• Principles of quantity measurement

• Quantity measurement for building

works
• Take off and measuring techniques

Quantity Measurement
BFC 31602 (Contract & Estimation)
Dr. Azeanita Suratkon
 Introduction

• Quantity measurement of building works is carried out to produce bill of

quantities (BQ).
• Taking Off :
„Take off‟ refers to the scaling or transferring of critical dimensions of
construction components from drawings to paper/software that are
quantified as units of measurement.
• All measurements and calculations are „nett as fixed position‟ –
measurement are taken or scaled direct from drawings without allowing for
methods a contractor may use to carry out the works, i.e. waste and
shrinkage by mixing with water or cutting material to length which is risk an
estimator must consider within the chargeable rate.
• In Malaysia, quantity measurement of building works must follow the
principles of measurement stated in the Standard Method of Measurement
of Building Works, 2nd Ed. (SMM2).
 Examples of building work elements in BQ

Finishes
Substructure
Piling Internal Wall Finishes
Work Below Lowest Floor Finish Internal Floor Finishes
Internal Ceiling Finishes
Superstructure External Finishes
Frame
Upper Floor
Roof Fittings and Furnishings
Stairs Services
External Wall Sanitary Appliances
Windows and External Doors
Internal Wall and Partitions Plumbing Installations
Internal Doors Air Conditioning System
Electrical Installation etc.

External Work
Earthwork
Drainage
Parking etc.
Inserting dimensions and quantities into
taking off sheet
2-Storey Bungalow on
Lot 1234 Shah Alam Internal Wall

m2
Half brick wall in common bricks in cement and sand
(1:6) mortar in Stretcher bond with brick reinforcement
at every fourth course, non-load bearing
32

Length
7.200
Less bwl. 0.225
6.975

Description and calculation

Inserting dimensions and quantities into
taking off sheet
Inserting dimensions and quantities into
taking off sheet
Inserting dimensions and quantities into
taking off sheet
Centre line calculation
Centre line calculation
Centre line calculation
Centre line calculation
Centre line calculation
Centre line calculation
 Principles and Rules of Measurement

• Excavation work
• Hardcore
• Damp proofed membrane (DPM)
• Steel reinforcement work
• Formwork
• Concreting work
Project drawings

2-Storey Bungalow on
Lot 1234 Shah Alam

Notes:

Excavate top soil 100mm deep to be

deposited 10.00 m from site.

Concrete cover for pad footing,

column stump and ground beam is
40 mm thick.

Lean concrete shall be of Grade 7

concrete.

Concrete to footings, stumps,

ground beams and bed shall be of
Grade 20 concrete.
Project drawings
2-Storey Bungalow on
Lot 1234 Shah Alam
Project drawings
2-Storey Bungalow on
Lot 1234 Shah Alam
Taking-off list

2-Storey Bungalow on
Lot 1234 Shah Alam
 Principles and Rules of Measurement
• Excavation work
– Soil types and condition, including underground water conditions and
trial pit (if any) shall be mentioned.
– Excavation for top soil shall be measured in m2 and its thickness (which
is normally 150 thick) shall be stated.
– Excavation to reduce level shall me measured in m3.
– Removal of excavated material shall be measured in m3.
– Excavation work shall be done by stage of depth, not exceeding (n.e.)
0.25m, 1.00m, 2.00m , 4.00m and so on (using 2.0m depth interval).
– Excavation involving rock shall be measured as “provisional quantities”
or as “extra over” item.
Original ground level

Level after removing top soil

Reduced level

Depth of excavation to
measured in specified
depth interval
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATION – TOP SOIL

 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATION – REDUCED LEVEL

Original ground level

Level after removing top soil

Reduced level

Depth of excavation to
measured in specified
depth interval
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATION – PAD FOOTING

Original ground level

 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATION – PAD FOOTING

EXCAVATION – TRENCH FOR GROUND BEAM 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATIO N
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

EXCAVATION – TRENCH FOR GROUND BEAM

 Principles and Rules of Measurement
• Concreting work
– The ratio of concrete mixes or grades of concrete that will be used shall
be clearly stated.
– Concrete for footings, column, stump and beam shall be measured in
m3.
– Concrete for ground floor shall be measured in m3 and its thickness
shall be stated (whether n.e.100mm, 100 -150mm, 150-300mm or
exceeding 300mm).
– Concrete for lean concrete shall be measured in m3 and its thickness
shall be stated similarly as for ground floor.
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

BLINDING AND CONCRETE

 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

BLINDING AND CONCRETE

Ground beam

Height of column stump is

measured from top of pad
footing up to top of ground
beam

Pad footing
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

REMOVAL OF EXCAVATED MATERIAL

 Principles and Rules of Measurement
• Formwork
– Formwork for footing, ground floor and ground beam shall be measured
separately.
– It shall be measured in m2 if the length of side is more than 1.00 m
height.
– If it is n.e. 1.00 m height, it shall be measured in metre run (m) and its
height shall be stated in stages: n.e. 250mm, 250-500mm and 500-
100mm.

Ground floor
This area no need to be
deducted from the quantity of
formwork for column

Formwork to side
of beam
Formwork for beam is
measured up to the
side of column

Column stump
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

FORMWORK – COLUMN STUMP

SHOULD BE MEASURED IN
LINEAR METRE AS THE SIDE IS
LESS THAN 1.00 M HEIGHT?
 Principles and Rules of Measurement
• Steel reinforcement work
– Reinforcement bar shall be measured in metre run (m). After that the
length will be converted into kg/tonne.
– Fabric mesh shall be measured in m2. No addition for overlapping and
no deduction for 1m2 void shall be made.

Concrete cover

Hook

Link Reinforcement/
Main bar of column
Reinforcement/
Main bar
Reinforcement/ Main bar
and link for column stump
includes those located in
the column and footing

Pad footing
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

STEEL REINFORCEMENT
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

STEEL REINFORCEMENT
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

BLINDING AND CONCRETE

25 mm thick LC =0.03m
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

FORMWORK
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

STEEL REINFORCEMENT
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

STEEL REINFORCEMENT
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

STEEL REINFORCEMENT
 Principles and Rules of Measurement
• Hardcore
– Hardcore shall be measured in m2 and its thickness and
material/sources (normally consisting of rock or broken bricks) shall be
stated.
– Hardcore with thickness of more than 250m shall be measured in m3.

• Damp proofed membrane

– It shall be measured in m2 if its coverage area is exceeding 300mm
length.
– It shall be measured in metre run (m) and its width shall be stated in
150mm interval if its length is less than 300mm.
 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

HARDCORE & D.P.M.

 2-Storey Bungalow on
Quantity Measurement Lot 1234 Shah Alam

BLINDING AND CONCRETE