of the work that
constitute the whole project from the detailed working drawings
after the design has been finalized.

 The mistakes, if any, in the rough cost estimate are eliminated in

the detailed estimate.

 Detailed estimates are submitted to the competent authorities for

obtaining Technical Sanction.

 It is also used for arranging contracts and for execution of projects.

 DETAILED ESTIMATE
 The whole project is sub-divided into different items of work or
activities. The quantity for each item is then calculated separately
from the drawings as accurately as possible. The procedure is
known as “Taking out of quantities".

 The quantities for each item may be estimated and shown in the
pattern which is called "Bill of Quantities."

 The unit, in which each item of the work is to be calculated,

should be according to the prevailing practice as followed in
various departments of the country.
 BILL OF QUANTITIES
Description No Measurements Quantity Remarks
Sr.
No. of Items

Length Breadth Height

 PRICED BILL OF QUANTITIES
Sr. Description Quantity Unit Rate Cost Remarks
No. of Items (per Unit)
 DETAILED ESTIMATE
 Each item of the work is then multiplied by its estimated current rate
calculated by a fixed procedure to find out cost of the item.
 At the end, a total of all items of the work are made to get the total estimated
cost.
 The rates are usually as per Schedule of Rates for the locality plus a
premium to allow for rise in labor and material rates over and above the
schedule of rates.
 Contingencies charges are added 3% to 5% of estimated cost of the project.
 1.5% to 2% of the estimated cost of the project is added for work-charged
establishment called establishment charges.
 Supervision/Departmental/Centage charges is added 5% to 10% of estimated
cost of the project.
 DATA FOR DETAILED ESTIMATE
 Drawings
 Plan, elevation, sectional elevation, complete dimensions, cross
sections and long sections

 Specifications (Nature of materials and works)

 Rates
 Rates per unit of various items of work, rates of various materials,
wages of skilled and unskilled labors etc.
 DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED WITH DETAILED ESTIMATE
FOR OBTAINING TECHNICAL SANCTION

Besides drawings and details of measurements and calculation of

quantities (Bill of Quantities), the following documents are also usually
submitted with the detailed estimate for obtaining Technical Sanction:
 A report explaining History, necessity, scope and main features of
the project, its design, and estimate, etc.
 Specifications lying down the nature and class of work and material
to be used in various parts of the work.
 The abstract of cost (priced Bill of Quantities) showing the total
quantities under each sub-head, rate per unit of measurement, and
cost.
 Calculation sheets showing calculations for important parts of the
structure. In fact, in estimating the art and skill lies only in the
computation of details without any omissions, of all parts of the
building or work.
 TYPES OF DETAILED ESTIMATE
CONTRACTOR’S ESTIMATE:
It is made by the contractor for determining the price or prices to be
bid. It is usually a carefully prepared detailed estimate.

Bid: A formal proposal to buy something at a specified price.

ENGINEER’S ESTIMATE:
This type of estimate is made by the Engineer (Engineering deptt.)
usually for the purposes of financing the work and for checking bids
submitted by contractors.
PROGRESS ESTIMATES:
These are made by the Engineer at regular intervals for the completed
parts of the project during the progress of the work for determining the
amounts of partial payments to be made to the contractor.
On large contracts, such estimates are commonly made each month and
hence, are called monthly estimates.
TERMINOLOGIES
 PLINTH AREA
 It is the built up covered area of a building measured at floor level
of any storey.

 Plinth area is calculated by taking the external dimensions of the

building at the floor level.

 Court-yard, open areas, balconies and cantilever projections are

not included in the Plinth area.

 Supported porches (other than cantilevered) are included in the

Plinth area.
 FLOOR AREA
 Floor area of a building is the total area of floor in between walls
and consists of floor of all rooms, verandahs, passages, corridors,
entrance halls, kitchen, stores, bath and latrine.

 Area occupied by walls, pillars, and other intermediate supports

are not included in the Floor area.

 In short, Floor area is equal to Plinth area minus area occupied by

walls (supports).
 CIRCULATION AREA

 It is the floor area of verandahs, passages, corridors, balconies,

entrance hall, porches, stair cases etc. which are used for
movement of persons using the building.
 CARPET AREA
 Carpet Area of building is the useable area or liveable area or lettable
area.

