BILLS OF QUANTITIES

BUILDING SURVEYING DEPARTMENT,

FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING & SURVEYING,
UiTM PERAK.

BSR264 – MEASSUREMENT & ESTIMATING II

 CONTENT

1) Definition
2) Purpose of BQ
3) BQ preparation
4) BQ format / types of BQ
5) BQ preparation process
BILL OF QUANTITIES (BQ)
This is the best and most accurate method of estimating.

Bills of Quantities are prepared by qualified QS who have

taken off quantities from the drawings accurately and
grouped them in bill form under various trade headings.

All that the contractor needs to do is to allow a price for

each item, multiply the quantities with the price in order
to arrive at his total tender figure.
 DEFINITION
Bill of Quantities (BQ) are documents that describe the quality and give the
quantities of the constituent parts of proposed building works. (Senarai
Kuantiti (BQ) adalah dokumen yang menerangkan kualiti dan memberikan
kuantiti dari bahagian-bahagian kerja-kerja bangunan yang dicadangkan)
Bill of Quantities is a ESSENTIAL BREAKDOWN LIST OF ALL WORK

TO BE DONE IN A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. The list can be

divided into certain sections and detailed by title.

HOW?
This process is done by Quantity Surveyor and their team.
The Quantity Surveyor will do a analysis on drawings and specification
and follows by preparation a standard set of rules, translates them into a
schedule of quantified (Jadual Kuantiti), and build up a descriptive items
of the constituent parts of the proposed project..
 PURPOSE OF BQ
 Two primary functions :-

1) INITIALLY
They are used as tender document to provide a uniform
basis for competitive lump sum tenders.

2) SUBSEQUENTLY
They become contract documents serving as schedules of
rates for pricing variations.
 BQ PREPARATION
Bill of quantities are prepared by describing and
quantifying, in accordance with the rules of SMM2, the
work shown on drawing and given in the specification.

In normal practice to arrange BQ in 3 generic sections :-

a) PRELIMINARIES
b) PREAMBLES
c) MEASURED WORKS
 PRELIMINARIES
 The initial cost that need to be provided and expended before
construction work are performed at site.

 This section describes about project, the details of the contract, the
contractor liability, obligation, facilities on site, client requirements
and other matters that affect the implementation of the work.

 These items can not be measured but can be inserted base on lump
sum calculation.

 Example; the cost of insurance, temporary works at sites such as

hoarding, drainage, access roads, temporary water and electricity
supply, site offices, canteen, workers accommodation etc.
 PREAMBLES
 Preambles are additional statements to the particulars in
the contract documents, whether special additions to the
specification or preliminaries.

 It varies according to the concepts and requirements of a

contract is offered.

 Preambles are additional statements that explains the

particulars of type of work and the quality of materials
which are not specified in the drawing or any other
document.
It is a reference to the contractor in putting the current
price tendered.
 PREAMBLES
 During Preamble preparation, it is based on trade (tukang)
that refers to the standard method of measurement (SMM2).
 All prices of every element which is relevant, must be
referred together in order to be priced.
 Importance of Preambles

1) To ensure that the materials used are of high quality.

2) To describes the methods and techniques of work
3) To assist contractors understand the work that needs to be
priced together under same Bill.
4) To simplify the job descriptions and reduce the use of taking
off paper.
5) As reference to such terms, for example 'as described' and 'as
specified'.
6) To complete the content of information contained in the
specification or any document
MEASURED WORKS
 Is a detailed and accurate list of quantities which
measured approximately from the plan, abstracted
and transferred to a special form (BQ form),
intended to be priced by contractors during the
tendering process.

 The list shall fully describe and accurately

represent the quantity and quality of the work to be
carried out.
BQ FORMAT / TYPES OF BQ

For tender purposes - it is normal to arrange BQ in 3

format:-

a) Locational bill of quantities

b) Annotated bill of quantities
c) Elemental bill of quantities
 BQ PREPARATION PROCESS
There are 4 main steps:-

STEP 1: - Taking off

STEP 2: - Squaring
(Pendaraban/Persegian

STEP 3: - Abstracting

STEP 4: - Bill Writing

 BQ PROCESS

STEP 1: - TAKING OFF QUANTITIES

Measuring process - the measurement of quantities are based on plans and
detailed drawings, by using specific format and method known as 'taking off'.

This calculation then transferred to 'dimension or Taking-off paper' which is

containing 4 column with 4 functions.
Column 1 - used for listing the quantity / number of element.

Column 2 - is the dimension column.

Column 3 - used for enter total amount of calculations
Column 4 - is a column for writing a description of the material.
For example: Excavation work - calculate the number of depth, size (length x
width x height), unit (m3) and excavation description.
 STEP 2 : SQUARING

The process of 'Multiplication‘ or ‘SQUARING’ is conducted on

the Taking-off paper after all dimensions or measurements for
some part or particular section of work has been completed.

If the project is small, ‘SQUARING' tasks usually carried out after

the entire process of measuring the quantity has been completed.

In all levels of measurement, accuracy is essential. Therefore, the

process of multiplication must be counter checked by other
surveyor as the second revision to minimize mistakes or to
correct the mistakes if any
 STEP 3: ABSTRACT (PENYARIAN)

Abstract is collecting process.

All measurement of taking-off quantities of the

same type are grouped together under one
heading/section - in which all the total of a
calculation and descriptions written neatly, detailed
and complete, either by Element Bill or Trade
(Tukang) Bill.
 STEP 4: BILL WRITING

Finally, the 'bill quantities' are provided in a suitable form

and comply with SMM2.

After all steps 1 to 3 were completed, a list of description

together with the amount of quantities shall be
transferred to a standard BQ form (according to the
standard SMM2).

Again, when writing a bill, it must be checked repeatedly

by surveyors and final review by the chief surveyor in
order to detect errors or discrepancies earlier.
 So...let see
the example……