BOQ full form is Bill of Quantities: an itemised document listing construction work, its description, unit and measured quantity, with rate and amount columns when it is priced. In construction, a BOQ helps owners compare contractor quotations, define the work being awarded and check measured work during billing.
The meaning is the same for a house, a civil tender or a subcontractor's bill. The useful detail is inside the rows: what is included, how the quantity was measured, and which specification the rate must cover.
This guide explains the format with 12 actual rows from our 48-item G+1 house sample, a clearly labelled pricing illustration and a downloadable Excel template.
What is a BOQ in construction?#
A BOQ converts drawings and specifications into a common list of work. Instead of asking three contractors for an unexplained total, an owner gives each contractor the same items and quantities. Each prices that list, making differences in rates and exclusions easier to find.
For example, “concrete work” is too vague. A usable item identifies the element, concrete grade, unit and scope, including whether reinforcement and shuttering are separate. Two apparently different quotations may simply include different work.
A BOQ can be unpriced, with quantities and blank rate columns, or priced, with unit rates and calculated amounts. Neither version replaces the drawings, specifications or contract conditions. Those documents explain the quality, execution and payment rules behind the table.
It also differs from a shopping list. A masonry item describes completed wall work; a material list might show the bricks, cement and sand needed to execute it. Buying quantities can include allowances that should not be silently added to measured work quantities.
What does a BOQ contain? The standard columns#
A practical BOQ format has seven core columns. Add a project name, scope, drawing register, revision number, preparation date and measurement basis above the table. Attach detailed measurement sheets behind it.
| Column | What to enter | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Item no. | Unique reference such as 1.1 or 3.2 | Connects quotations, measurements and bills to the same work |
| Description | Material, grade, location, workmanship, inclusions and exclusions | Tells every bidder what the rate must cover |
| Unit | m³, m², m, kg or nos, as applicable | Defines what one unit of the quoted rate buys |
| Quantity | Measured total for that item | Provides the common quantity for pricing |
| Rate | Price in ₹ per stated unit; blank in an unpriced BOQ | Records the contractor's quote or estimate basis |
| Amount | Quantity × rate, in ₹ | Shows the cost of the line item |
| Remarks | Drawing reference, assumption, qualification or unresolved query | Makes limitations visible before award |
Keep descriptions specific enough to price. “Wall plaster” needs its thickness, mix or material, substrate, location and finish. “Door” needs size and specification, with clarity on frame, shutter, hardware and installation. A specification reference can carry the longer detail without making every spreadsheet cell unreadable.
Keep item numbers stable across revisions. If a drawing change adds a new item, assign a new reference and record the revision; renumbering every row makes later comparison unnecessarily difficult.
BOQ units and the IS 1200 measurement basis#
Indian building BOQs commonly refer to IS 1200, the BIS series on measurement of building and civil engineering works. It has separate parts for different trades. The BIS CED 44 published-standards register lists these parts and their editions.
| Unit | Read as | Common BOQ use |
|---|---|---|
| m³ or cum | Cubic metre | Excavation, concrete and many masonry items |
| m² or sqm | Square metre | Formwork contact area, plaster, flooring and painting |
| m or running metre | Metre of length | Pipes, railings and specified linear items |
| kg | Kilogram | Reinforcement or other steel items measured by mass |
| nos or each | Number of units | Scheduled doors, fixtures and individual fittings where specified |
These are common uses, not a universal unit assignment for every specification. Thin partitions, joinery and composite items may use different units. Read the particular item and applicable measurement rules.
State which IS 1200 parts and editions apply, alongside the contract's measurement provisions. Check editions through BIS Know Your Standard; do not assume every part has the same publication year. Opening deductions, junctions and separately measured components need trade-specific treatment. A model's raw geometry is not automatically a billable quantity.
A real BOQ example: 12 rows from a G+1 house#
The following quantities come from our public sample BOQ for house construction. It records 48 items measured from a 16-sheet architectural and structural drawing set for a G+1 residence, meaning ground floor plus first floor. The project identity is withheld.
