Quantity Surveying and Estimation

Course Outline:

Introduction to the subject

Prequalification in civil engineering
Tendering Process in civil engineering
Specifications for various items of construction
Rate analysis
Estimation of 1 canal house
Preparation of BOQ (Bill of quantities)

Books Recommended:

Estimating and Costing by E.W. Steel and Terence J. Mc GHEE

Estimating and Costing in Civil Engineering by S. Dutta 22nd edition.
Estimating, Costing and Accounts by D.D.Kohli 9th edition.
Fundamentals of construction, Estimating & Cost Accounting by Keith
Collier 2nd edition.

Introduction to the Subject:

As the name implies quantity surveying is broadly concerned with the
estimation, planning and control of the cost on construction projects. It
covers wide range of activities including:

Cost estimation
Cost planning
Feasibility studies
Cost benefit analysis
Life cycle costing
Valuation(valuation is the process of estimating what something is
worth)

So, this subject is related predominately to cost and contracts on

construction projects.
Quantity surveyor
The person who deals with quantity surveying and estimation is a quantity
surveyor. QS Provides wide range of services including:
Carry out estimating and measurement of construction works prior to
tender.
Determine the types of materials that should be used.
Producing the bill of quantities
Produce tender documentation and manage the tender process

 Manage the resultant contract through monthly valuations

The equipment used for construction sites and ensure all timelines are
met and remain within budget.
Effective and efficient utilization of resources (material, manpower and
money) is the main objective of the quantity surveyor
Types of Quantity Surveyors
Because a Quantity Surveyor is trained in a wide variety of skills, most
Quantity Surveyors choose to receive specialized training in one or more of
those skills. The result of that specialized training is the emergence of
several different types of Quantity Surveyors. Listed below are some of the
various types of Quantity Surveyors:
1. Contractors Quantity Surveyor Responsibility includes subcontractor
formations and calculations of all related costs of the project. The
professional is also responsible for keeping the project within budget at all
times and creation of reports that each member must stick to throughout the
project.
They are also
surveyor".

known as

"Contracts

manager"

or

"Construction

2. Senior Quantity Surveyor This title is the most needed type of

Quantity Surveyor. This professional is expected to take ownership and
responsibility for the teams supported and reports daily to the lead partner.
This person supports the senior staff within several teams and is responsible
for building and developing successful relationships quickly.
3. Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Quantity Surveyor Manages the
financial performance and maintenance contracts related to all Mechanical
and Electrical work. The Surveyor creates contracts for large governmental
clients mainly. This type of surveyor is extensively knowledgeable in
maintenance projects and commercial projects.
4. Project Quantity Surveyor Provides project estimates, tender
appraisals, prepares bills of quantities, finalizes projects and writes project
reviews.
5. Construction Cost Consultant - Some QSs are trained in techniques of
cost control. Those QSs who emphasize the cost discipline often use the term
"Construction Cost Consultant". They ensure that projects are designed
and constructed in such a manner as to secure value for money, cost
certainty and programme dates.
The main distinction amongst QSs is between those who carry out work on
behalf of a client organization, often known as a "professional quantity

surveyor", and those who work for construction companies, often known as
a "main contractor's quantity surveyor".
Job Opportunities
The job opportunities are in abundance for these highly qualified
professionals. Many of the jobs available to a Quantity Surveyor are located
within governmental construction sites, office buildings, schools, bridges,
factories, hospitals, academics and apartment complexes. Essentially
anywhere that any type of building or construction exists a Quantity
Surveyor would be needed. These are only a few of the many places where
available job opportunities may exist for qualified Quantity Surveyors.
Instructions
Maintain a design copy for the estimation of 1 Canal House and rate analysis.

Prequalification in civil engineering

Prequalification
It is to make an evaluation of capacity of an organization. Organization
includes:
1. Clients (Who pays)
2. Consultant (who appointed by the client to do the design and
supervise the construction work.)
3. Contractor (Who builds)
Leading clients in Government sector
In Government sector leading clients are:

WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority)

NHA (National Highway Authority)
Pakistan Railways
Irrigation and power department
Communication and works department (C & W)

Leading clients in Private sector

In private sector leading clients are:

Bahria Developer
Eden Developers
Tricon developers (Real estate developers, Tricon village)
Atlas Honda
Coca Cola
Suzuki

 Pepsi
Nishat Mills
KFC
Leading consultants
Leading consultants are:

NESPAK
ACE (Allied Consultant Engineering)
AAA consultants
REC (Republic Engineering Consultant)
NDC (National Development Consultants)
Noor Durrani Associates

