Elemental bill of quantities

A bill of quantities (sometimes referred to as a 'BoQ' or 'BQ') is a document, typically prepared by a cost consultant (often a quantity surveyor), that provides measured quantities of the items of work identified by the drawings and specifications in the tender documentation for a project. It is issued to tenderers to allow them to prepare a price for carrying out the works.

According to NRM2, RICS new rules of measurement, Detailed measurement for building work, there are three main breakdown structures for bill of quantities:

• Elemental bill of quantities.
• Work package bill of quantities.
• Work section bill of quantities.

The elemental breakdown structure undertakes measurement and description by group elements, with each group element forming a separate section of the bill of quantities, irrespective of the order of work sections in NRM 2. Group elements are sub-divided through the use of elements, which are further sub-divided by sub-elements, as defined by NRM 1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works.

This structure can make it easier for the cost consultant to analyse contractors' tender prices and collect real-time cost data.

NRM 2 suggests that an elemental breakdown structure for a simple project might be:

• Bill No. 1: Preliminaries (main contract).
• Bill No. 2: Facilitating works.
• Bill No. 3: Substructure.
• Bill No. 4: Superstructure.
• Bill No. 5: Internal finishes.
• Bill No. 6: Fittings, furnishings and equipment.
• Bill No. 7: Services.
• Bill No. 8: External works.
• Bill No. 9: Risks.
• Bill No. 10: Provisional sums.
• Bill No. 11: Credits.
• Bill No. 12: Daywork (provisional).

[edit] Find out more about related subjects

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Advantages of a bill of quantities.
• Approximate bill of quantities.
• Bill of quantities.
• Bill of quantities breakdown structures.
• Common Arrangement of Work Sections (CAWS).
• Common mistakes in bill of quantities.
• Comparison of SMM7 with NRM2.
• Elemental cost plan.
• Firm bill of quantities.
• How to take off construction works.
• Measurement.
• NRM1.
• NRM2.
• NRM3.
• Schedule of rates.
• Standard Method of Measurement (SMM7).
• Taking off.
• Tender.
• Tender documentation.
• Tender pricing document.
• Types of bill of quantities.
• Uniclass.
• Work package bill of quantities.
• Work section bill of quantities.