Item references below match the sample's section and row numbering. Descriptions and quantities are preserved; remarks shorten the published measurement basis. The original sample is unpriced.
| Item no. | Description | Unit | Quantity | Measurement note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Excavation in pits for footings | m³ | 314.041 | Footing plan plus working space; ground level assumed |
| 1.2 | PCC blinding 50 mm under footings | m³ | 18.331 | Pit plan × blinding thickness |
| 1.3 | Backfill around footings | m³ | 240.579 | Published derived quantity; reconciliation noted below |
| 2.1 | Isolated footings | m³ | 55.397 | Structural footing layout |
| 2.3 | Columns — Ground floor | m³ | 3.300 | Column keys and details |
| 2.8 | Slab — First floor | m³ | 22.347 | Net of beam and column footprints |
| 3.1 | Footing sides | m² | 249.586 | Four sides × depth |
| 3.2 | Column faces | m² | 119.375 | Four faces × height |
| 4.1 | Walls — Ground floor | m³ | 58.938 | Architectural plans |
| 4.4 | Wall plaster area, both faces (gross) | m² | 1,345.196 | Openings not deducted |
| 5.1 | Door 900 x 2400 mm | nos | 7 | Counted by size on calibrated plans |
| 6.1 | Railings and balustrades | m | 43.677 | Run length from plans and elevations |
Three limits matter when reading this example:
- Ground level is an assumption. The sample takes natural ground at project ±0.00 because the level was not printed. Excavation and associated filling need confirmation against site levels.
- Plaster is gross. The 1,345.196 m² has no opening deductions. It is not a final payable plaster quantity without the applicable measurement checks.
- Scope is limited. The sample omits reinforcement/BBS, flooring, finishes, plumbing, electrical and other services. Its 48 items are not a universal checklist for a complete house.
There is also a useful reconciliation check: 314.041 − 55.397 − 18.331 = 240.313 m³, while the sample records backfill as 240.579 m³. The difference is 0.266 m³. The published summary does not resolve it, so the underlying measurements need checking. We retain the recorded figure here and leave backfill out of the pricing illustration. Do not silently “correct” an issued quantity without tracing its basis.
Priced BOQ illustration: quantity × rate = amount#
The rates below are illustrative, added only to show the arithmetic. They are not SiteSetu prices, contractor quotes, market rates or CPWD schedule rates. The four quantities are real sample quantities.
For this illustration, the footing concrete rate excludes reinforcement and formwork, and footing-side formwork is a separate item. A real quotation also needs the specified grade, workmanship and full inclusions confirmed before pricing.
| Item | Quantity | Illustrative rate | Calculated amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excavation in pits | 314.041 m³ | ₹300/m³ | ₹94,212.30 |
| PCC blinding | 18.331 m³ | ₹5,500/m³ | ₹1,00,820.50 |
| Isolated footing concrete | 55.397 m³ | ₹7,500/m³ | ₹4,15,477.50 |
| Footing-side formwork | 249.586 m² | ₹600/m² | ₹1,49,751.60 |
| Subtotal: these four items only | — | — | ₹7,60,261.90 |
Check one row directly: 55.397 × 7,500 = ₹4,15,477.50. Then add ₹94,212.30 + ₹1,00,820.50 + ₹4,15,477.50 + ₹1,49,751.60 = ₹7,60,261.90.
That subtotal is not the house construction cost. It excludes all other sample rows and omitted trades. The example also preserves the sample's three-decimal quantities; an issued tender or bill must follow its specified recording and rounding rules.
Types of BOQ: preliminary, detailed and priced#
There are three main types of BOQ: preliminary, detailed and priced. Any of them can also be grouped trade-wise or element-wise, so one BOQ can be detailed, priced and trade-wise at once.
Preliminary or approximate BOQ#
An early schedule based on incomplete design information, broad quantities and stated allowances. It helps scope a budget or compare design options. Identify provisional quantities and assumptions clearly. A floor-area estimate alone is still an approximate cost estimate; calling it a BOQ does not make its quantities measured.
Detailed BOQ#
An itemised schedule supported by drawings, specifications and detailed takeoff calculations. Separate work with different grades, locations or execution requirements where those differences affect measurement or price. “Detailed” describes the supporting information; it does not guarantee that an incomplete design contains every item.
Priced BOQ#
A BOQ with rates and amounts filled in. It may represent an estimator's budget, a bidder's offer or an agreed contract schedule. Label which one it is, and record the pricing date and basis. An estimate rate does not become an agreed payment rate simply because it appears in Excel.
Trade-wise versus element-wise BOQ#
A trade-wise BOQ groups earthwork, concrete, steel, masonry and finishes. It suits trade quotations and procurement. An element-wise BOQ groups foundations, frame, roof or other building elements. It helps owners understand where costs sit.
For example, foundation concrete, steel and shuttering sit in three trade sections but can roll up into one foundations element. Use consistent item references so the same quantity is counted once, even when you present both views.