Leading contractors
Leading contractors are:

Descon
Izhar Group
Banu Mukhtar
Habib Rafique
SKB Engineering
FWO

Examples of Projects
Construction of Islamabad to Peshawar Motorway (M-1)
Client
NHA
Consultant
Pakistan motorway consultants(National Highway
Authority has appointed Pakistan Motorway Consultants comprising of
M/s Engineering Consultants, M/s A.A. Associates, M/s Engineering
Associates, M/s Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation and M/s Lois
Berger Int. for providing design review and construction supervision
services for the project.)
Contractor
Pakistan motorway contractor
Construction of Pace tower in Gulberg
Client
Consultant
Contractor

Pace Pakistan
Noor Durrani
Pace Paksitan

Construction of flyover on Mughal Pura Canal Crossing

 Client
Consultant
Contractor

C&W
NESPAK
FWO

Joint Venture or Consortium

If the services required in construction projects is more than the capacity of
one single organization, then often more than one organization combine to
undertake the design, supervision or construction of the project.
Example: Benazir Bhutto international airport (IKAN & Hussnain
cotex)
Verification of the company
Prequalification of Design Consultant is by client.
Prequalification of Contractor is by client and Design Consultant.
Prequalification of Supervision Consultant is also by client and Design
consultant.
Note: Major Authority and decision stands with the client.
Criterias of Prequalification
An organization has to undergo through two phases of prequalification:
1. Technical ability
2. Financial ability
1-Technical ability
Major requirements in technical ability evaluation are:

Registration of company with PEC.

Registration of company with government and private client.
List of Past projects.
List of present projects in hand.
List of technical staff.
List of registered office with telephone, fax and e-mail addresses.
List of equipment and machinery (for contractor only)

2-Financial ability
Major requirements in financial ability evaluation are:
Bank reference certificate for successful maintenance of accounts.
Latest bank statement.
Income tax registration certificate.

Sales tax registration certificate.

National tax number (NTN)
Litigation or arbitration certificate.
List of costs of Past and Present major projects.

Notes:
In short duration project we check financial ability.
In Intermediate duration project we check 50% FA & 50% TA.
In long duration project we check Technical ability.
Client always give the prequalification notice in newspaper in
form of advertisement.
Assignment
a) Required to collect any Prequalification notice from any
newspaper for design consultant, contractor and supervision
consultant.
b) Bring tender notice.

Tendering process in Civil engineering

Tendering Process:
A Tender Process is a method by which suppliers are selected for the
provision of products and services to an organization. The process involves
creating a suite of Tender Documents to manage the supplier selection
process. The Tender Documents help the organization to select the best
possible supplier available.
Tender means to offer or present something formerly.
Definition: A written offer to contract goods or services, at a
specified cost or rate. (i-e a bid)
Example of tender notice

Steps involved in tendering process

After the prequalification of selected companies, these companies are
brought in stage of tendering. Only prequalified company can enter the
tender notice.
For tendering minimum 3 companies are required.
It comprises 3 parts in civil engineering.

1. Tendering of design consultant

2. Tendering of contractor
3. Tendering of supervision consultant
1-Tendering of design consultant
Tendering of design consultant can be done immediately after
prequalification of design consultant. However, the tendering of contractor is
impossible unless the design consultant finished the preparation of tender
document.
The fee or charges of design consultant is either based on lump sum
basis or %age against the total cost of the project.
In lump sum contract, design consultants are asked to submit a single
lump sum cost for the work and smallest bid is picked by the client.
Note: normally design consultant rate varies 2-8% of total cost of
the projects.
The minimum design consultant fee asked or bid by the prequalified design
consultant is selected for the project and a formal contract is established
between client and design consultant.

Vetting consultant
The vetting consultant is company involve in the project by client to check
the work of design consultant. It is the consultant who is checking the design
consultant. (It is very rare)
2-Tendering of contractor
After the preparations of tender documents by design consultant and
selection of contractor through the prequalification process, the client or
design consultant can start the tendering of contractor.
Only the pre qualified contractor is allowed to participate in tendering
process. The client or design consultant gives the advertisement with the
title Tender notice. (Tender notice is a legal requirement)
Tender Notice includes:
Tender Fee:
The client or design consultant is issuing the tender document through
prequalified contractor only after the payment of tender fee. A tender
fee is a fee mutually agreed between client and design consultant for

