Director’s adjustment
The New Rules of Measurement (NRM) are published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). 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, a director’s adjustment is:
| …a reduction or addition to the tender price, derived by the contractor’s estimating team, offered by the director(s) of the contractor. |
The contractor’s directors, or other senior managers, will typically perform a commercial review of the estimated price with a view to how best to secure work. They may then decide to adjust to the estimated price, taking into consideration the need to secure work, the level of competition in the market, the company’s cash flow, financing charges and so on.
This will be identified as a separate line in the bill of quantities, where the contractor can insert their adjustment.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Approximate bill of quantities.
- Bill of quantities breakdown structures.
- Bill of quantities.
- Elemental bill of quantities.
- Firm bill of quantities.
- Measurement.
- NRM2.
- Tender documentation.
- Tender pricing document.
- Types of bill of quantities.
- Work package bill of quantities.
- Work section bill of quantities.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
New and updated CLC building safety guidance.
New UK National Buildings Database.
Building Safety Wiki Interviews
Chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief explanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.