Skill Profile
Bills of Quantities
"The observable action of measuring, itemising, and pricing all construction work in a project into a structured document in order to provide a common basis for contractor tendering and project cost control."
YOUR SKILLS
Problems This Skill Solves
- A client wants multiple contractors to tender on a fair like-for-like basis — a bill of quantities ensures every bidder prices identical scope
- A contractor submits a claim for variations — the BoQ provides a baseline rate against which variations are valued consistently
- A project's cost plan needs updating as design develops — remeasurement against the BoQ tracks how costs are changing from scheme design to tender
- A dispute arises over whether a piece of work was included in the original contract — the BoQ provides a definitive written record of what was priced
Roles That Use This Skill
1 total · 1 industryThis skill is concentrated in one industry.
Construction / Property
"BoQs are being made obsolete by BIM and model-based take-off."
BIM accelerates quantity extraction but the RICS rules of measurement, description writing, and commercial judgement embedded in a BoQ still require an experienced quantity surveyor. Model-based take-off is a tool, not a replacement.
"BoQ preparation is mainly about accurate measurement — correct quantities from a complete design produce an accurate tender."
Accurate measurement from a complete design is the ideal case. In practice, BoQs are prepared from partially developed designs, and the quantity surveyor must identify gaps, make assumptions, and structure provisional sums in ways that allocate risk appropriately between client and contractor. A correctly measured BoQ from an incomplete design can produce more post-contract disputes than a well-structured provisional BoQ.
Research & Outlook
Model-based quantity take-off from BIM is reducing manual measurement time, but the demand for QSs who can interpret, validate, and add commercial context to automated quantities is growing. Carbon measurement — quantifying embodied carbon alongside cost — is emerging as an additional BoQ dimension driven by net zero procurement requirements.
See This Skill In Action
Watch a professional demonstrate Bills of Quantities in a real working environment — what it looks like, how it's applied, and why it matters.
Technical / Quantity Surveying
Bills of Quantities
Also Known As
Growth Path
Understands the purpose of a BoQ and can measure simple elements (walls, floors, roofs) from drawings using NRM2. Produces itemised descriptions with correct units.
Produces complete BoQs for multi-trade construction projects independently. Applies NRM2 or CESMM rules across all work sections. Interrogates drawings and specifications to identify all measurable work.
Leads BoQ production for complex major projects (hospitals, infrastructure, mixed-use). Manages a team of measurers. Advises on procurement strategy, contract selection, and dispute resolution using BoQ data.
How to Practise
- 1.Take a set of architectural drawings for a simple building element (e.g. a brick wall) and measure it using NRM2 rules — produce a BoQ item with description, quantity, unit, and rate
- 2.Practise quantity take-off from PDF drawings using Bluebeam or on-screen measurement tools, applying the correct measurement rules for each work section
- 3.Study the RICS NRM2 document and understand the measurement rules for at least five major work sections (substructure, masonry, roofing, finishes, mechanical)
- 4.Shadow a quantity surveyor during a BoQ preparation exercise and observe how drawings are interrogated and descriptions are written
How to Prove
- ·RICS AssocRICS or MRICS Assessment of Professional Competence with Bills of Quantities as a declared competency
- ·Produced BoQ document used in a live tender process, with evidence of contractor queries and final contract sum
- ·CostX or CATO proficiency demonstrated through a completed take-off exercise reviewed by a senior QS
- ·Contribution to a BoQ on a named project visible in employer reference or portfolio