Cost breakdown structure
The New Rules of Measurement (NRM) are published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and prepared by the Quantity Surveying and Construction Professional Group. They provide a standard set of measurement rules for estimating, cost planning, procurement and whole-life costing for construction projects.
According to NRM2: Detailed measurement for building works, in the context of bill of quantities, the cost breakdown structure (CBS) ‘…represents the financial breakdown of a building project into cost targets for elements or work packages.’ Where the bill of quantities (sometimes referred to as 'BoQ' or 'BQ') provides project specific measured quantities of the items of work identified by the drawings and specifications for a project .
The cost breakdown structure can be developed based on the work breakdown structure (WBS) and can be used to allocate costs to each part of the building project. The WBS and CBS provide a baseline for cost management of the project during construction.
For more information see: Bill of quantities breakdown structures.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bill of quantities breakdown structures.
- NRM2.
- Approximate bill of quantities.
- Bill of quantities.
- Cost planning.
- Elemental bill of quantities.
- Firm bill of quantities.
- Measurement.
- Product breakdown structure.
- Tender documentation.
- Tender pricing document.
- Types of bill of quantities.
- Uniclass.
- Work breakdown structure.
- Work package bill of quantities.
- Work section bill of quantities.
Featured articles and news
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.






















