A quote that says only a rate per square foot tells you very little. Two builders can quote the same rate and mean completely different houses. A bill of quantities, or BOQ, is the document that shows what you are actually paying for.
What a BOQ is
A BOQ breaks the building into items of work, gives the quantity of each, and prices each one. Excavation in cubic metres, concrete in cubic metres, steel in kilograms, brickwork, plastering, flooring, painting, electrical and plumbing points: each is listed with a quantity and a rate. Add them up and you get the total.
What a good BOQ should include
- Every stage of work, from site clearing and foundation to finishing and cleaning.
- Material specifications: the grade of concrete and steel, the type of blocks or bricks, the type and size of tiles.
- Brand or quality allowances for items like tiles, sanitary fittings, switches and paint, so you know what level of finish is assumed.
- Electrical and plumbing work in detail, with the number of points.
- Outdoor work: compound wall, gate, sump, septic tank, paving.
- What is excluded. This list matters as much as what is included.
How to compare two quotes
Put the BOQs side by side and compare them line by line, not just the totals. The cheaper quote is often missing something: a lower grade of steel, fewer electrical points, no compound wall, or a smaller allowance for tiles that you will top up later. Once both quotes cover the same work at the same specification, the comparison becomes fair.
Gaps that lead to extra costs
- Items marked as provisional or extra, with no rate given.
- Very low allowances for finishes, which almost every owner ends up increasing.
- Foundation quantities guessed without a soil test. Poor soil can change the foundation a great deal.
- No clear rule for how changes are priced once work starts.
Changes during construction
Most cost overruns come from changes, not from fraud. That is normal: people change their minds once they see the house rising. What matters is that each change is written down and priced before the work is done, not added to the bill at the end. Ask how your builder handles this before you sign.
Getting a BOQ checked
We prepare detailed estimates and BOQs for owners, and we also review BOQs and running bills from other contractors as part of our construction consulting work. Either way, the aim is the same: you should know exactly what you are paying for before the first payment is made.
Written by the team at Prasanth Associates.