What Is a Bill of Quantities? (Example & Template Included)
Quick answer: A bill of quantities (BOQ) is a simple list. It shows every material and every hour of labor a building project needs, along with the amount, the unit, and the price. Contractors use it to make their bids. Owners use it to control cost from tender to handover. Below, you’ll find the types, the format, a real example, and a free template no fluff, just what you need.
Pakistan’s construction sector is growing fast right now. Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) shows construction output grew by 17.6% in Q2 2025 compared to last year, after 10.7% growth in Q1 2025. This came after a rough patch in 2023–2024 caused by inflation and a weak rupee (ResearchAndMarkets, 2025). When a market moves this fast, you need a document that locks in cost and scope before work starts. That’s what a BOQ does.
How Fast Is Pakistan’s Construction Sector Growing?
| Year | Growth / Change | Main Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -3.3% (5-year average) | High inflation, rising material costs |
| 2023 | -5.2% (drop) | Economic and political trouble |
| 2024 Q4 | +3.1% | Early signs of recovery |
| 2025 Q1 | +10.7% | Better investor confidence |
| 2025 Q2 | +17.6% | More spending on factories, transport, energy |
| 2026–2029 (forecast) | +4.6% per year (average) | CPEC projects, housing, infrastructure |
Sources: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics via ResearchAndMarkets (2026 report); GlobalData Country Briefing.
Here’s that same data as a quick bar chart:
2023 ██████ (-5.2%)
2024Q4 ███ (+3.1%)
2025Q1 ██████████ (+10.7%)
2025Q2 █████████████████ (+17.6%)
2026-29 ████ (+4.6% avg, forecast)Prices move up and down this much because material costs in Pakistan change often. This is exactly why a BOQ with old, outdated rates can break a budget fast. A BOQ is only as good as the price data inside it.
What Is a Bill of Quantities (BoQ) in Construction?
A bill of quantities is a line-by-line list. It shows every material and every hour of labor a project will need. Think of it as the “skeleton” of a building’s cost, made before the building even exists. An architect, an engineer, or a quantity surveyor usually writes it. For government work, they often use the Composite Schedule of Rates (CSR). Each province’s Communication and Works (C&W) department publishes this rate list.
Here’s what a BOQ does for you:
- Gives every contractor the same scope, so their bids can be compared fairly
- Helps with accurate cost estimation before anyone signs a contract
- Forms the base of most construction tender documents in Pakistan
- Supports project budgeting and cost tracking once work starts
What Does a Bill of Quantities Template Look Like?
A BOQ template is just a spreadsheet with six main columns:
| Column | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Item Number | A number for each line, so it’s easy to find |
| Item Description | What the material or labor task actually is |
| Measurement Unit | Sq. ft, cft, running ft, per bag, per day, etc. |
| Quantity | How much of the item the project needs |
| Cost Per Unit | The current rate (CSR or market rate, in PKR) |
| Total Item Cost | Quantity × Rate |
We’ve added a free Excel template below. It’s already set up for PKR and local units.
What Are the Different Types of Bill of Quantities?
| Type | Best Used For | Detail Level |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary bill of quantities | Early planning, before full design | Low |
| Detailed bill of quantities | Tendering and signing contracts | High |
| Elemental bill of quantities | Comparing cost across building parts | Medium–High |
| Provisional bill of quantities | Work that isn’t fully defined yet | Changes often |
| Trade bill of quantities | Work done by one specific trade | High, per trade |
What Is a Preliminary or Approximate Bill of Quantities?
Used right at the start, before detailed drawings exist. It gives a rough cost number for a feasibility study. Government projects in Pakistan often use this type before they approve money for full design work.
What Is a Detailed Bill of Quantities?
This lists every item with full detail. It’s the version attached to most construction tender documents for PEC-registered projects, because it leaves no room for confusion.
What Is an Elemental Bill of Quantities?
This groups costs by building part foundation, structure, roof, finishes instead of by build order. It helps developers building many housing units (like in DHA or Bahria Town) see which part is costing the most.
What Is a Provisional Bill of Quantities?
This sets aside a placeholder for work that isn’t fully known yet. It’s common in renovation jobs, or when the soil condition stays unknown until digging starts.
What Is a Trade Bill of Quantities?
