What is a bill of quantities?

A bill of quantities, often shortened to BOQ or BQ, is a structured document describing building work and recording its measured quantities. An item identifies the work, its unit of measurement and its quantity. A priced bill also includes rates and amounts.

It gives the people pricing the work a common starting point. For example, they can see which floor finish is required and the area to be covered, rather than each making a different assumption. A bill can also support later valuation, depending on its role in the agreed contract. Its preparation and use are explained in NRM 2: Detailed measurement for building works.

What should you check?

Read the bill alongside the drawings and specification. Check the package boundary, drawing revisions, measurement basis, exclusions and assumptions. A quantity without a clear description can still be priced for the wrong work. A bill does not, by itself, decide who carries the risk of an incorrect quantity or later change.

Measurement and pricing are separate steps. Measuring the work establishes the quantities; pricing needs a supported cost build-up. Our Measurement & Bills of Quantities service produces the document to be priced. Estimating & Tender Pricing builds the price where that is also needed.

A simple quantity example

Assume three rooms have measured floor areas of 40 m², 35 m² and 25 m², all with the same defined finish. For this fictional illustration, assume no deductions or measurement adjustments. The item quantity is 40 + 35 + 25 = 100 m².

A revised drawing adds an 8 m² store with the same finish. On those assumptions, the revised quantity is 108 m². Record the new drawing reference and the 8 m² change so nobody compares a price for 100 m² with one for 108 m² as though the scope were identical. This simplified example does not replace the agreed measurement rules.

If you already have a bill, start by checking its source drawings and assumptions. When preparing an enquiry, structuring the pricing schedule helps make the tender returns easier to compare.

If you only need material quantities, the material take-off comparison explains how that output differs from a complete bill.