What Is a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) in Construction?
A Bill of Quantities (BOQ) is a priced list of the work items in a construction contract, each with a description, unit, quantity and rate. It lets bidders price the same scope on equal terms, and after award it is the basis for valuing progress, payments and variations.
What is a BOQ in construction?
A BOQ breaks the works into measurable items such as excavation in cubic metres, concrete in cubic metres, blockwork in square metres or cable in metres. Items are grouped into sections (for example substructure, superstructure, finishes, MEP) so each part of the job can be priced, checked and tracked separately.
The quantities come from a take-off: someone measures the drawings and specifications. The rates are filled in by the bidder. Quantity multiplied by rate gives the item amount, and the sum of all items gives the tender or contract total.
Purpose of a BOQ
A BOQ is used at three stages of a project:
- Tendering: every bidder prices the same items and quantities, so offers can be compared fairly.
- Valuation: each month the quantity of work done on an item is multiplied by its rate to value progress for payment.
- Variations: added, omitted or changed work is valued against the BOQ rates where the contract allows it.
How to prepare a BOQ
Preparation follows the same order on most projects:
- Fix the structure first: sections, item numbering and the unit of measure for each type of work.
- Take off quantities from the issued drawings and write a clear description for each item that refers to the specification.
- Add preliminaries (site set-up, supervision, insurances) as their own section so they are not hidden inside item rates.
- Leave rates and amounts blank for bidders, or fill in rates and add formulas for the item amount and section totals.
- Check the sums, then keep the BOQ under version control so the priced version and the contract version are never confused.
BOQ example
One line of a BOQ for a concrete slab might read: item 3.2.1, 'Reinforced concrete grade C40 in suspended slabs, as specification section 03 30 00', unit m3, quantity 250, rate 480, amount 120,000. The numbers are illustrative only. Our free BOQ template gives you the blank structure with the formulas already in place.
BOQs on Gulf projects
In the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar the BOQ is normally priced in the local currency (AED, SAR or QAR) and is a core contract document. Under a measurement contract such as the FIDIC Red Book, the BOQ quantities are estimates and the works are re-measured to arrive at the final value. Under a lump-sum contract the BOQ is usually used to value progress and variations, but the contract price is not adjusted for quantity differences unless the contract says so.
Which of these applies is set by your contract and its conditions. Check them before using BOQ rates to value work.
How Arkan handles the BOQ
Arkan's BOQ module takes the spreadsheet you already have and turns it into a controlled project record, instead of a file that gets copied and edited by several people.
- Upload BOQ spreadsheets with column mapping, a preview and a validation summary before the import is confirmed.
- Break an item down into sub-items and get variance alerts when the breakdown does not match the parent item.
- Track variations against individual BOQ items, with status and value impact.
- See cost distribution by WBS section and a budget health view on the BOQ dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BOQ full form?
BOQ stands for Bill of Quantities. It is also written 'bill of quantity' in some places, and it refers to the same priced list of measured work items.
What is the difference between a BOQ and an estimate?
An estimate is the contractor's or cost consultant's calculation of what the work will cost. A BOQ is a structured list of items and quantities that bidders price and that becomes part of the contract. The estimate is built from many inputs; the BOQ is the agreed itemised form of the price.
Who prepares the BOQ?
Usually the quantity surveyor or cost consultant working for the employer prepares it from the design drawings and specification. On some projects the contractor prepares or re-measures its own BOQ for a lump-sum or design-and-build contract.
Can I download a BOQ template?
Yes. We publish a free, generic BOQ template in Excel and PDF, in English and Arabic, that you can adapt. It is a starting structure, not a priced document.
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Last updated: 2026-10-13. Definitions are general guidance. Your contract and project procedures govern.