BOQ vs estimate vs abstract of cost vs rate analysis vs BBS#
A BOQ lists the work and its quantities. An estimate prices it, an abstract totals it, rate analysis builds one unit rate, and a BBS schedules only the reinforcing bars.
| Document | Main question it answers | Typical contents | Relationship to the BOQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOQ | What work, in what quantity? | Item descriptions, units and quantities; rates if priced | The common schedule for pricing and scope |
| Estimate | What is the expected cost? | Quantities or approximate allowances, rates and cost provisions | A priced BOQ can support a detailed estimate; early estimates may precede it |
| Abstract of cost | What does the cost add up to? | Item or section amounts and stated project-level provisions | Summarises the priced work in the required format |
| Rate analysis | What makes up one unit rate? | Material, labour, equipment and stated overhead/profit components | Builds or checks a rate entered against a BOQ item |
| BBS: bar bending schedule | Which reinforcing bars are required? | Bar marks, diameters, shapes, cutting lengths, counts and weights | Supports reinforcement quantities and fabrication planning |
A BBS does not cover excavation, concrete or finishes. An abstract does not replace the measurement working. A priced BOQ and a detailed estimate may share many rows, but an estimate can include broader allowances and project costs.
For the calculation trail behind the quantities, see quantity takeoff vs BOQ. Keep the takeoff, BOQ and cost summary connected rather than treating the spreadsheet total as the entire deliverable.
Who prepares a BOQ, and when is it used?#
A quantity surveyor (QS) or estimator usually prepares it. An architect's office or project management consultant (PMC) may coordinate and review it. On smaller projects, an experienced civil engineer or contractor's estimator may do the work. Agree who measures, who checks specifications and who approves the issued version.
The BOQ serves different purposes through the project:
- Tender: issue a common scope so bidders price comparable work. Record clarifications and issue revisions to all bidders.
- Work order: attach the agreed item descriptions, quantities, rates and exclusions to the award documents.
- RA billing: map measured work completed to the agreed items. A running account bill needs executed quantities and supporting records; copying the entire tender quantity does not prove progress.
- Variations: compare the revised design and approved changes with the original scope. Track quantity changes separately from new or substituted items, following the contract's approval process.
Tender quantities and final executed quantities can differ. Whether payment follows remeasurement, milestones or a lump sum depends on the contract. A BOQ alone does not settle that question.
BOQ in CPWD, state PWD tenders and GeM#
In CPWD and state PWD tenders the BOQ is often called the schedule of quantities. On GeM, BOQ also means Bill of Quantities, used for item-wise price bids.
CPWD and state PWD works#
Government works documents may call the item list a schedule of quantities. The CPWD Works Manual 2022 defines item-rate tenders around contractors quoting individual rates against that schedule. Use this as a terminology reference; actual tender requirements follow the applicable issued documents and subsequent changes in the CPWD Works Manual amendment register, including amendments to the 2024 manual.
An item-rate bid and a percentage-rate bid ask for different pricing inputs. Read the issued form before filling it. For a state example, Rajasthan's official Technical Sanction and BOQ system describes detailed estimates using BSR items and BOQ preparation for its procurement systems. Other states have their own schedules, forms and instructions.
When CPWD DSR 2023 or a state SOR/BSR is the stated basis, record the edition and item reference. Check the tender for applicable amendments, permitted adjustments and treatment of non-schedule items. A reference schedule is not automatically a current local contractor quotation.
What does BOQ mean in GeM?#
On the Government e-Marketplace, BOQ also means Bill of Quantities. GeM's official September 2024 overview describes BOQ-based bidding as a way to examine item-wise price breakdowns within a larger procurement.
Its seller training guide illustrates total-value, item-wise and group-wise evaluation. That guide is dated January 2022; check the live bid for the current method, required documents and platform conditions.
Do not infer that a BOQ-labelled GeM bid is a building-works tender, or that every civil work can be procured there. Check the permitted procurement category and scope. Use the buyer's issued schedule and submission instructions rather than substituting a generic house BOQ template.
How to prepare a BOQ from drawings in 6 steps#
Freeze the drawings, fix the measurement rules, take off the quantities, write the items, add rates if needed, then check and issue a controlled revision.
- Freeze the drawing register. Collect architectural, structural and relevant services drawings. Record sheet numbers, revisions, specifications and missing information before measuring.
- Define scope and measurement rules. Decide which trades are included, which units apply and how openings, junctions and separate items will be treated. Record assumptions for unresolved details.
- Prepare the quantity takeoff. Measure element by element. Keep dimensions, counts, calculations and drawing references on measurement sheets. Check scales against known dimensions.
- Write and group the BOQ items. Transfer checked totals into clear descriptions. Separate different specifications and prevent overlaps between concrete, steel, formwork and composite items.
- Add rates if required. Leave the tender rate column blank or apply an identified schedule/quotation basis for an estimate. Calculate amounts and prepare the cost abstract.