the cost of printing of tender documents and to hold the tendering

process. Generally, more the cost of the project more is the tender fee.
Date, time and place of opening of tender:
In tender notice advertisement, tender fee, tender submission time,
time and date of opening of tender, place of opening of tender and
conditions for the contractor participation are described.
Security deposit or Tender guarantee:
Registered contractors are usually required to submit a specific sum as
security or earnest money deposit to be adjusted against work done,
normally in the form of Bank Guarantee or Surety.
The contractors who are prequalified and interested to participate in
tendering are required to deposit 2-5% of the tender cost as tender
guarantee. The tender security can be in the form of demand draft
(D.D) or insurance company guarantee. The tender guarantee is
required for the reason that the lowest tender should not withdraw
from the project.
The bank or insurance guarantee is a legal document on stamp paper
with undertaking by the bank that if contractor will not take the project
than the bank will pay the client the tender security. The tender
security of a successful contractor remains with the client and for
others it is returned with 30-90 days after opening the tender.
The tender document should be properly sealed and submitted to client
before the official tender opening date.
The tender document submitted by each company is opened by client in
presence of contractor representative.
Any tender not accompanied by tender security will not be considered during
tendering.
On the day of opening of tender only the cost highlighted on the summary
page of BOQ is announced and the unofficial lowest tender is selected.
Then the complete checking of BOQ is carried out based on the final analysis
a comparative statement of tendering contractor is established and the
lowest company is selected for the project.
Non Responsive Tender:

Any incomplete or error based tender is known as non responsive tender.

If two tenders come on the same price then they are allowed to retender
their BOQ and who so ever is coming lowest is selected for project.
3-Tendering for supervision consultant
If for a project the supervision cost of design consultant is more than the
budget of client, or design consultant dont have in house supervision
capability or if design consultant is overloaded with no. of projects than in
that case an independent supervision consultant has been engaged.
If design and supervision consultant are same than at the time of design
tendering supervision charges are also included. However if supervision
consultant is separate then the supervision charges can be asked in
tendering process in any of the following modes:
1. Lump sum basis
2. Percentage against total cost of project
3. On monthly basis
Depending upon the requirement of project any of the above modes of
tender fee is selected. Only the prequalified design consultant can
participate in the tender of supervision consultant.
The scope of services of supervision consultant is to:
Implement tender with respect to construction and to ensure the
quality in scope, schedule and budget of the project.

Preparation of tender documents

It includes the following
Technical specifications:
It is a part of tendering process and it is supposed to be prepared by design
consultant. Technical specifications used in civil engineering are of two types:
a) General Specifications
b) Detail Specifications
a)- General Specifications:
These specifications are normally provided in drawings in which very brief
information regarding the quality of materials or finished product is
described. No detail description is given. These general specifications are
referring to detail specifications which are the part of tender document.

e-g

Product

Material

Concrete
In foundation

1 Cement : 2 sand: 3 crush

Brick and mortar

b)- Detail Specifications:

These specifications are always in the form of thick booklet as the part of
tender document. The detail specifications refer all the major and minor
materials and products, quantity and usage requirement for any specific
construction project.
Detail technical specifications should be properly noted by contractor for
evaluation of rates of project. Without the understanding of detail
specifications contractors are unable to provide their rates in BOQ. Detail
technical specification for any construction comprise of following items.
1. Civil Works
Concrete: Detail specifications of concrete include.
1) Mixing of concrete by volume or by weight.
2) Concreting by manual method or concrete mixer or concrete
plant.
3) Grade of concrete.
Grades of concrete are normally referring to the concrete class; mostly
used classes include A,B,C,B1,B2,C1,C2 etc. These classes are based
on compressive strengths of concrete i-e (A=12000 psi, C2=3000 psi)
4) Curing requirement of concrete.
5) Admixture of concrete (admixtures are modern chemicals added
in concrete to improve its physical and chemical properties)
6) Formwork or shuttering of concrete.
7) Vibration or compaction requirement.
Steel: Detail specifications of steel include.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Yield and ultimate strength of steel.

Hot rolled or cold formed steel.
Tor or deformed steel.
Lap reinforcement.
Bending and cutting reinforcement.
Brand of steel. (i-e Prime steel, Mughal steel,
Ambreli steel, Malik steel)

Bricks: Detail specifications of bricks include.

1) First class brick, 2nd class, 3rd class, underburnt (Pilla Brick) and over-burnt brick
(khinger brick).
2) Porosity of brick.
3) Efflorescence of brick.
4) Compressive strength of brick.
Cement: Detail specifications of cement include.
1) Brand of cement.(i-e DG cement, Maple leaf cement, Askari
cement, White or grey cement for decorative purpose)
2) Physical and chemical properties of cement including
compressive strength, soundness, durability.
3) Initial and final setting time of cement.
4) Water-cement ratio.
5) Slump requirement.
Sand: Detail specifications of sand include.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

Type of sand. (i-e Ravi,Chenab, Lawrencepur)

Gradation requirement sand (fine, medium and coarse)
Specific gravity.
Shear strength.
Angel of internal friction.
Compaction requirement.
Permeability requirement.

