Specifications and
Bill of Quantities
[BoQ]
Lecture 3
M. A.
23rd Mar, 2026
3. Quantity Surveying
• Introduction
• Measurement
• Materials Take Off Preparation and Measuring
• Writing Bill of Quantities
• Preparation of Tenders
3.1. Introduction
Introduction
▪ Quantity surveying is a processes used in the
construction industry to represent:
▪ Preparation of specifications
▪ Taking measurements of civil works
▪ Estimating the cost of works
either for each trade of work or for the whole
project. 4
Introduction
▪ The term “surveying” means to inspect, study,
review, investigate, assess, and hence “to
measure”
▪ Therefore the term “quantity surveying” means
“quantity measuring” as applied to civil
engineering projects
5
Introduction
▪ It is the application of standard methods of
measurement to quantify the amount of various
items in a construction project, for the
undertaking of valuation, and certifying
payments.
6
3.2. Measurement Principles
Measurement Principles
▪ Measurement of civil works includes the taking off
of work either from drawings or the building itself
to define the extent of works under each trade.
▪ To avoid ambiguity in measuring quantities, there
is a recommended principle of measurement in
construction activities.
▪ Professional organizations publish
recommendations on units of measurement, 8
degree of accuracy etc.
“
▪ The standard book, which is used
in Ethiopia, is Standard Technical
Specification & Method of
Measurement for Construction
of Buildings by BaTCoDA,
March 1991.
▪ Ethiopian Road Authority
Standard Specification, 2002 is
used for Road Construction.
9
Measurement Principles
▪ The following are list of the basic principles of
quantity surveying, applicable to all items of
work.
10
Measurement Principles
▪ Each work section of a bill shall contain a brief
description of the nature and location of work.
▪ Work shall be measured net as fixed in position.
▪ Measure the full work area and adjust deductions
later.
▪ Items which are to be measured by area shall
state the thickness or such other information as
may be appropriate. 11
Measurement Principles
▪ Items which are to be measured by length or
depth shall state the cross-sectional size and
shape, girth or ranges of girths or such other
information as may be appropriate.
▪ Items which are to be measured by weight shall
state the material thickness and unit weight if
appropriate (Ex. Duct work)
12
Measurement Principles
▪ Piece of work shall be taken in numbers.
▪ For items of pipe work it shall be stated whether
the diameter is internal or external.
▪ Mass voluminous and thick works shall be
measured in volume (cubic meter)
▪ Thin, shallow and surface work shall be measured
in area (meter square) specifying the thickness.
13
Measurement Principles
▪ Long and thin work shall be measured in length
(linear measure, running meter)
▪ Bills are deemed to include labor, materials,
goods and plant and all associated costs for
fixing, assembling, etc.
14
3.3. Materials Take Off
Preparation and Measuring
Units of Measurement
▪ Depending on the prevailing system of
measurement in any locality, quantities may be
measured
▪ in the FPS system or the metric system. Here in
Ethiopia, the most common unit of measurement is
the International System of Units, or the metric
system of units in which the various items are
measured as follows: 16
Units of Measurement
No Measurement Type Unit Abbreviation
1 Length Meter M
2 Mass Kilogram Kg
3 Time Second S
4 Current Ampere A
5 Temperature Degree Kelvin K
6 Luminous Intensity Candles Cd 17
Degrees of accuracy in measurement - Precision
▪ All dimensions measure to the nearest 0.01m
▪ Thickness of slab measure to the nearest 0.005m
▪ Wood work measure to the nearest 0.002m
▪ Steel work measure to the nearest 0.001m
▪ Reinforcement measure to the nearest 0.005m
▪ Road work measure to the nearest 0.005m
▪ Areas measure to the nearest 0.01 m2 18
Degrees of accuracy in measurement - Precision
▪ Steel work areas measure to nearest 0.001 m2
▪ Volume measure to the nearest 0.01 m3
▪ Wood work volume measure to the nearest
0.001 m3
▪ Weights measure to the nearest 1 kg
19
The Process of Quantity Surveying
▪ There are four defined steps in preparation of
Bill of Quantities:
I. Taking off
II. Squaring
III. Abstracting
IV. Writing the final Bill of Quantity
20
1. Taking Off
▪ In this task the quantity surveyor “take off” the
quantities from the drawings and determines the
volume of work to be done for the various
components.
▪ These quantities are calculated in a specially
prepared format, as to aid accurate
preparation and enable checking/rechecking or
adjusting of amounts and correcting errors if 21
any.
1. Taking Off
▪ These special formats are called “Take off
sheets” or “Dimension Paper”.
▪ The dimension paper used for taking off is
usually double-ruled (A4 size).