 This is the total floor area minus the Circulation area of verandahs,
passages, corridors, balconies, entrance hall, porches, stair cases etc. and
minus other non-useable areas such as sanitary accomodations
(Bathroom and latrine), kitchen, stores and similar other rooms which
are not used for living purposes.

 For office building Carpet area is the lettable area (rentable area) or
useable area and for residential building it is liveable area.
 SCHEDULE OF RATES

 Schedule of rates is a list of rates of various items of work.

 To facilitate the preparation of estimates, and also to serve as a guide in

setting rates in contract agreements, a schedule of rates for all items of work
is maintained in the Engineering Department in the form of a printed book
known as “Schedule of rates/Market rate system document”. (MRS
Document)

 As the rates vary slightly from year to year, the rates are increased or
decreased by a percentage on the ‘Schedule of Rates’.

 If the workable rates differ much from the ‘Schedule of Rates’, then the rates
are revised and a new ‘Schedule of Rates” is prepared.
 COST FOR UNFORESEEN ITEMS/CONTINGENCY COST

 The term ‘Contingencies’ indicates incidental expenses of miscellaneous

character which can’t be classified under one head.

 For example stationary, printing, travelling expenses, telephone, rent and

taxes.

 There may also be certain unforeseen circumstances affecting the project.

 In an estimate a certain amount in the form of contingencies of 3-5 % of

estimated cost is provided to allow for these miscellaneous petty items and
unforeseen items.
 ESTABLISHMENT CHARGES

 The work-charged establishment are the employees who are

employed directly on the work for the actual execution of a
specific work.

 During a construction project, a certain number of work-

supervisors, chaukidars, munshies etc. are required to be
employed and their salaries are paid from the amount of work-
charged establishment provided in the estimate of the project.

 For work-charged establishment, a percentage of 1.5% to 2% of

the estimated cost is included in the estimate.
 ESTABLISHMENT CHARGES

 The work-charged employees are temporary project staff and their

appointment shall have to be sanctioned by the competent
authority for a specified period.

 Their services are terminated at the expiry of the sanctioned

period.

 If their services are required, fresh sanction shall have to be taken.

 CENTAGE /DEPARTMENTAL/SUPERVISION
CHARGES/CONSULTANCY CHARGES

 When the engineering department takes up the work of other

department a percentage amount of 10% to 15% of the estimated
cost is charged to meet the expenses of establishment, designing,
planning, supervision etc.

 This percentage charge is known as Centage Charge.

 OVERHEAD COSTS
 Overhead costs are indirect expenses which contribute to the overall cost of the project.

 It includes contingency cost, establishment charges.

 Overhead expenses = 5-10 %

 Contractor’s profit= 6-8 %

 Direct cost on actual work of a project = Approx. 85% of the whole cost

 Overhead cost (indirect) due to establishment, incidentals etc. + Contractor’s profit =

Approx. 15% of the whole cost

 In KPK Schedule of rates, amount equal to 22% of the estimated cost is allocated for
contractor’s profit and overhead costs.
 TOOLS AND PLANTS (T&P)

 For large projects, a percentage of 1% to 1.5% of the estimated

cost is provided in the estimate for the purchase of Tools and
Plants which will be required for the execution of the work.

 Normally the contractor has to arrange and use his own tools and
plants.
 ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL/SANCTION

 For any work or project required by a department, an approval of the

competent authority of the department, with respect to the cost and
work is necessary. The approval authorizes the engineering
department to take up the work/project.

 After the administrative approval, the engineering department

prepares detailed designs, plans and estimates and then executes the
work.

 The engineering department prepares approximate estimate and

preliminary plans and submits to the department concerned for
administrative approval.
 EXPENDITURE SANCTION

 Expenditure sanction means the concurrence (agreement) of the

Government of the expenditure proposed and represents allotment of
the money to meet the expenditure.

 No expenditure can be incurred before Expenditure Sanction is given.

 Expenditure sanction means allotment of fund or money for a specific

work and is usually, accorded (granted) by the Finance Department.
 TECHNICAL SANCTION

 Technical sanction means the sanction of the detailed estimate,

design calculations, quantities of works, rates and cost of the work
by the competent authority of the engineering department.

 After the technical sanction of the estimate is given, only then the
work is taken up for construction.
Thanks