Adame Science and Technology University

School of Civil Engineering & Architecture

Quantity Survey specification, and Contract (CEN-4207)

Chapter 4- Quantity Survey

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Quantity Survey

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Introduction
A work of calculating the amount of materials and other incidentals
necessary for the realization of the work is called quantity surveying.

Quantity surveying is a term or processes used in the construction industry to

take measurements of works, prepare , and estimate the cost of works either
for each of work or for the whole project.

The term “surveying” means to inspect, study, review, investigate, asses, and
hence “to measure” therefore the term “quantity surveying” means
“quantity measuring” as applied to civil engineering projects.

Quantity surveying 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
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Introduction cont.….
.The following tasks are covered in quantity surveying.

1.Preparation of Specification

2.Taking measurements of civil works (Taking off quantities and preparing

BOQ)

3.Preparation of approximate (preliminary) cost estimate at the very early

stage of the project

4.Preparation of detail cost estimate at different stages (taking as built

measurements and preparing payment certificates or approval of payment
certificates prepared by taking measurements)

5. Valuation of property

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Purpose
: of quantity surveying
Owner perspective:

•Assist the client to have an accurate estimate of the volume of work as well as
the required budget. Initial (preliminary) estimate of the project costs at the
different stages of the project.

•To assist in the accurate preparation of tenders, by providing uniform

measurement of quantities. Preparing the BOQ as a requirement of the contract
documents.

• To give an accurate checklist of work accomplished

•To assist in the certification of payments, Estimating the work done for
issuing the contractor payments.

•To give insight into the required variation work amounts.

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Purpose of quantity surveying cont.….
Contractor perspective:

•Pricing different work items.

• Identifying the needed resources (Labor, Equipment, etc.).

• Project schedule.

• Preparing invoices for work done.

• Subcontractors’ payments.

•Review and control of crews’ production rates

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Measurement of Civil Works
Measurement of civil works includes the billing of each trade of work either from
drawings or the building itself for defining the extent of works under each trade.
 In order to avoid ambiguity in measuring quantities, there is now a recommended

principle of measurement in construction activities.

 Many professional organizations publish recommendations on units of measurement,

degree of accuracy etc. this assists in setting a common parameters so that dispute is
avoided.
 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

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
Principles of Measurement
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.

 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)

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 Principles of Measurement
 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.

 Long and thin work shall be measured in length (linear measure, running meter)

 Bills are deemed to include labor, materials, plant and all associated costs for fixing,

assembling, etc.

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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:
 For the measurement of length (m)

 For the measurement of mass Kilogram (Kg)

 For the measurement of time Second (s)

 For the measurement of current Ampere (A)

 For the measurement of temperature Degree Kelvin (K)

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The Process of Quantity Surveying
There are four clearly defined steps in preparation of Bill of Quantities:
Taking off

Squaring

Abstracting

 Writing the final Bill of Quantity

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The Process of Quantity Surveying
Taking Off
 This is a process of measuring or scaling dimensions from drawings and recording

all dimensions in an easily understood format. This is coupled with the descriptions
in the drawings and specification.
 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 any. These special formats are called “Take off sheets” or
“Dimension papers”.
 The dimension paper used for taking off is usually double-ruled as shown (A4

size).
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The Process of Quantity Surveying
Taking Off sheet

Column 1 (timesing column) Column 3 (squaring column)

Column 2 (dimension column) Column 4 (description column )

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 The Process of Quantity Surveying
Taking Off sheet cont.…
 Column 1 is the timesing column; this column is useful on occasions where there are

identical or repeat items

 Column 2 is called dimension column as it is used to enter the dimensions of the

items of works.
 The dimensions are entered in the order indicated below: Length, Width, Height or

Thickness.
 Column 3 is called squaring column. The stated dimensions in column 2 are

multiplied to determine the quantity of the work either in ml, m 2, m3 or in Pcs. or No.
 Column 4 is called description column and description of the work item is briefly

stated. This description will appear in the final bills of quantities.