22
1. Taking Off
Col 1: Timesing column Col 3: Squaring column
23
Col 2: Dimension column Col 4: Description column
1. Taking Off
Col 1: Timesing column: used for stating the number
of times an item occurs 24
1. Taking Off
Col 2: Dimension column: used to enter the dimensions
of the items of works entered in the order Length, 25
Width, Height or thickness.
1. Taking Off
Col 3: Squaring column: The stated dimensions in col 2
are multiplied to determine the quantity of the work 26
either in m, m2, m3, Pcs or No.
1. Taking Off
Col 4: Description column: description of the work item
is briefly stated. 27
1. Taking Off - Example
28
1. Taking Off - Example
29
1. Taking Off
Separate sheet for calculating amount of re-bars
30
1. Taking Off
31
2. Squaring
▪ This is the process of multiplying, adding,
subtracting or dividing the recorded dimensions
for the purpose of obtaining total linear
measures, areas, volumes etc.
▪ The dimensions entered in Col 2 are squared or
cubed as the case may be, multiplied by the
timising factor, and the result entered in Col 3.
32
3. Abstracting
▪ The squared dimensions are transferred to
abstract sheets and all similar dimensions are
collected in the same category to obtain the
total quantity of each item.
33
4. Writing the Final Bill of Quantities
▪ After the abstract sheets have been completed
and checked, the final bill of quantity is written.
▪ The dimensions are copied from the abstracts,
and as each item is transferred it should be
ticked by a vertical line from the abstract sheets.
▪ The description of each item in the final BoQ
should be short, precise and descriptive as per
34
the specification.
“ Specification Worksheet (BOQ
form) is the format which is
includes a short description of
the specification along with its
measuring unit, quantity and
unit prices to determine the
total cost for each trade of
item.
35
Project: Residence
Location : Bahir Dar, XXX sub city; Kebele XX
Owner: Ato XXXX XXXX, Block Number XX; Parcel ID XXXXX
MAIN BUILDING
“
SUMMARY OF MAIN BUILDING G+2 BOQ
Item No Description Unit Contract Amount
A. SUB-STRUCTURE
1 EXCAVATION & EARTH WORK Birr 295,282.84
2 CONCRETE WORK ,, 1,252,700.89
3 MASONRY WORK ,, 172,852.80
SUB-TOTAL A 1,720,836.54
B. SUPER-STRUCTURE
1 CONCRETE WORK Birr 2,018,184.71
2 BLOCK WORK ,, 789,644.42
3 ROOFING ,, 204,899.73
4 CARPENTRY AND JOINERY ,, 300,433.20
5 ALUMINIUM AND METAL WORK ,, 978,108.55
6 FINISHING ,, 2,128,060.71
7 PAINTING ,, 180,218.55
8 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION ,, 332,806.00
36
9 SANITARY INSTALLATION ,, 512,151.00
SUB-TOTAL B 7,444,506.87
SUB TOTAL A+B 9,165,343.41
Project: Residence
Location : Bahir Dar, XXX sub city; Kebele XX
Owner: Ato XXXX XXXX, Block Number XX; Parcel ID
MAIN BUILDING
Bill Of Quantity And Specification
CONTRACT
ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT
QTY RATE AMOUNT
A. SUB-STRUCTURE
1. EXCAVATION & EARTH WORK
1.1 Clearing of site to a depth not exceeding 200mm. m2 100.00 44.00 4,400.00
Bulk excavation in ordinary soil to a depth of 500mm from
reduced level. Tentative quantity actual quantity taken
1.2 from Attaching serving date. m3 50.00 261.00 13,050.00
Pit excavation in ordinary soil to a depth not exceeding
1500mm from reduced ground level. Total depth of pit
excavation depend on soil condition and decide for the
1.3 engineers. m3 11.01 272.00 2,994.04
A) Ditto ,but Soffit Rock m3 6.60 693.00 4,576.92
B).Ditto ,but hard & boulder Rock m3 26.42 1,247.00 32,943.25
Ditto but exceeding 1500mm but not exceeding 37
3
1.4 [Link] hard & boulder Rock m 29.35 1,559.00 45,756.65
Trench excavation in ordinary soil to stone masonry
Trench excavation in ordinary soil to stone masonry
foundation wall to a depth not exceeding 150cm, starting
1.5 from reduced level m3 12.30 272.00 3,345.60
A) Ditto ,but Soffit Rock m3 7.38 693.00 5,114.34
