CIVIL ENGINEERING

STANDARD METHOD OF
MEASUREMENTS
(CESMM 3)

By
V R K Murty
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Introduction:
1971 - 74 Revision of Civil Engineering
Standard Method of Measurement
(CESMM 3) was taken up by Institution of
Civil Engineers (ICE), London and
Federation of Civil Engineering
contractors(First Edition).
1983-85 Second Edition of CESMM was
taken up.
1991- Third Edition of CESMM was
published.
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Section 1: Definitions
Section 2: General Principles
Section 3: Application of the Work
Classification
Section 4: Coding and Numbering of Items
Section 5: Preparation of Bill of Quantities
Section 6: Completion, Pricing and use of
Bill of Quantities
Section 7: Method Related Charges
Section 8: Work Classification
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Definitions:
1.1 Conditions of contract: The ICE
conditions of contract sixth edition January
1991, prepared by the Institution of
Engineers jointly with the association of
Consulting Engineers and the Federation
of Civil Engineering Contractors.
1.2. Work: Includes the work to be carried
out, goods, materials and services to be
supplied, and the liabilities, obligations and
risks to be undertaken by the contractor.
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Definitions:
1.3. Bill of Quantities: A list of items giving
brief identifying descriptions and estimated
quantities of the work comprised in the
contract.
1.4. Hyphen between two dimensions:
Range of dimensions which includes all
dimensions exceeding that preceding the
hyphen but not exceeding that following
the hyphen.
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General Principles:
2.1 Object of CESMM: To set forth the procedure
according to which the bill of quantities shall be
prepared and the quantities of work expressed
and measured.
2.2 Object of bill of quantities: a) To provide such
information of the quantities of work as to enable
tenders to be prepared efficiently and
accurately. b) When a contract has been
entered into, to provide for use of the priced bill
of quantities in the valuation of work executed.
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General Principles:
2.3 CESMM seeks to attain the objective by the
use of work classification; Viz.
a) How the work is to be divided into separate
items
b) The information to be given in item
descriptions
c) The units in which each item is to be
expressed
d) How the work is to be measured for the
purpose of calculating quantities
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Application of Work Classification:

3.1. Item description: Work classification
divides work of civil engineering into 26
classes. Each class comprises up to three
divisions which classify work at successive
levels of detail. Each division comprises a
list of up to eight descriptive features of
the work. Bill of quantities shall identify the
component of work covered with respect
to one feature from each division of the
relevant class.
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Application of Work Classification:

3.1 E.g. Class H (Pre-cast concrete) contains three
divisions of classification. The first classifies
the types of pre-cast units., the second
classifies different units by their dimensions,
and the third by their mass.
3.2 Mode of description: Shall generally identify
the component of the work and not the tasks to
be carried out by the contractor. E.g. ‘Mild
steel bar reinforcement to BS 4449 nominal
size 20mm’
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Application of Work Classification:

3.3 Measurement rules: The rules in the
work classification set out the conditions
under which the work shall be measured
and the method by which the quantities
shall be computed.
3.4 Coverage rules: The work stated is
deemed to be included in the appropriate
items to the extent that such work is
included in the contract.
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4. Coding and numbering of items:

4.1 Coding: Each item of work is assigned a code
number consisting of a letter and not more
than three digits.
Code H 1 3 6 identifies an item as
Class H Pre-cast concrete
First division 1 Beams
Second division 3 Length 7-10m
Third division 6 Mass 5-10t
H 1 3 * means the group of code numbers from
H 1 3 1 to H 1 3 8
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4. Coding and numbering of items:

4.2 Item numbers in the bill of quantities are listed
in ascending order.
4.3 Unclassified items: Where a feature of an item
is not listed in the work classification the digit 9
shall be used. Where there is an item for which
division of classification does not apply or
where division of classification is less than
three 0 will be used at appropriate position
4.4 Additional description of works: Can be
indicated as say H 1 3 6 .1 to denote pre-cast
beams having the same code but different
additional description
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5. Preparation of bill of quantities: All notes on

preparation of bill of quantities with regard to
its contents, format, totalling shall be indicated.
6. Completion, pricing and use of bill of quantities
7.1Method related charges: The sum for an item
inserted in the BOQ by a tenderer based on
the method specified by him
7.2 Time related charge: A method related charge
proportional to the length of time taken to
execute the work
7.3 Fixed charge: Method related charge which is
not time related
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8. Work Classification:
Class A: General Items
Class B: Ground Investigation
Class C: Geotechnical and other Specialist
Processes
Class D: Demolition and Site Clearance
Class E: Earth Work
Class F: In Situ Concrete
Class G: Concrete Ancillaries
Class H: Pre-cast Concrete
Class I: Pipe work- Pipes
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8. Work Classification:
Class J: Pipe work - Fittings and Valves
Class K: Pipe work – Manholes and pipe work ancillaries
Class L: Pipe work – Supports and protection, Ancillaries to
laying and Excavation
Class M: Structural Metal Work
Class N: Miscellaneous Metal Work
Class O: Timber
Class P: Piles
Class Q: Piling Ancillaries
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8. Work Classification:
Class R: Roads and Paving
Class S: Rail track
Class T: Tunnels
Class U: Brickwork, Block work and masonry
Class V: Painting
Class W: Waterproofing
Class X: Miscellaneous work
Class Y: Sewer and Water main renovation and
ancillary work
Class Z: Simple Building works incidental to Civil
Engineering works