Reading BOQ item descriptions and units: m, m², m³, nr, item and sum
A BOQ item has a reference, a description of the work, a unit and a quantity. The unit says what the quantity counts: m for length, m² for area, m³ for volume, nr for a number of things, item for a described lump of work and sum for a stated amount of money.
By BOQ Estimator. Published .
How a description and its unit work together
The description says what is to be built, to what standard and where. The unit and quantity say how much. A rate only means something against both, so read them together: concrete in ground beams priced per m³ is a different rate from the same beams priced per m.
Descriptions are compressed. Abbreviations, ne for not exceeding, ditto and extra over all carry meaning, and the preambles or the measurement method define them. Check the document's own conventions before relying on a general reading. The standards are outlined in NRM 2, CESMM4 and SMM7.
Here is an illustrative line: concrete grade C32/40 in beams, cross-section not exceeding 0.25 m², unit m³, quantity 45. The main noun is concrete, the grade is C32/40, it goes in beams, the limit sets the band, and the unit is volume. The rate is therefore per cubic metre placed in beams of that size. Formwork and reinforcement are commonly separate items, so check that they appear elsewhere before you price them in.
Step by step
How to read one item
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Start with the unit
It sets the basis for your rate. Check that it fits what is described: a thickness in the description goes with m², a section size with m or m³.
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Read the description from the main noun outward
Main material or operation first (reinforced concrete grade C32/40), then where (in ground beams), then size or thickness, then any including clause.
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Note the limits
Not exceeding, exceeding and ranges such as 150 to 300 mm show which band the rate applies to. Neighbouring items normally cover the other bands.
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Treat extra over as an add-on
An extra-over item is priced only for the additional cost over the main item, which is measured separately. It is not an alternative price for the same work.
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Follow ditto and as above upward
They repeat the description above with the stated change. Read up the page to the full wording before you price.
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Spot the special cases
Rate-only, included and provisional items are in the bill but do not behave like measured work. How to price a BOQ covers each.
Reference
Common BOQ units
| Unit | Measures | Typical use | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| m | Length (linear metre) | Pipes, kerbs, cables, skirting | The size or section is in the description. |
| m² | Area | Finishes, formwork, paving, membranes | Thickness, laps, and whether openings are deducted. |
| m³ | Volume | Excavation, concrete, fill | What the volume is measured as, for example in the ground. |
| nr | Number (a count) | Doors, sockets, luminaires | What complete includes. |
| item | One described lump of work | Setting out, testing, small works | Exactly what the item includes. |
| sum | A stated sum of money | Provisional and PC sums | Carried at the stated amount. |
| kg, t | Weight | Reinforcement, structural steel | Whether laps, spacers and waste are included. |
| hr, day, week, month | Time | Dayworks, plant, preliminaries | The quantity is the time; the rate is per unit of time. |
| % | Percentage | Profit or attendance on PC sums | What the percentage applies to. |
Watch for
What goes wrong with units
- A rate for the wrong unit. A rate per m² entered against an m³ line. The conversion is in rate build-up.
- Units typed into the quantity cell. 125 m² in one cell is text, so Quantity x Rate formulas fail. Keep the number and the unit in separate columns.
- The unit lost in copying. A quantity with no unit is ambiguous. Restore it from the PDF before pricing.
- Totals across units. Adding metres to square metres gives a meaningless figure. Total quantities per unit.
- Inconsistent spelling. m2, M2 and m² behave as three values in a filter. Pick one spelling for the sheet.
- Pricing from the heading. A section heading gives context, not the specification. Read the full description of every item, especially lines that say ditto.
- Counting the wrong thing. A nr can be one leaf, a pair or a complete door set. The description says which, and the rate follows it.
The tool
How BOQ Estimator helps
BOQ Estimator splits a unit written inside the quantity cell, such as 125 m², into the Unit column. It stores units as plain text (m2, m3, nr, lm) so they work in filters, shows m² and m³ on screen, and totals quantities per unit, never across units. A quantity with no unit is flagged. Try it on the BOQ to Excel converter. Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Files over 10 pages are converted up to page 10 on the free allowance; a page code converts the whole file, up to 150 pages. See plans and limits.
Related
Related guides
FAQ
Questions estimators ask
What does nr mean in a BOQ?
Number: a count of discrete items such as doors or sockets. It is also written no., nos or each. The rate is per item counted, so check what complete includes.
What is the difference between item and sum?
An item is a described piece of work that you price, usually with a quantity of 1. A sum is an amount of money fixed by the client, such as a provisional or PC sum, which you carry unchanged.
What does extra over mean?
A price for the additional cost of doing something differently from the main item, such as excavating in rock instead of ordinary ground. The main item is measured and priced separately.
What does ne mean in a description?
Not exceeding. It sets an upper limit, such as ne 1.50 m deep. The next item up in the bill usually starts where this one stops.
Are m and lm the same?
Both are linear measures. Some bills write lm or linear metre to stress length, and the cross-section is in the description either way. Use the unit exactly as the bill gives it.
Why are some quantities given in tonnes or kilograms?
Materials priced by weight, such as reinforcement and structural steel, are measured that way. Check whether laps, spacers and waste are included in the weight.
How many decimal places should quantities have?
Whatever the bill prints. The measurement rules typically set the rounding, so do not round quantities yourself. Query a quantity you think is wrong.