Crush: Detail specifications of crush include.

1) Sources of crush. (i-e margalla crush, sargodha crush, dena
crush, sakhi sarwar)
2) Specific gravity and water absorption.
3) Soundness requirement.
4) Optimum Moisture Content and max. dry density (d).
5) Gradation.
6) Crushing value.
7) Flakiness index.
8) Elongation index.
9) CBR value.
2. Architectural work
Flooring: Detail specifications of flooring include.
1) Type of floor.(i-e Marble, Terrazzo or chip, Tiles, cement
floor(cheapest))
2) Fixing of marble or tile by white or grey cement.
3) Pigment requirement.
4) Size of tile or marble.(standard size 1 x 1, if we increase size,
price will increase)

5) Skirting Requirements.
6) Boders.
7) Brands of marble includes (Boticena, China verona,Indian green,
Ziarat white, Ziarat grey )
8) Brands of tiles include (Master, Sonex, Fort, Emco)
Majority of imported tiles comes from china however the best imported
tiles are from Spain and France.
9) Grinding requirement of floor.
10)
Use of chemical polish (only for grinding floor)
Wood: Detail specifications of wood include.
1) Type of wood
wood

Natural Wood

Artifical

Teak
Formica
Shisham
Lasani wood
Diar
Plywood
1) Treatment of wood. (Painting, Polishing and termite proofing).
2) Hollow wood finishing or solid wood finishing.
Steel work: Detail specifications of steel works include.
1) Architectural steel is used for railing, doors, grills, strands etc.
2) Protection of steel sheet through painting, oiling and greasing.
3) Dimensions required of steel sheet in window, door and other
installation.
Painting: Detail specifications of painting works includes.
1) Types of paint includes (Distamper, Varnish, Oil paint, Emulsion,
Water paint, Weather shield, Emulsion, Liquo paint)
2) Brand of paints (Berger, ICI, Black horse, Master)
3) Solvent for Paints (oil based or water based)
4) Pigment requirement of paints.
5) Surface preparation requirement.(Level the wall, Apply plaster of
paint, do grinding, apply first layer of paint, small grinding again,
apply 2nd coat of paint)
3. Plumbing, water supply and sewage work: Detail specifications of
plumbing, Water supply and sewage work includes.
1) Source of water (WASA, Bore underground water, Water
tank(storage))
2) Pipes Requirement (Galvanized iron pipe , polypropylene pipe)

3) Grades of pipes (High pressure grade(used in power plant), Low

pressure grade(used in residential plant), Medium Pressure
grade(used in tube-wells))
4) Accessories of water supply system(Elbows, valves, bents, corks,
tees, reducers)
5) Protection of pipes against rusting and corrosion.
Sewage work:
1) Pipe requirements.
2) Manhole requirement.
3) Manhole covers.
4) Storm water drain pipes.
4. Electrical works: Detail specifications of electrical works include.
1) Electric cable
2) Electric switch
3) Circuit breaker
4) Distribution board
5) Lights
6) Fan
7) AC
8) Electric conduit pipe etc
5. Mechanical Works: Detail specifications of Mechanical works include.
1) Type of motor or pumps
2) Capacity of motor or pump in terms of horsepower or kW
3) Electrical requirements for its running.
4) Maintenance requirement.

Estimation

Estimation is the scientific way of working out the approximate cost

of an engineering project before execution of the work.
It is totally different from calculation of the exact cost after completion of the
project. Estimation requires a thorough Knowledge of the construction
procedures and cost of materials & labour in addition to the skill, experience,
foresight and good judgment.
Estimate:
An estimate of the cost of a construction job is the probable cost of
that job as computed from plans and specifications.
For a good estimate the, actual cost of the proposed work after completion
should not differ by more than (5-10)% from its approximate cost estimate,
provided there are no unusual, unforeseen circumstances.
Data required for Estimate:
To make out an estimate for a work, the following data is necessary.
1. Drawings
2. Technical Specifications (Tender Documents)