- Review and issue a controlled revision. Check coverage, units, formulas, exclusions and unresolved queries. Reconcile trade totals with the takeoff and record what changed before issuing the file.
For measurement-sheet examples and the full workflow, use our guide to preparing a BOQ from drawings in India.
BOQ format in Excel: download and use it#
Download the BOQ format for construction in Excel to start your schedule. It is a reusable template; replace example entries with your project scope and checked quantities. Use the 48-item house BOQ sample to see how actual descriptions, quantities and measurement notes fit together.
For a worksheet laid out with quantity in column D, rate in E and amount in F, the row-two amount formula is =D2*E2. Copy it down the item rows. If money is rounded per line, use =ROUND(D2*E2,2) consistently and sum those rounded amounts.
Keep numeric cells numeric: apply a currency format instead of typing the rupee symbol into every value. Check that section totals are not counted again inside the grand total. Before sending an unpriced BOQ, clear illustrative rates and confirm that the remaining formulas behave as intended.
Common BOQ mistakes to catch before issue#
- Mixing scope across quotations. Compare inclusions for material supply, labour, access and testing before comparing rates.
- Treating an assumption as a dimension. Mark missing levels and provisional details so a later drawing revision can be reconciled.
- Using gross areas for final billing. Apply the relevant deduction rules; the sample's plaster row shows why this matters.
- Double-counting interfaces. Check beam/slab junctions and whether an item already includes work billed separately elsewhere.
- Mixing units. A rate per m² cannot multiply a quantity recorded in square feet without conversion.
- Replacing measured steel with a thumb rule. Where reinforcement is in scope, request structural details and a checked BBS or documented measurement basis.
- Hiding exclusions. List omitted services, finishes and provisional items beside the scope, not only in a covering message.
- Trusting totals without reconciliation. Check the underlying measurements and arithmetic, including differences such as the backfill discrepancy above.
Want a BOQ for your drawings? Use our BOQ from your drawings service and review the sample BOQ to understand the output. Send the drawing set so the desk can confirm the scope and quote before work begins.
FAQs#
What is the full form of BOQ?#
BOQ full form is Bill of Quantities. In construction it means an itemised schedule of work descriptions, units and quantities, with rates and amounts added when priced. BOQ and BoQ refer to the same document.
What is BOQ meaning in Hindi?#
BOQ is बिल ऑफ़ क्वांटिटीज़, which can be explained as निर्माण कार्यों की मदवार मात्रा सूची. इसमें हर काम का विवरण, इकाई और मात्रा लिखी जाती है। दर जोड़ने पर हर मद की राशि निकलती है। It is a list of construction work quantities, not simply a payment invoice.
Who prepares a BOQ?#
Usually a quantity surveyor or estimator prepares it from drawings and specifications. An architect, PMC or civil engineer may coordinate or review it. Confirm that the scope includes measurement working and a check of assumptions.
What is the difference between BOQ and estimate?#
A BOQ sets out work items and quantities. An estimate predicts cost using quantities, rates and any stated provisions. A priced BOQ can form part of a detailed estimate, while an early estimate may use broad allowances before detailed quantities exist.
Where can I download a BOQ format in Excel?#
Use the construction BOQ Excel template. Fill it with your own descriptions, units and checked quantities. For a government tender, use the file issued with that tender and follow its editing instructions.
Is a BOQ mandatory for every construction project?#
There is no single answer for every project and contract type. A tender may require a prescribed BOQ, while a private house contract may use a different pricing arrangement. Check the applicable tender, client and contract requirements; do not assume one rule covers every project.
What is BOQ in GeM?#
It means Bill of Quantities. In GeM procurement it supports an itemised requirement and price breakdown. The buyer's bid determines the scope, evaluation method and required uploads. Check current platform conditions; the label does not by itself establish that civil works procurement is permitted.
What should a BOQ for house construction include?#
Its agreed scope may cover earthwork, foundations, concrete, reinforcement, shuttering, masonry, waterproofing, finishes, openings and services. A structural-only BOQ covers fewer trades. List exclusions clearly and obtain the drawings needed for each included trade.
Does a BOQ always include rates?#
No. An unpriced BOQ lists quantities and leaves rates for bidders. A priced BOQ contains rates and amounts. Identify whether the prices are an estimate, a quotation or agreed contract rates, and record their date and basis.
Can a BOQ be prepared from PDF drawings?#
Yes, provided the drawings are legible, dimensioned and sufficiently complete for the requested scope. Check the revision and scale. Missing structural or services information must become a stated limitation or query rather than an invented quantity.
References and Further Reading
Primary and supporting sources cited in this article.
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