Correct Units of Measure Measurement, Calculations and quantities

Linear measurements in the building industry are expressed in Construction workers regularly take measurement or make calculations
millimetres (mm) and metres (m). Working drawing of houses such as addition or subtractions, calculate areas or volumes,
and buildings generally have their dimensions shown in measure quantities, and calculate the cost of materials. When
millimetres, although some long dimensions on site plans may be using metric units, small letters are used for all symbols except
in metres. Measuring tools used to construct houses and buildings where the value is over one million, as in Pascals.
are marked in graduations of millimetres and metres.
SI units commonly used in construction
Note: Centimetres are not recognised as true SI units and are therefore
unit Function Symbol Use
not used in the building industry.
Metre Unit of length m Length of a building block/
Accurate measuring using an appropriate tool is critical
timber
Millimetre 1000 millimetres = 1 mm Section size of material,
Material units
metre dimensions and length
Its one thing to be able to identify the various materials required, quite Square Unit of area (m x m) m² Surface area of wall, area of
metre floor
another to determine how they are available. For example: hectare Unit of area (10,000m²) ha land sub – division, building
site area
 General timber is available in set lengths, which have a base Cubic Unit of volume (m x m m³ Excavation of soil, concrete
metre x m) quantity
increment of 300 mm and are commonly available in lengths
litre Units of volume/ L Capacity of water heaters,
ranging from 1800mm to 7200 mm. Some standard size items may capacity sinks
also be available by number. (100m m x 100mm x
 Sheet material is available by the sheet or in packs of various 100mm)
1000 litres = 1m³
quantities.
1 litre of water = 1kg
 Large sectioned size timber or slings of timber may be available in kilogram Unit of mass kg Cement is sold in 40 kg bags
cubic metre quantities. gram 1000 grams = g Quantity of small nails
 Brick is usually calculated by the number, by the thousand or by 1kilogram
tonne 1000 kilogram = 1tonne t Mass of building material
the pallet.
 Concrete is calculated by the cubic metre (m³)
 SI --- system international
Area measurement
Square measurement can be of areas having regular or irregular shape, Volume is measured in cubic metre (m³) and is found by multiplying the
and is determined by the number of square metres a figure length by the width by the depth (or thickness).
contains. Area measurement in square metres (m²) is used in
building construction to determine;
Volu Volume Formula = L x w x t = m³
 Floor area of a building, used as a means of describing the size of
the building; Calculations of volume in the industry are used to determine:
 Floor area of individual rooms to determine the quantities of
flooring or floor coverings;  Volume of soil excavated from the foundation for footings
 Wall and ceiling area for quantities of sheeting required to cover  Volume of soil to be removed over an area of a sloping site to
the walls and ceilings; provide a level area;
 Roof area to determine the number of roof tiles or the sheet  Amount of material required as filling, e.g. under floor slabs;
roofing;  Quantity of material to be able to do a particular, job, cubic
metres of sand for use in brick layers mortar;
Area Formula = Length x width = m²  Volume of concrete for strip footings slabs etc;
= Base x height = m²  Cubic metres of timber.
Timber is priced in cubic metres for bulk orders. Therefore the
Example 1: A building measures 14.600 x 9.100 m. Calculate the area of total cubic metres of the timber order is calculated by multiplying
sheet flooring allowing 10% for wastage in cutting. Area of floor, = the total linear metres by the end section size of the timber, e.g
area of the building 100 x 50 hardwoods 56/7.2
Linear metres = 56 x 7.200
A =14.600 x 9.100 = 132.860 m² = 403.200 m
Add 10% for cutting waste Cubic metres = 403.200 x 0.100 x 0.050 0.3
=2.016m³
= 132.860 + 13.286 = 146.146 m² sheeting. 0.6

1.2 m 0.6 m A = length x width E.g. Vol = L x W x T = m³

A = 1.2 m x 0.6 m = 0.72 m² Vol = 0.6 m x 0. 3 x 0.3 m = 0.0054 m³ 0.3

Volume measurement
 PERIMETER CALCULATTION

The perimeter is the distance or length around the outline of a close

figure. The distance or length is a linear measurement which may
be expressed in;

