A quantity takeoff is the measurement of every item of work from the drawings: lengths, areas, volumes and weights, written in a measurement sheet with drawing references. A bill of quantities (BOQ) is the organised list that comes out of that takeoff: each item gets a proper description, a unit and a total quantity, ready for rates. In short, the takeoff is the working, the BOQ is the result, and the estimate is the BOQ with rates and amounts added.
If you have drawings and need the final BOQ in Excel, our BOQ preparation service does the takeoff to IS 1200 and gives you both the measurement sheets and the item-wise BOQ. The rest of this guide explains how the pieces fit together, with a worked example.
What is a quantity takeoff?#
A quantity takeoff (also called "taking off" or preparing the measurement sheet) is the first step of any estimate. The engineer reads the drawings and measures each item of work, one element at a time.
A typical takeoff sheet has these columns:
- Item or element (for example, footing F1 or column C3)
- Drawing reference (sheet number, grid or detail)
- Number of identical units
- Length, breadth, depth or height
- Quantity for that row
- Remarks (assumptions, deductions, open questions)
The takeoff is raw working. It is long, it repeats the same item many times across floors and grids, and it is written so another engineer can check every number against the drawing. A house can easily need several hundred takeoff rows.
What is a bill of quantities (BOQ)?#
A BOQ is the summary that a contractor can price. Each line is one item of work, described clearly, with a unit and one total quantity. The quantities come from adding up the takeoff rows for that item.
A BOQ line answers three questions: what is the work, how is it measured, and how much of it is there. It does not show the L × B × D working, though a good BOQ keeps the measurement sheets attached so anyone can trace a quantity back.
BOQs are usually grouped by trade or by sequence of work: earthwork, PCC, RCC, reinforcement, masonry, plaster, flooring, doors and windows, painting, plumbing and electrical. For a step-by-step method, see how to prepare a BOQ from drawings.
Is a BOQ the same as an estimate?#
No. A BOQ lists quantities. An estimate prices them. Once you put a rate against each BOQ line and multiply, you get an estimate, also called a priced BOQ or an abstract of cost.
The same BOQ can produce very different estimates. A contractor in Pune and one in Patna will put different rates against the same quantities. An owner may want one estimate at CPWD rates and another at local market rates. The quantities stay the same, only the rates change. That is why getting the quantities right comes first.
If you want the full picture of how estimates are built, our building estimation and costing guide covers the types of estimates used in India.
Takeoff vs BOQ vs estimate vs rate analysis vs measurement book#
These five documents are often confused because they all deal with quantities and money. Here is how they differ.
| Document | What it is | Who makes it | When in the project | Output format | Measured to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity takeoff | Element-by-element measurement from drawings, with L × B × D working | QS, estimator or site engineer | Before tender, at design stage | Measurement sheet (Excel or paper) | IS 1200 rules |
| Bill of quantities (BOQ) | List of work items with description, unit and total quantity | QS or estimator, from the takeoff | Before tender or before awarding work | Item-wise Excel or PDF, no rates or blank rate column | IS 1200 units and item descriptions |
| Estimate | BOQ with rates and amounts added | Estimator, consultant, or contractor for a bid | Budgeting, tender, bank loan, bid | Priced BOQ and abstract of cost | Quantities from BOQ, rates from SOR, DSR or market |
| Rate analysis | Build-up of one item rate from materials, labour, equipment, overheads and profit | Estimator or contractor | When fixing rates for the estimate | One sheet per item | Material and labour constants per unit of work |
| Measurement book (MB) | Record of work actually done on site, measured for payment | Site engineer, checked by the engineer-in-charge | During construction, for each running bill | Bound book or digital MB | IS 1200 rules, measured on site |
Two points stand out:
- The takeoff and the BOQ come from drawings. The MB comes from the site. A BOQ says what should be built. The MB records what was built.
- Rate analysis works on one item at a time. It answers "what should one cubic metre of M20 concrete cost here", and that rate then goes into the estimate. Read more in our rate analysis guide and our measurement book guide.
A worked example: one RCC footing from takeoff to estimate#
The numbers below are illustrative only. They show the flow, not real project data or current rates.
Step 1: the takeoff row#
Suppose the foundation drawing (sheet S-02) shows isolated footing F1, 1.50 m × 1.50 m in plan and 0.45 m deep, at 8 locations on the grid.
| Item | Drawing ref | Nos | L (m) | B (m) | D (m) | Qty (m³) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCC M20 in footing F1 | S-02, footing schedule | 8 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 0.45 | 8.10 | Uniform depth, no slope shown |
Working: 1.50 × 1.50 × 0.45 = 1.0125 m³ per footing. For 8 footings, 8 × 1.0125 = 8.10 m³.
In a real takeoff there would also be rows for F2, F3 and so on, plus separate rows for PCC below the footings, excavation, formwork and reinforcement. If a footing is sloped, the takeoff uses the frustum formula instead of a plain box.
Step 2: the BOQ line#
The BOQ adds up all footing rows for the same concrete grade and gives one line:
| Item no. | Description | Unit | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Providing and laying in position reinforced cement concrete of grade M20 in foundations and footings, including compaction and curing, excluding reinforcement and formwork | m³ | 8.10 |
Notice what changed. The drawing reference and the L × B × D working are gone. In their place is a full item description that tells a contractor exactly what to price. Steel and formwork are excluded because they will be separate BOQ lines.