B).Ditto ,but hard & boulder Rock m3 29.52 1,247.00 36,811.44
Back fill around footings and foundation with selected
borrow material from outside or inside excavated material,
well rammed in layers of 200 mm thick and compacted at
1.6 dry density and optimum moisture content. m3 68.10 831.00 56,591.10
Back fill under hard core with material brought from
quarry or inside excavated material and compact in layers
not exceeding 20 cm [Link] of fill depend on surving
1.7 data. m3 41.33 831.00 34,345.23
1.8 Cart away excavated material. m3 83.15 172.00 14,301.80
250mm thick basaltic or equivalent stone hard core well
1.9 rolled, consolidated and blinded with crushed stone. m2 68.88 596.00 41,052.48
Total carried to summary Birr 295,282.84
2. CONCRETE WORK
Mix and discharge 50mm thick lean concrete in class C-
2.1 5 with minimum cement content of 150kg/m3 under: 38
2
A) Under footings Pad. m 15.20 396.00 6,019.20
B) Ditto but under masonry foundation wall.. m2 20.70 396.00 8,197.20
A) Under footings Pad. m2 15.20 396.00 6,019.20
B) Ditto but under masonry foundation wall.. m2 20.70 396.00 8,197.20
C) Ditto under strap beam m2 3.54 397.00
D) Ditto under Grade beam m2 10.87 397.00
Reinforced concrete class in C-20/25 with a 28-day 150mm
2.2 cube crashing strength of 25MPa Cast in to form works -
A) In Footing Pad. m3 6.03 12,804.00 77,208.12
B) In Strap beam m3 2.54 13,012.00 33,050.48
C) In foundation columns. m3 1.88 13,403.00 25,197.64
D) In 100mm thick ground floor slab. m2 68.88 1,280.40 88,193.95
E) In Ground floor beams. m3 5.12 13,012.00 66,621.44
Provide, cut and fix in position sawn Zigba wood
2.3 formwork to: -
2
A) To Strap footings. m 19.44 848.00 16,485.12
B) To Strap beam 16.95 883.00 14,966.85
C) To foundation columns. m2 27.61 1,099.00 30,343.39
D) To Ground floor beams. m2 40.96 883.00 36,167.68
Steel reinforcement according to structural drawing.
Price shall include cutting, bending, placing in position
39
2.4 and tying wires. -
(a) Dia 6 mm deformed bar kg 259.00 -
2.3 formwork to: -
2
A) To Strap footings. m 19.44 848.00 16,485.12
B) To Strap beam 16.95 883.00 14,966.85
C) To foundation columns. m2 27.61 1,099.00 30,343.39
D) To Ground floor beams. m2 40.96 883.00 36,167.68
Steel reinforcement according to structural drawing.
Price shall include cutting, bending, placing in position
2.4 and tying wires. -
(a) Dia 6 mm deformed bar kg 259.00 -
(b) Dia 8 mm deformed bar kg 1,736.98 198.00 343,922.22
(c) Dia 10mm deformed bar kg 585.63 198.00 115,953.86
(d) Dia 12mm deformed bar kg 207.09 196.00 40,589.73
(e) Dia 14mm deformed bar kg 1,500.61 196.00 294,119.72
(f) Dia 16mm deformed bar kg 273.81 196.00 53,667.54
Supply and Fix 10x170mm Styrofoam or Equivalent
2.5 expansion joint filler between beam and ground floor Slab Ml 81.50 24.50 1,996.75
Total carried to summary Birr 1,252,700.89
3 MASONRY WORK
50cm thick hard basaltic or equivalent stone masonry
foundation wall below NGL, bedded and jointed in cement
3.1 mortar 1:4 m3 25.88 4,665.00 120,730.20 40
3.2 Ditto but for Above NGL. m3 10.35 5,036.00 52,122.60
Total carried to summary Birr 172,852.80
Project: Residence
Location : Bahir Dar, XXX sub city; Kebele XX
Owner: Ato XXXX XXXX, Block Number XX; Parcel ID XXXXX
MAIN BUILDING
“
SUMMARY OF MAIN BUILDING G+2 BOQ
Item No Description Unit Contract Amount
A. SUB-STRUCTURE
1 EXCAVATION & EARTH WORK Birr 295,282.84
2 CONCRETE WORK ,, 1,252,700.89
3 MASONRY WORK ,, 172,852.80
SUB-TOTAL A 1,720,836.54
B. SUPER-STRUCTURE
1 CONCRETE WORK Birr 2,018,184.71
2 BLOCK WORK ,, 789,644.42
3 ROOFING ,, 204,899.73
4 CARPENTRY AND JOINERY ,, 300,433.20
5 ALUMINIUM AND METAL WORK ,, 978,108.55
6 FINISHING ,, 2,128,060.71
7 PAINTING ,, 180,218.55
8 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION ,, 332,806.00
41
9 SANITARY INSTALLATION ,, 512,151.00
SUB-TOTAL B 7,444,506.87
SUB TOTAL A+B 9,165,343.41
Thank You!
Questions?
42