Millimetres mm

Metres m 1000 mm

Kilometres km 1000 m

Perimeter Formula = 2 (L + W)

A study of the last closed figure, fig 5 show that an addition of lengths
a, b, c, is equal to L, and an addition of widths d, e, f, is equal to w

Therefore Perimeter = 2 ( L + W)
 Different formula used in the Building Calculation. Floor Joist Calculation

Stump calculation = length of bearer ÷ maximum spacing + 1 to close Formula = Length of bearer ÷ by spacing + 1 to close + 2 (to receive the
end wall bottom plate/ to receive the flooring board)
= Run of bearer = 4.8 m
E.g. 4.8 ÷ 0.6 m + 1 + 2
Maximum spacing C-C 1.2 m
=8+1+2
= Number of stumps for one run of bearer,
= 11 Floor joist.
= 4.8 m ÷ 1.2 m + 1

= 4.8 ÷ 1.2 m = 4 + 1 = 5 stump per row

Note: if we have three rows of bearers than, our calculation would be,

3 x 5 = 15 stumps

L = 4.8 m
Bbbbb Sub- floor
W = 3.6 m

Width Calculation
Bearers’ calculation.
= Number of bearers = 3
Formula: No. Of bearer = Width of building ÷ spacing of bearers + 1
Number of stumps under the bearer 5
If building size is, 5.4 m x 3.6 m (L X W)
Again Total number of stumps = 5 x 3 = 15 stumps (for that building)
= Width of Bld ÷ Spacing + 1

3.6 m ÷ 1.8 m + 1

=2+1

= 3 Length of bearer = length of building

Studs calculation Nogging, Usually, Two rows per wall

Studs are usually sold in lengths to suit particular ceiling heights this E.g. Top plate
length allows for squaring both ends of the studs
noggin noggings
Wall plates, trimmers, lintel, noggings, the quantity and length of these
Bottom Plate
members should be taken directly from the plan. . Allowance
must be made for trimming and jointing. Wall frame
Wall studs. To be explained by the instructor, especially the calculation method.
Number of studs may be calculated directly from the plan small windows Rafter Calculation (Number) for a gable roof
and doors opening may be ignored as the extra timber will be
used elsewhere on the job. Formula = Ridge length ÷ spacing + 1 X 2

Formula: Length of building ÷ regular spacing + 1 + 2 x 2  Ridge length = 6 m ÷ 0.9 m + 1 x 2

 6.666 round up
Width of building: Width of building ÷ regular spacing + 1 X2  7+1
 8x2
E.g. Building size = Length x Width L 6m
 16 rafters
W3m
Example: 2. No. of rafters = Ridge length ÷ rafter spacing (450 mm) + 1
 L = 6 m ÷ 0.6 m + 1 + 2 x2
= 9 m ÷ 0.450 m + 1
 = 10 + 1 + 2 x 2
 = 13 x 2 = 20 + 1
 = 26 Studs
= 21 / 3.9 m
Width of building,

 W = 3 m ÷ 0.6 m + 1 x 2
 =5+1
 =6x2
 = 12 Total = L + W = 26 + 12 = 32 studs / 3m x 70 x 45 mm
Common Rafter Length Calculation
To calculate the rafter length we need to know: Firstly calculate the area in m² to be covered by the sheet flooring, than
deduct any areas (opening)
a. The span of the roof
b. The rise of the roof. Example. A building measures 12.6 m x 8.2 m and to be built using a
platform floor type system. An area of 18.7 m² is to be a concrete
floor. Calculate the area to be covered with sheet flooring.
Rise Rafter length

Span or run of rafter 8200

Example 1. Calculate the length of the rafter needed for a skillion roof 12600
which has a span of 3.6 m and a rise of 900 mm
Area of flooring = area of building – any deductions

=
900 mm Rafter length
=

=
3600
When laying the floor there is always a certain amount of waste which
has to be allowed for, say 10%
Rafter length = √ 0.9 ²+3.6 2 10% of =
Rafter length = √ 0.81+12.96 When added =
Rafter length = √ 13.77 =
= 3.77 m ordered length would be 3.9 m Say =
Calculation – Flooring Internal lining calculation:

