Bill of Quantities preparation

What a Bill of Quantities gives you

A Bill of Quantities is a measured schedule of every item of work in a project, itemised and quantified so that each line can be priced independently. Instead of pricing a job as a lump sum you half-remember from the last one, you price it line by line against what the drawings actually show.

For a builder, that changes three things. Your tender is defensible, because every number traces back to a measured quantity. Your subcontractor packages are consistent, because everyone is pricing the same scope. And your variations are arguable, because you can point to what was and was not in the bill.

What's included

• Full measurement of all trades from your architectural, structural and services drawings
• Itemised bill in trade order, following the Australian standard method of measurement
• Provisional sums and PC items clearly identified rather than buried in rates
• Exclusions schedule so there is no argument later about what was never measured
• A single RFI list covering every drawing query, sent once
• Excel and PDF delivery, structured for rate entry and trade distribution

What it is not

A BOQ is not a priced estimate. It quantifies the work; it does not tell you what the work costs in your market with your subcontractors. If you want rates applied as well, that is the pre-tender package. Plenty of builders prefer to keep their own rates confidential and just take the measurement — that is the most common way this service is used.

Suitable for

• Residential new builds, duplexes, townhouses and multi-unit developments
• Substantial renovations and additions
• Light commercial: retail fitouts, warehouses, small office buildings
• Projects to around $5m in construction value

Larger or more complex projects are quoted individually. If your job sits outside this range, send it anyway and you'll get an honest answer about whether it's a good fit.

What we need from you

Architectural plans, elevations and sections are the minimum. Structural, hydraulic, mechanical and electrical drawings improve accuracy where they exist, as do specifications and finishes, window and door schedules. Drawings at DA or CC stage work well. Concept sketches can be measured but the result carries wider assumptions, and we will tell you where those sit.

Not sure whether you need a full bill or just a trade breakdown? Read the comparison — it takes two minutes and may save you $900.