U N I V E R S I T Y O F M O R A T U W A

A R E V I E W

O F

S T A N D A R D M E T H O D O F M E A S U R E M E N T S O F

B U I L D I N G W O R K S - S R I L A N K A

(Revised Edition S L S 573)

B Y

C. DILKUMAR

SUPERVISED BY DR. G. W . K O D I K A R A

D E P A R T M E N T O F CIVIL E N G I N E E R I N G
UNIVERSITY O F M O R A T U W A ,
M O R A T U W A , SRI LANKA.

VERSITY OF MORATUWA
PHESES & DISSERTATIONS
 U N 1 Y E R S I T Y O F M O R A T U W A

<A R E V I E W

O F

S T A N D A R D M E T H O D O F M E A S U R E M E N T S O F

B U I L D I N G W O R K S - S R I L A N K A

(Revised E d i t i o n S L S 573)

PERMANENT
REFERENCE
N O I I O Bt
REMOVED FROM
THE LIBRARY.

B Y

C. DILKUMAR

SUPERVISED BY DR. G. W . K O D I K A R A

D E P A R T M E N T O F CIVIL E N G I N E E R I N G
U N I V E R S I T Y O F M O R A T U W A ,
M O R A T U W A * SRI L A N K A .

6 3 0 5 3
 A R E V I E W O F S T A N D A R D M E T H O D O F

M E A S U R E M E N T S O F B U I L D I N G W O R K S - S R I

L A N K A ( R E V I S E D E D I T I O N S L S 5 7 3 )

B Y

C. DILKUMAR

A R E P O R T S U B M I T T E D IN PARTIAL F U L F I L L M E N T
O F
T H E R E Q U I R E M E N T F O R T H E D E G R E E O F
M A S T E R O F E N G I N E E R I N G

IN

T H E FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
D F P A R T M F N T O F riVTI. ENGINEERING
P E R M A N E N T
R K F I ; H KNC!;
N O i : w Et
REMOVtD i-RC M
THE LIBRA RY.
SUPERVISED BY DR. G. W. KODDXARA

University of Moratuwa
November 1994
 ABSTRACT

Sri L a n k a did not have a Standard Method of measurement of Building w o r k s until 1982.
Various organisations have been using different methods. These were modified versions of
S M M 4 and S M M 5 of R I C S ( U . K . ) , S M M prepared by H A W in 1968 and other methods
developed by the organisations to suit the practices of local industry. T o achieve the uniformity
in the method of measurement of building works in the industry, the standard methods of
m e a s u r e m e n t of Builiding w o r k s , SLS 5 7 3 , was introduced in 1982.

N o w after twelve years I C T A D has revised this document and named it as SLS
5 7 3 , R e v i s i o n : 1994. T h i s research was to identify the differences between the revision and the
first SLS 5 7 3 and to get the responses of the industry regarding the major c h a n g e s . In order to
get the responses of the industry, questionnaires were sent to twenty four consultants and
contractors. Also s o m e formats of bills of quantities were studied in order to get the good
aspects of t h e m .

Based on these responses it can be said that SLS 5 7 3 ; revision: 1994 is fairly accepted with s o m e
i m p r o v e m e n t s . D u e to the limitations of time only the major changes as defined in this study
w e r e taken into consideration and it is worthy to undertake a study to o b s e r v e whether the
industry accepts all the differences given in Appendix A.

I
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to D r . G . W . Kodikara, the project supervisor, for the
proper g u i d a n c e provided throughout the project without which this project would not have been
a success.

It is my duty to remeber with gratitude the course Director Prof. S . R . D e S. Chandrakeerthy and
his a c a d e m i c staff for their valuable contributions given to complete Master D e g r e e P r o g r a m
successfully.

I also thank M r . H . D . Chandrasena, the chief quantity surveyor of the State Engineering
Corpration for providing m e with valuable information which led to the success of the project.

I wish to extend my gratitude to all the state and private organisations in the construction
industry for helping m e in the collection of data.

Finally my special thanks go to Dr. Asoka Perera for guiding m e in the latter stages of the
project, particularly in writing the project report.

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 CONTENTS

Description Page

1
Abstract

Acknowledgement ii

v
List of Abbreviations

List of Tables vi

List of F u g u r e s vii

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Objectives 1

1.3 P r o g r a m m e of w o r k 1

1.3.1 Literature study 1

1.3.2 Identification of major changes 2
1.3.3 Discussion 2
1.3.4 Documentation 2
1.4 Main Findings 2
1.5 G u i d e to Report 2
1.5.1 Chapter T w o - Method of Measurement 2
1.5.2 Chapter Three - Format of the Bill of Quantities 2
1.5.3 Chapter F o u r - Standard Method of Measurement of
Building W o r k s SLS 573 3
1.5.4 Chapter Five - Response for the SLS 573 revision; 1994 3
1.5.6 Chapter Six - Conclusions and Recommendations 3
2. Method of measurement 4

2.1 Introduction 4
2.2 Standard method of measurement of Building works in the United K i n g d o m . 6
2.3 Standard method of measurement of Building works in Sri Lanka. 11

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3. F o r m a t of the Bill of Quantities. 14

3.1 Introduction 14
3.2 Elemental Bill 14
3.3 Sectionalised Trades Bills. 15
3.4 Operational Bill 16
3.5 Bill of quantities (operational format) 18
3.6 T h e B P F system - Shedule of Activities. 18
3.7 Standard method of measurement 20

4. Standard method of measurement of Building works:SLS 5 7 3 . 21

4.1 Introduction 21
4.2 T h e structure of SLS 573:1982 and SLS 573 revision: 1994 22
4.3 Comparision between SLS 573:1982 and SLS 573 revision: 1994. 24

4.4 Major differences between SLS 573:1982 and SLs 5 7 3 revision: 1994. 25

5. Response for the SLS 573 revision: 1994 29

5.1 Introduction 29
5.2 Response from grade I contractors. 29
5.3 Response from grade II contractors. 34
5.4 Response from the consultants 38
5.5 Summary. 41

6. Conclusions 49

7. Recommendations 50
References 51

Appendix A 52

Appendix B 62

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 LIST O F ABBREVIATIONS

B.O.Q. - Bill of Quantities

ICTAD - Institute for Construction Training and Development.

R.I.C.S. - Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

C.C.P.I. - Coordinating committee for project information.

N.F.B.T.E. - National Federation of Building Trade E m p o y e r s .

B.E.C. - T h e Building Employers Confederation.

S.M.M. - Standard Method of Measurement.

S.L.S. - Sri Lankan Standard

S.E.C. - State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka.

M - Metre

mm - milli metre

cm - centi metre

3
m - cubic metre

2
m - square metre

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 LIST O F TABLES

Table No. Description Page No.

4.1 Major w o r k sections in SLS 5 7 3 ; 1982 23

and SLS 5 7 3 revision; 1994

4.2 ' Major differences in SLS 5 3 ; 1982 26

and SLS 573 revision; 1994

5.1 Response from Grade I Contractors 30

5.2 Views of Grade one Contractors 31

5.3 Response from Grade II Contractors 35

5.4 Views of Grade two Contractors 36

5.5 Response from Consultants 39

5.6 Views of Consultants. 40

5.7 S u m m a r y of % agreement for change 44

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r

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.No. Description Page No.

5.1 Response from Grade I Contractors 31

5.2 Response from Grade II Contractors 35

5.3 Response from Consultants 37

5.4 S u m m a r y of % agreeing for change 42

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