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Billofquantities
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Abillofquantities(BOQ)isadocumentusedintenderingintheconstructionindustryinwhichmaterials,
parts,andlabor(andtheircosts)areitemized.Italso(ideally)detailsthetermsandconditionsofthe
constructionorrepaircontractanditemizesallworktoenableacontractortopricetheworkforwhichheor
sheisbidding.

Contents
1Creation
2Contingencysum
3Criticisms
4Seealso
5References
6Books

Creation
Billsofquantitiesarepreparedbyquantitysurveyorsandbuildingestimators,andIndeedthebillof
quantitieswasthereasontobeforthedevelopmentofquantitysurveyingasaseparateprofession..[1]
Billsofquantitiesarepreparedbyatakingoffinwhichthecostofabuildingorotherstructureis
estimatedfrommeasurementsintheArchitects,StructuralEngineers,andotherbuildingconsultants
drawings.Theseareusedtocreateacostestimatesuchasinregardtothesquareareainmetersofwallsand
roofs,thenumbersofdoorsandwindows,andsystemsasheating,plumbingandelectrics.Similartypesof
workarethenbroughttogetherunderoneitem,aprocessknownas"abstracting".
Estimatingbooksprovidetherelevantcostsofthematerialsandlabourcostsoftheoperationsortrades
usedinconstruction.Astheratesformaterialsandlabourchangeduetoinflation,thesebooksare
frequentlyrepublished.
Thepracticehistoricallyofestimatingbuildingcostsinthiswayarosefromnoncontractualmeasurements,
takenoffdrawingstoassisttenderersinquotinglumpsumprices.
Therearedifferentstylesofbillsofquantities,mainlytheElementalBOQandTradeBills.

Contingencysum
AContingencysumisanitemfoundwithinaBillofquantities(BoQ).
Theitemreferstounforeseeablecostlikelytobeincurredduringthecontract.

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Therearetwotypesofcontingencysum.Thefirstreferstoaspecificitemi.e.'additionalalterationsto
serviceswheninstallingsaidshowerunit'whereanitemforalterationstoexistingservicesisnotcontained
withintheBoQbutsomeworkisenvisaged.
Thesecondtypeofsumiswheremoneycanbeallocatedtoanyitem,withintheBoQ,inthesamewayas
theaboveexampleorusedas'additionalworktobeundertakenbythecontractor,attherequestofthe
contractadministrator'.
ThefirstisusuallyapproximatedbytheclientsPQSandthesecondbythecontractorsQS(orcommercial
manager).
AdditionalrequirementsisreferredasBillofmaterials(BOM).

Criticisms
Billsofquantitiescompoundslabourandmaterialcostsbycombiningthemintoasingleratethatisthen
adjustedinregardstomaterialquantities.Theyalsodonotconsiderallthemaincostsincurredby
contractorssuchasconstructionplant,temporaryworks,andpaymentsmadeonaninterimbasisinregard
toworkcompleted.Thustheydonotactuallymodelrealcosts.Analternativeformofcostdocumentthat
accountsforthesecostswasdevelopedatBuildingResearchEstablishmentandcalledanoperational
bill.[2][3][4]
Billsofquantitiesmaypreventcontractorsfromdevelopingeffectivecostcontrolsystems.[5]
TheyimpairtransparencyinregardtochangesandcostsIthassuggestedthatthereasonwhybillsof
quantitystillfindfavourwithcontractorsistheopportunityitprovidesforcreatingasmokescreenaround
thecontractor'soriginalintentions.Thus,frontendloadingmaygoundetected,andnewratesmaybe
negotiatedalmostfromscratch.[6]

Seealso
Billofmaterials(BOM)
Operationalbills
ABillofQuantitiesdoesinfactconsiderallcostsandistransparentinrelationstoallcosts.Where
informationismissingatthetime,sumsbasedonadhocschedulesorknowrateswillbeentered,butthis
willofcoursedependonthecontractbeingused.Traditionalroutes,wheretimeisnotsomuchanissueadd
bettercostcertainty.FrominceptiontocompletionandbeyondBillsofQuantitiescoverallaspectofwork
andthisincludesallwork,materialsandanycostrelatedaspectssuppliedbythecontractor.Thisisdonein
thepreliminarystagesoftheBillanditisthenuptothecontractortoenterratesagainsttheitems
mentioned.(Thedescriptionpreviouslyeditedhereismisleadinganduntrue.)

References
1. Potts,K.(2004).Quantitysurveyingtoolsandtechniques:Areviewofclientandcontractorrequirements
COBRATheinternationalconstructionresearchconferenceoftheRoyalInstitutionofCharteredSurveyors78
SeptemberISBN1842191993
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2. Skoyles,E.R.(1966)ExamplesfromoperationalbillsOCLC61861509
(https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61861509)
3. Skoyles,E.R.(1967)Preparationofanoperationalbill.BuildingResearchStationISBN9780851250199
OCLC271085985(https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/271085985)
4. Potts,K.(2008).ConstructionCostManagement:LearningfromCaseStudies,Routledge.ISBN9780415
442862
5. PottsKF(1995).Majorconstructionworkscontractualandfinancialmanagement.Longman.ISBN9780582
102989
6. Fenn,P.Gameson,R.(1992).ConstructionConflictManagementandResolution:ProceedingsoftheFirst
InternationalConstructionManagementConference,theUniversityofManchester,Taylor&Francis,ISBN978
0419181408p.262

Books
SeeleyIH.(1998).BuildingQuantitiesExplained5thRevisededition,MacmillanISBN9780333
719725
SeeleyIH.(1997).QuantitySurveyingPractice,2ndRevisedMacmillanISBN9780333689073
LeeS.TrenchW.WillisA.(2005)ElementsofQuantitySurveying.10thEditionWileyBlackwell
ISBN9781405125635
AshworthA.HoggK.(2007).WillissElementsofQuantitySurveying12RevEdeditionBlackwell
Publishing.ISBN9781405145787
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Categories: Construction Procurement Projectmanagement
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