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A separate sheet (Bar Schedule) is used to prepare reinforcement
quantities as shown below.

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DERIVATION FOR UNIT WEIGHT OF REINFORCEMEN
T
BAR
Weight of bar per meter = Area(D X D/162)
of steel bar X Density of steel x Length of
bar
= (3.14 x D2/4) x 7850 kg/m3 x 1000 mm
= (3.14 x D2/4) x 1000 x 7850 / (1000 x 1000 x 1000)
= D2 X 785.714285714286 x 0.00000785
= D2 X 0.006162
= (D2/162.28)
The actual value is D2/162.28
Kindly note that this function is only applicable for circular shape steel
which density is 7850kg/m3 25
 Basic principles of taking Off
1. Drawings shall be fully understood and clearly detailed.

2. Works, which cannot be measured accurately, shall be expressed as provisional

quantity (PQ) and will result in provisional sum (PS) and lump sum (LS)

3. There shall be the understanding that measurements are taken to the nearest cm.

4. Built items shall generally include all possible entrants like labor, materials
(including storing, loading, unloading and handling), fixing, use of plant
and equipment, wastage of materials, equipment; which will result in a
better process for establishing prices and profit.

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Basic principles of taking Off
5. Prior knowledge of the regulations is necessary (For E.g. roofing
is measured in horizontal projection).

6. Measurements of civil works shall be carried out in such a way

that it can be easily checked and audited.

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 Types of taking Off
A. Out – to - Out and In – to – In Method

Long Wall (Out – to - Out ) = Inner Length + 2 Times Thickness of the Wall Short Wal
(In – to – In ) = Outer Length - 2 Times Thickness of the Wall

In- to- in and out- to-out method –some wall lengths are taken out to out and others in to
in (offsets are added to out to out lengths) and same are deducted from in -to-in lengths;
used for any type of measurement irrespective of condition of symmetry.

B. Center Line Method All dimensions are taken center to center

 Centre line method –suitable only when the cross sections of all walls are symmetrical.

this method Centre line length is found and same is used for taking off quantities (therefo
only width and depth vary).

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Types of taking Off
C. Crossing Method

Long Wall (Out – to - Out ) = Inner Length + 2 Times Thickness of the

Wall

Short Wall (In – to – In ) = Inner Length

 Crossing method –lengths and breadths of walls as shown in plan are

taken for working out various items and this method is useful only if the
offsets of footings are symmetrical.

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The Process of Quantity Surveying
II. Squaring
 The dimensions entered in Column 2 are squared or cubed as the case may be,

multiplied by the timesing factor, and the result entered in Column 3. This task
is called squaring.
 All squared dimensions should be carefully checked by another person

before abstracting, and if correct the item should be ticked with red. Use two
decimal places.

III. Abstracting

The squared dimensions are transferred to abstract sheet and all similar dimensions
are collected in the same category to obtain the total quantity of each item.

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The Process of Quantity Surveying
IV. Writing the final bill
 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 the specification.

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 The Process of Quantity Surveying
IV. Writing the final bill
Sr No. Description of Unit Quantity Rate Cost Remarks
Item
Writing the final bill

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Writing the final bill

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Technical specification and method of measurement of
building project
 The following specifications and methods of measurement are

provided to guide the quantity surveyor in the preparation of

quantities for a building project.
 A typical building project will have the following work items

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Substructure
Any structure below the ground floor slab level including the basement,
retaining walls, ground slab, grade beam, and foundation is called a
substructure. In most of the cases, substructure work can be categorized as
follows:

I.Excavation and earthworks (mandatory)

II.Concrete works (can be neglected sometimes)

III. Masonry works (mandatory)

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Excavation and earth work
a) Site clearance
 Carbonations elements are not good in concrete, steel and timber works.

 In soils under structures even 5% of these elements will damage the

structure.
 Therefore, these materials (including trees, bushes and the top 20 to 30 cm

soil), termite hills, any other obstruction, have to be cleared.

