Glossary · also called Bill of Quantities, Bill of Quantity, Schedule of quantities
What is a BOQ (Bill of Quantities)?
BOQ: A BOQ (bill of quantities) is a document that lists every item of work in a construction project, with a description, unit of measurement and quantity for each. Contractors price it with rates to bid, and once a contract is awarded the priced BOQ becomes the basis for budgets, measurement and RA bills.
Definition
A bill of quantities (BOQ) breaks a construction project down into measurable items of work — excavation, PCC, reinforcement steel, brickwork, plaster, flooring, electrical points and so on. Each item has a description, a unit (cum, sqm, kg, rmt, nos), a quantity and, once priced, a rate and amount. Items are usually grouped into sections by trade or by part of the building.
In India, the client or consultant normally prepares the BOQ from the drawings and issues it with the tender. Government and PSU work often uses item descriptions from a schedule of rates such as a state PWD SoR or the CPWD DSR. Contractors then price each item, usually through rate analysis.
How it works
An example, with illustrative numbers only:
| Item | Description | Unit | Qty | Rate (₹) | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | PCC 1:4:8 in foundations | cum | 45 | 5,200 | 2,34,000 |
| 2.2 | RCC M25 in columns | cum | 60 | 8,900 | 5,34,000 |
| 3.4 | Steel reinforcement Fe 500D | kg | 9,000 | 78 | 7,02,000 |
After award, this becomes the contract BOQ. Every RA bill measures work done against these items, and any additional or changed item goes through a change order.
Common mistakes
- Pricing without analysis. A rate typed from memory cannot be defended or adjusted when steel or cement prices move.
- Losing track of revisions. The BOQ the client accepted must be identifiable later.
- Different copies after award. Site, QS and accounts each keep their own version, and item numbers drift.
- Ignoring the method of measurement. Quantities measured on a different basis from the contract (for civil work, often IS 1200) lead to disputes at certification.
In Zaptiz
Zaptiz Construction holds BOQs in sections with approval and revision snapshots, imports them from Excel with saved column mappings, and builds rates through rate analysis. The approved contract BOQ drives the project budget and RA bills. The BOQ Generator agent can turn scope text or a messy spreadsheet into an unpriced draft BOQ for review. See BOQ software.