Step 3: the estimate line#
Now add a rate. Assume, for illustration only, ₹7,500 per m³ for this item.
| Item no. | Description | Unit | Qty | Rate (₹) | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | RCC M20 in footings (as above) | m³ | 8.10 | 7,500 | 60,750 |
That rate would come from a schedule of rates or from a rate analysis. Change the rate and the amount changes, but the 8.10 m³ does not.
What does IS 1200 say about measuring quantities?#
IS 1200 is the Bureau of Indian Standards code for the method of measurement of building and civil engineering works. It is published in separate parts, one for each type of work. A few parts you will use on almost every building:
- IS 1200 Part 2: concrete work
- IS 1200 Part 3: brickwork
- IS 1200 Part 12: plastering and pointing
The code fixes the unit for each item and the rules for what is deducted and what is not. Some examples:
- Concrete is measured in cubic metres, plaster and flooring in square metres, and reinforcement by weight.
- In brickwork, openings up to 0.1 m² are not deducted. Larger openings are deducted.
- In plaster, openings up to 0.5 m² are not deducted. For openings between 0.5 m² and 3 m², deduction is made for one face only. For openings above 3 m², both faces are deducted and the jambs, soffits and sills are measured and added.
These rules matter because two engineers measuring the same wall can arrive at different plaster areas if one deducts every window and the other follows the code. Using IS 1200 means the BOQ, the tender and the final bill all follow the same rules. Our IS 1200 method of measurement guide explains the main parts in more detail.
Where do the rates in an estimate come from?#
In India, rates usually come from one of three places:
- CPWD DSR (Delhi Schedule of Rates), used by central government works and widely used as a reference elsewhere.
- State SOR (Schedule of Rates) published by the state PWD or other departments, often with location factors.
- Market rates based on current material prices and labour rates in your city, worked out through rate analysis.
Government works generally use the SOR or DSR that applies to them. Private owners and contractors often start from an SOR and adjust to local market rates. Whichever base you use, the BOQ quantities stay the same.
Who prepares the quantity takeoff?#
On larger projects, a quantity surveyor (QS) or an estimation team does the takeoff. On smaller jobs it is often the site engineer, the contractor's estimator, or the architect's office.
For a house, owners often get a lump-sum figure from the contractor with no takeoff at all. That makes it hard to compare quotes or check running bills later. Having your own takeoff and BOQ, prepared independently, gives you a fixed list of quantities to compare every quote against.
When do you need a BOQ instead of just a takeoff?#
You need a BOQ whenever someone else has to price or check the work:
- Inviting quotes from two or more contractors
- Tender documents for a building or civil work
- Applying for a home loan or project finance, where the bank asks for a cost estimate
- Setting up a contract with item rates, so running bills can be checked line by line
A takeoff alone is useful inside an estimating team, but a contractor cannot easily price a sheet of L × B × D rows. The BOQ is the document that goes out.
Can I get a BOQ from AutoCAD drawings?#
Yes. DWG files from AutoCAD are usually the best input, because dimensions can be read directly and checked against the drawing scale. PDF drawings work too, as long as they are dimensioned and readable. Hand sketches can give a rough estimate, but not a reliable BOQ.
What matters more than the file format is the set of drawings. For a full building BOQ you need architectural plans, sections and elevations, plus structural drawings with footing, column, beam and slab details. Without structural drawings, steel and concrete quantities have to be assumed, and the BOQ should say so clearly.
You can see how we lay out the measurement sheets and BOQ in our sample BOQ.
What should a good BOQ package include?#
When you get a BOQ prepared, ask for these:
- Item-wise BOQ in Excel, with clear descriptions and IS 1200 units
- Measurement sheets showing L × B × D for every quantity, with drawing references
- Bar bending schedule or steel summary, if structural drawings are available
- A list of assumptions and open questions where the drawings were unclear
- Abstract of cost, if you want rates applied
The measurement sheets are what make a BOQ checkable. A BOQ without them is just a list of numbers you have to trust.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the difference between a quantity takeoff and a bill of quantities?#
The takeoff is the detailed measurement of each element from the drawings, with dimensions and drawing references. The BOQ is the summary of those measurements, one line per item of work, with a description, unit and total quantity.
Is a BOQ the same as an estimate?#
No. A BOQ has quantities only, or a blank rate column. An estimate adds rates and amounts to the BOQ. The same BOQ can give different estimates depending on which rates are used.
Which IS code is used for measuring building quantities in India?#
IS 1200, the method of measurement of building and civil engineering works. Each type of work has its own part, such as Part 2 for concrete work, Part 3 for brickwork and Part 12 for plastering and pointing.
Is the measurement book the same as a BOQ?#
No. A BOQ is prepared from drawings before work starts. The measurement book records work actually done on site and is used to pay running bills. Both should follow IS 1200 rules so they can be compared.
Can a BOQ be prepared from PDF drawings?#
Yes, if the PDFs are dimensioned and legible. DWG files make the work faster to check. For structural items you need structural drawings, otherwise steel and concrete quantities are assumptions.
How much does BOQ preparation cost?#
With us, a simple house estimate from floor plans starts from ₹2,500 per project, and your first project is 50% off, up to ₹5,000. A luxury home or villa starts from ₹10,000. See BOQ preparation cost for what is included.
If you have drawings ready, send them through our BOQ from drawing service. We measure to IS 1200 and send an item-wise BOQ in Excel with measurement sheets, checked by a civil engineer.
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