 A working space of 1m is required on each side.

 It is sometimes necessary to prepare separate specification for obstructions

(demolition works) because reusable items like doors and windows are there.

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 Excavation and earth work
b) Excavation (bulk excavation)
 Excavation to get reduced levels of every structural element below the ground level is

called bulk excavation. They are subdivided as follows depending on the subsurface
condition.
 Ordinary soil - with boulders and without boulders and can easily be removed by shovel.

 Weathered rock - it can be divided easily without blasting

 Rock- bedded rocks that cannot be dug without blasting

 Note:-Working space for bulk excavation is 25 cm (not used for shallow masonry).

 Depth of excavation less than 30 cm – measured per m2 ,

 Depth > 30 cm per m 3

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 Excavation and earth work
c) Fill/ Embankment
Shall be measured in m3 of net volume to be filled.

 Fill is required because the reduced level of every structural element above the structure

has to be covered.

The major consideration under embankment is compaction.

Compaction is done usually at 20 cm lift thickness.

The subdivisions under fill are:

Back fill: - filling by using the excavated soil.

Borrow fill: - Shortage of fill or when better quality material is required.

d) Disposal - cleaning the building area including cart away.

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II. Concrete works
A) concrete
 Cast in situ concrete – formed on site and requires formwork and

reinforcement. Cast in situ concrete shall be measured by volume except

in ribbed slabs and grouting.
Prefabricated concrete –fabricated (manufactured) in a factory and

brought to the site and joined to make a building. It does not require
formwork.
Pre-tensioned (Post tensioned) Concrete –involves in bending up the

concrete itself to make it ready for the downward bending due to load

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II. Concrete works
Concrete ancillaries - include windowsills, lintels, expansion joints, and

permanent and temporary embedded materials.

It is measured in ml or enumerated.

Grades of Concrete
 C5 - lean concrete, to protect the structural concrete from damage.

 C15 - for totally supported structural elements

 C20 - used for slabs; mix proportion is 1:2:4

 C25 - Commonly used grade of structural Concrete; mix proportion is 1:2:3

 C30 –Used for chemical stores and nuclear plants

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 II. Concrete works
b) Formwork
Forms are molds to receive concrete in its’ plastic form.

Formwork is temporary structure, as such, it is not normally shown on the drawings.

A temporary structural element, which supports slabs, beams in casting concrete. It shall be designed and
erected to safely support, vertical and lateral loads that might be applied until such load can be supported by the
concrete structure.
Period of removal (minimum):
Vertical formwork to columns, walls and beams: 16 hrs.
Soffits formwork to slab: 21days
props to cantilever slabs: 14 days
Soffits formwork to beams: 21 days
Props to cantilever beams: 14 days
.

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II. Concrete works
b) Formwork

C) rebar: The type and diameter should be clearly stated and shall be measured in Kg
II. Concrete works
b) Formwork

 Unit of Measurement

Square meter Contact Area

 Measure just contact area, not area of formwork

Contact Area

= 2h(L+B)

h
Concrete

L
II. Concrete works
b) Formwork
Additional Costs
 Nails

 Form Oil

 Ties

 Ties keep forms apart and resist bursting pressure of concrete

Waste allowance from 2% to 10% should be added for concrete

and concrete formwork.
 III. Masonry Works
 Masonry works are works that are executed by laying building material units of

specified dimension through a binding material such as mortar.

 Stone obtained from quarries shall be hard and sound, free from vents, cracks, fishers,

discoloration or other defects that will adversely affect strength or appearance.

 Stone chips to be produced shall not be less than 450 mm average and 380 mm in

individual length. Stone for various masonry works shall be selected and shaped as follows:
 stone for facing works shall generally be selected for consistency in grain, color and texture

,throughout the work.

 Stone wall is measured by volume, whereas stone pavement is measured by area,

specifying thickness.

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Project

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Questions?