Plywood size = 2400 mm x 1200 mm x 4 / 5 mm

Area of 1 sheet of plywood is 2.88 m² To measure the screeds necessary for a path we need to measure the
perimeter of the slab.
Working out: / Formula = Total area of room ÷ divided by area of one
plywood sheet

Example: a. Wall size is, (Length x height) = 3 m x 2.4 m = 7.2 m² 75

= Area of wall is = 7.2m²

7.2 m² ÷ Area of one plywood sheet, (2.88 m²) 800

= 7.2 m² ÷ 2.88 m² 1600

=2.5 sheets, round up to 3 sheets  Perimeter = (L + B) X 2

 = (1600 + 800) x 2
B Length of wall ÷ by width of plywood sheet  = 2400 x 2
 E.g. 6 m ÷ 1.2 m  = 4800 mm or 4.8 m
 5 sheets Volume =LxBxT Answer to be in m³
= 1600÷ 1000 x 800 ÷ 1000 x 75 ÷ 100
Roofing Iron Calculation, =1.6 x 0.8 x 0.075
= 0.096 m³
Actual width of roofing iron is about 860 mm
Say = 0.1 m³
Overlap of roofing iron when laid is say, 100 mm

= 860 mm – 100 mm

= 760 mm is the effective coverage of roofing iron

Formula = length of fascia board ÷ effective coverage

= Number of roofing iron.

Concrete footing Calculation

Method
To calculate the amount of materials required for concrete, the Sand = 0.4 x 3.6 = 1.44 m³
proportions of the mix must be known or decided.
Cement = 0.2 x 3.6 = 0.72 m³
When 4: 2: 1 mix is stated, it means that the mix will contain:
The volume of one bag cement = 0.027 m³
4 parts by volume of coarse aggregate
Number of bags in 0.72 m³ = 0.72 ÷ 0.027
2 parts by volume of fine aggregate
= 27 bags.
1 part by volume of cement

An average of 1.4 m³ of dry material is required to make one cubic metre

Calculation - External cladding (Ref, cladding and lining stage 1 topic 6
of concrete. The dry mix shrinks 30 to 35% when the water is
pp62)
added
Timber measurement.
Example: 4: 2: 1 mix
To calculate the amount of weatherboard needed to clad a building you
Allowing 1.4 m³ of dry material s per m³ of wet concrete
have to find:
Coarse aggregate = 1.4 ÷ 7 x 4 = 0.8 m³
 Area to be covered. In square metres.
Sand = 1.4 ÷ 7 x 2 = 0.4 m³  The lineal measure needed to cover 1 m². to do this divide the
effective cover of the board into one metre.
Cement = 1.4 ÷ 7 x 1 = 0.2 m³
 Multiply the area from (1) by the amount needed to cover 1m².
If more than one cubic metre of concrete is required, simply multiply
these amounts by the number of cubic metres required.

For example, the volume of concrete required for the garage floor was
3.6 m³

Coarse aggregate = 0.8 x 3.6 = 2.88 m³ Note: 150 x 25 is the normal size or sawn size
140 x 20 is the milled size Take off wall separately.

133 is the effective cover Allow length = room size x No. of rows

Lineal measure per square metre is calculated for the above example by: Make no deductions for openings

One metre ÷ effective cover =1000 ÷ 133 6 000

= 7.52 m
Qqqqq Noggings
Example: calculate the total lineal metres of weather board required to n
cover a wall of a building 10.7 m x 3.0 m

10 700
Two rows of nogging
L 3000
= 6 000 x 2rows

= 12 000 lineal metres /70 x 45 mm DAR Hardwood

H

Area to cover = L x H

= 10. 7 x 3

= (32.1)

Lineal metres per square metre = one metre ÷effective cover

= 1000 ÷ 133

= 7.52

= 32.1 x 7.52 = 241.4 say = 240 metres

Calculation – Noggings
 COST- SHEET

Item size material order linear Total Rate/ m Cost

linear
N Length
o.
Plates 70x45 Kwila 2 7.2 14.4
6 6.9 41.4
4 5.7 22.8
6 4.5 27.0
4 3.0 12.0
Head 70 x45 Taun 1 3.6 3.6
1 4.8 4.8 455.7 3.01 1371.66

(From the above information more exercise can be given for further clarification)