PlanoveraFree Bill of Quantities (BOQ) Template
A Bill of Quantities (BOQ) is an itemized list of the materials, labour and work sections needed to complete a construction project, each with a unit of measurement, a quantity, and (once priced) a rate and amount. It's the backbone of tendering — contractors price the same BOQ to produce comparable bids — and it stays in use through the project, feeding payment certificates and progress valuations. Below is a worked example for a small building, followed by a step-by-step guide to preparing one.
| Item | Description | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A — Substructure | |||||
| A.1 | Excavate foundation trench | ||||
| A.2 | Mass concrete blinding, grade 10 | ||||
| A.3 | Reinforced concrete strip footing, grade 25 | ||||
| Subtotal — Substructure | 6,482.50 | ||||
| B — Superstructure | |||||
| B.1 | 150 mm sandcrete blockwork walling | ||||
| B.2 | Reinforced concrete columns, grade 25 | ||||
| B.3 | Reinforced concrete roof slab, 150 mm | ||||
| Subtotal — Superstructure | 16,150.00 | ||||
| C — Finishes | |||||
| C.1 | Cement-sand plastering, internal and external | ||||
| C.2 | Ceramic floor tiling | ||||
| Subtotal — Finishes | 8,160.00 | ||||
| Grand total carried to summary | 30,792.50 | ||||
How to prepare a bill of quantities
- 1Break the works into logical sections — e.g. substructure, superstructure, finishes, external works — matching how the project will actually be built and measured.
- 2Take off quantities from the drawings and specification for every item ('quantity take-off'): lengths, areas, volumes or counts.
- 3Assign a standard unit of measurement to each item — m, m², m³, kg, no., sum/LS — following a recognized standard method of measurement where one applies.
- 4Write a clear, unambiguous description for each item, including material, grade/spec and any finish, so every bidder prices the same scope.
- 5For a tender BOQ, leave the rate and amount columns blank for contractors to price; for an internal estimate, insert your own rates.
- 6Subtotal each section, then sum all sections to a grand total carried to the tender/contract summary.
- 7Once awarded, the same BOQ becomes the pricing basis for valuing work executed — it feeds directly into progress reports and interim payment certificates.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a Bill of Quantities (BOQ)?
- A BOQ is an itemized list of a project's measured work — descriptions, units and quantities — used to obtain comparable tender prices and, once priced, to value and pay for work as it's completed.
- Who prepares a BOQ?
- Typically a quantity surveyor or estimator, working from architectural and engineering drawings and the project specification, following a standard method of measurement.
- What's the difference between a BOQ and a Bill of Materials?
- A BOQ measures construction work items (e.g. '150 mm sandcrete blockwork, 310 m²'), including labour and materials together. A Bill of Materials lists only the physical materials and components needed, without the measured-work framing.
- Do I need software to prepare a BOQ?
- No — a BOQ can be built in a spreadsheet. Software helps once you need consistent section totals, version control across tender revisions, and a direct link from the priced BOQ into payment certificates and progress valuation.
- Can a BOQ be generated automatically?
- Increasingly yes — describing the works in plain language (e.g. "elevated steel water tank, septic tank, pump house") can produce a structured, sectioned BOQ draft that a quantity surveyor then reviews and prices.
Draft a BOQ in minutes, not hours
Describe the works in plain language and Planovera's AI drafts a complete, sectioned BOQ for you to review and price. Built-in Excel paste/import, subtotal and grand-total rows, and the same figures flow straight into payment certificates and progress reports.
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