3. Unit Rates
1. Drawings:
Plan, cross sections, elevations all should be dimensioned.
2. Technical specifications
a) General Specifications
b) Detail Specifications
3. Unit Rates
The rates per unit of various items of work, various materials and
wages of different categories of labor are required.
Types of estimate
There are two main types of estimates.
a) Rough cost estimate.
b) Detailed estimate.
a) Rough cost estimate
Estimation of cost before construction from plans or architectural
drawings of the project scheme, when even detailed or structural
design has not been prepared, is called Rough cost estimate.
Note: These estimates are used for obtaining Administrative
Approval from the concerning Authorities (client). Sometimes, on
the basis of rough cost estimates, a proposal (project) may be
dropped altogether.

i.

ii.

iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Unit cost is worked out for projects similar to the project under
consideration carried out recently in nearly the same site conditions.
Unit cost means cost of execution of a unit quantity of the work.
The rough cost estimate may be prepared on the following basis for
different types of projects:
Cost per square foot of covered area (plinth area) is the most
commonly adopted criterion for preparing rough cost estimate for most
of the residential buildings.
For public buildings, cost. Per person (cost per capita) is used.
For
example,
i. Students hostel-Cost per student
ii. HospitalsCost per bed
iii. HotelCost per Guest
Cost per cubic foot is particularly suitable for commercial offices,
shopping centers, and factory buildings, etc.
For water tank/reservoir, cost may be worked out on the basis of
capacity in gallons of water stored.
For roads and railways, cost may be found out per mile/kilometer of
length.
For streets, cost may be per hundred feet/meters of length.

vii.

In case of bridges, cost per foot/mete of clear span may be calculated.

b) Detailed estimate.
Detailed estimates are prepared by separately calculating in detail the
costs of various items of the work that constitute the whole project
from the detailed working drawings after the design has been finalized.
I.
The mistakes, if any, in the rough cost estimate are eliminated in the
detailed estimate. Detailed estimates are submitted to the competent
authorities for obtaining Technical sanction.
II.
The whole project is sub-divided into different items of work or
activities. The quantity for each item is then calculated separately from
the drawings as accurately as possible. The procedure is known as
"taking out of quantities".
III. In fact this is the major part of estimation work. The quantities for each
item may be estimated and shown in the pattern which is called "Bill
of quantities."
IV.
The unit in which each item of the wok is to be calculated is very
important; it should be according to the prevailing practice as followed
in various departments of the country.
V.
Each item of the work is then multiplied by its estimated current rate
calculated by a fixed procedure to find out cost of the item. At the end,
a total of all items of the work are made to get the total estimated
cost.
VI. The rates are usually as per Schedule of Rates for the locality plus a
premium to allow for rise in labour and material rates. A percentage,
usually 5% is also provided on the total estimated cost for the work to
allow for the possible contingencies due to unforeseen items or
expenditure or other causes, besides 2% establishment charges.
Bill of Quantities (BOQ)
Sr
.
N
o

Descripti
on of
Items

N
o

Measurements
Leng Bread Heig
th
th
ht

Quanti
ty

Total
Quanti
ty

Remar
ks

Abstract of BOQ
Sr.
No.

Description of
Item

Unit

Types of Detail Estimate:

Quantit
y

Rate

Cost

Remark
s

There are three common types of detail estimates.

a. Contractor's estimate.
b. Engineer's estimate.
c. Progress estimate.
a) Contractor's estimate. It is made by the Contractor for
determining the cost of to be bid for tender. It is usually a carefully
prepared detailed estimate.
b) Engineer's estimate. It is made by the Design Consultant for the
purpose of financing the work and for checking bids made by
contractors.
c) Progress estimate. It is made by the Supervision Consultant at
regular intervals for the completed parts of the project during the
progress of the work for determining the amounts of partial payments
to be made to the contractor. On large contracts, such estimates are
commonly made each month and, hence, are frequently called
monthly estimates.

Methods of Detailed Building Estimate

There are many methods available for detail estimation but two commonly
used methods will be discussed here.
1. Separate or individual wall method
2. Center Line Method
1) Separate or individual wall method
In this method:
I. The walls running in longitudinal direction are termed as "long walls
and the walls running in the transverse direction are termed, as "Short
walls", without keeping in mind which wall is lesser in length and
which wall is greater in length.
II.
Lengths of long walls are measured as "Out-to out" and those of short
walls as "In-to-in".
Long wall length out-to-out

III.

= Center to center length + half breadth on one Side + half breadth on

other side
= Center to center length + one breadth
Short wall length in-to-in
= Center to center length - half breadth on one Side - half breadth on
other side
= Center to center length - one breadth
Different quantities are calculated by multiplying the length x
breadth x height.

Example (Separate or individual wall method)