Lecture Two

UNITY
Contract, Specification and Quantity Survey
CHAPTER 3
Quantity surveying
EYOB E. (MSc.)
4.1. Introduction
 In a civil engineering activity, the owner
Promises to pay the contractor an amount

for the work that he does.
This would then require that the actual works

done be some how estimated or measured for
Payment purposes.
2
 To estimate how much a civil engineering
project may cost, the actual quantities of
materials, labor & equipment etc that is
needed for the construction work must be
calculated at the beginning of the work.
 Such work of calculating the amount of
materials and other incidentals necessary for

the realization of the work is called quantity
surveying.
3
 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)
4
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.
 The standard book, which is used in
Ethiopia, is standard technical specification &

method of measurement for construction of
buildings by BaTCoDA, March 1991.
5
Specification Worksheet (BOQ form)
 It is the format which is used in a bill of
quantity to list (include) a short description of

the specification along with its measuring
unit, quantity and unit prices to determine
the total cost for each trade of item.
6
 There are four clearly defined steps in
preparation of Bill of Quantities:
1. Taking off
2. Squaring
3. Abstracting
4. Writing the final Bill of Quantity
7
4.2.1Taking off
 Is the process of measuring or scaling
dimensions from drawings and recording all

dimensions in an easily understood format.
This is coupled with the descriptions from the
drawings and specifications.
 The standard form used for entering the
dimensions taken or scaled from drawings to

determine the accurate quantity in each trade
of work, except reinforcement steel, is called
Take Off Sheet or Dimension Paper.
8
9
10
 Column 1 is used for stating the number of
times an item occurs and is called the
timising column.
 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.
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 Column 3 is called squaring column. The
stated dimensions in column 2 are multiplied
to determine the quantity of the work either
in m, m2, m3 or in Pcs. or No.
 Column 4 is called description column and
description of the work item is briefly stated.
A separate sheet (Bar Schedule) is used to

prepare reinforcement quantities.
12
13
4.2.2. Squaring:
The process of multiplying, adding, subtracting
or dividing the recorded dimensions for the
purpose of obtaining linear measures, areas,
volumes etc
 The dimensions entered in Column 2 are
squared or cubed as the case may be,

multiplied by the timising factor, and the
result entered in Column 3.
 All squared dimensions should be carefully
checked by another person before

abstracting. Use two decimal places.
14
4.2.3. Abstracting:
 The squared dimensions are transferred to
abstract sheets and all similar dimensions are

collected in the same category to obtain the
total quantity of each item.
4.2.4. Writing the Final Bill

 Billing is the process of collecting and
entering to an accepted format all the

measured quantities, by trade and work type,
and filling in the total amount by multiplying
with the unit rates.
15
16
 A typical building project will have the
following work items.
17
Substructure
1. Excavation and earth work
1.1. site clearing
 to remove the top 20-30cm soil
 a working space of 1m is required on each side
 Measured in m2
1.2. bulk excavation
 for building underground structures
 Working space of 25cm is required on each side
 Measured in m3 if depth of excavation is more
than 30cm.
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1.3. Pit excavation
For isolated footing
Expressed in m3
Working space of 25cm is required on each side
1.4. trench excavation

For foundation wall
Expressed in m3
 working space of 25cm is required on each side
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1.5. fill/embankment
 Net volume to be filled
 Working spaces need to be filled
Total excavated= site clearance+ pit excavation+
bulk excavation+ trench excavation
Cart away= total excavated – back fill
 It is expressed in m3
20
2. Concrete work
2.1. lean concrete
 To protect structural concrete from damage
(under footing pads and foundation wall)

 It expressed in area, m2
2.2. concrete for structures

 for footing, grade beam, ground floor slab
 Overlap should be deducted
 Measured in m3
21
2.3. formwork
 A temporary structural element, which
supports slabs, beams in casting concrete.

 Measured in m2
2.4. reinforcement
 measured in kg
 Length of the bar is taken from the drawing
and multiplied by weight per unit length to

get the weight of the bar.
e.g. weight per length for Ф6= 0.222kg/m
22
3. Masonry work/Stone work
 For foundation wall (measured in m3)
 hard core (measured in m2)
23
Superstructure
1. Concrete work
1.1. concrete
 For slabs, beams, columns, staircase
 Measured in m3
1.2. formwork
 Measured in m2
1.3.reinforcement
 Expressed in kg.
24
2. Masonry works
 Measured in m3
 Commonly used for walls of buildings.
3. Roofing
 Roof cover is measured by area(m2)
 Items like downpipes are measured by
length(m)
25
4. Carpentry and joinery work
 work on timber intended for structural
purposes eg columns, beams, truss etc

 work on timber intended for finishing
purposes eg floor finishes, doors and

windows, ceilings, Cupboard etc
26
5. Steel structural work
 for beam, column, slab, truss, connections
etc
 Usually measured in weight (kg)
6. Metal works
 Includes aluminum and iron works
 For door and window frames
 Measured in area
27
7. finishing work
 Plastering
◦ Measured by area (m2)

 Floor and wall finish
◦ Measured by area (m2)
 Painting
◦ Shall be measured in area (m2)
◦ Special application to the edges should be
measured in length.
8. Glazing
 Glazing shall be measured in area(m2)
28
THANK YOU!
29

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UNITY

Contract, Specification and Quantity Survey

Promises to pay the contractor an amount

This would then require that the actual works

materials and other incidentals necessary for

2. Taking measurements of civil works (Taking off

3. Preparation of approximate (preliminary) cost

4. Preparation of detail cost estimate at different

Ethiopia, is standard technical specification &

quantity to list (include) a short description of

dimensions from drawings and recording all

dimensions taken or scaled from drawings to

used to enter the dimensions of the items of

description of the work item is briefly stated.

A separate sheet (Bar Schedule) is used to

squared or cubed as the case may be,

checked by another person before

abstract sheets and all similar dimensions are

4.2.4. Writing the Final Bill

entering to an accepted format all the

1.4. trench excavation

(under footing pads and foundation wall)

2.2. concrete for structures

supports slabs, beams in casting concrete.

and multiplied by weight per unit length to

 Commonly used for walls of buildings.

purposes eg columns, beams, truss etc

purposes eg floor finishes, doors and

◦ Measured by area (m2)

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