This splits work by trade: electrical, plumbing, carpentry, masonry, and so on. It fits Pakistan’s housing market well, where owners often hire a different contractor for each trade instead of one main contractor.
How Is a Bill of Quantities Different From a Bill of Materials?
| Feature | Bill of Quantities (BOQ) | Bill of Materials (BOM) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Cost estimate and tendering | Buying and tracking materials |
| Includes labor | Yes | No |
| Used by | Owners, contractors, quantity surveyors | Buying teams, suppliers |
| Used when | Before construction starts | During construction |
| Main focus | Full scope of work and project budgeting | Raw materials only |
The BOQ guides tendering and sets the total budget. The BOM guides the procurement process later ordering bricks, steel, and fittings once building begins.
Why Is a Bill of Quantities Important in Construction?
- Makes the scope clear — once materials and labor are listed line by line, planning the actual work gets easy
- Makes bidding fair — every contractor quotes on the same list, so owners can compare bids properly instead of guessing
- Controls cost — the breakdown feeds into construction scheduling and billing
- Helps with cash flow — very useful in Pakistan, where payments are often made in stages. Cash flow forecasting against a project baseline stops payment fights mid-project
- Cuts down on disputes — a clear, agreed BOQ gives both sides something to point back to
A quantity surveyor from Lahore said it well: “A good BOQ doesn’t just estimate a project it protects both sides of the contract from surprises.”
What Should Be Included in a Bill of Quantities?
| Part | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Work breakdown structure (WBS) | Splits the project into clear, manageable parts before listing items |
| Item Number | A running number, useful once the list gets long |
| Item List | Keeps materials and labor separate |
| Item description | Specific enough to avoid mix-ups — “exterior weatherproof paint,” not just “paint” |
| Measurement unit | Sq. ft, cft, running ft, per bag — get this wrong and the whole cost is wrong |
| Quantity | How much is needed, taken from the drawings |
| Cost per unit (unit cost) | The current CSR or market rate in PKR — needs regular updates |
| Total item cost | Quantity × rate, added up for the grand total |
Where Can I Get a Free Bill of Quantities Template for Excel?
Download our free BOQ template. It already has all six columns set up, uses PKR, and follows local units. Add your own project numbers, and your BOQ is ready in minutes.
What Does a Real Bill of Quantities Example Look Like?
Here’s a simple BOQ for a boundary wall in Rawalpindi:
| Item No. | Description | Unit | Quantity | Rate (PKR) | Total (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cement (OPC, 50kg bag) | Bag | 120 | 1,450 | 174,000 |
| 2 | Bricks (first class) | 1,000 nos | 8 | 14,000 | 112,000 |
| 3 | Sand (fine) | Cft | 300 | 90 | 27,000 |
| 4 | Steel reinforcement | Kg | 450 | 320 | 144,000 |
| 5 | Mason labor | Day | 20 | 2,200 | 44,000 |
| 6 | Helper labor | Day | 20 | 1,200 | 24,000 |
| Total | 525,000 |
Cost split for this example:
Materials █████████████████ 87% (PKR 457,000)
Labor ███ 13% (PKR 68,000)This kind of line-by-line list lets an owner compare bids item by item, instead of trusting one big number that might be hiding a high price.
Who Is Responsible for Creating a Bill of Quantities?
The project owner is responsible for it, since it’s their money and their project. But in real life, they hand this task to:
- An architect or engineer, for small or mid-size private projects
- A quantity surveyor, more and more common in Pakistan’s private real estate sector
- A design team, for bigger commercial or infrastructure jobs
Most owners don’t have the technical skill to measure and price everything themselves. That’s why this task usually goes to someone else.
When Should You Use a Bill of Quantities?
- Before tendering — so every contractor bids on the same scope
- While choosing a contractor — to compare bids fairly, side by side
- During construction — to check work done against the original project baseline
- At each payment stage — to make sure billed work matches actual work
What Standards Apply to a Bill of Quantities in Pakistan?
Around the world, quantity surveyors follow set rules, like the UK’s SMM7 or the Principles of Measurement International (POMI). Pakistan doesn’t have one single national standard, but two things fill that role:
| Reference | Used For |
|---|---|
| Composite Schedule of Rates (CSR) | Made by provincial C&W departments; standard for government tenders |
| Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) guidelines | Rules for registered engineers preparing tender documents |
Private builders often mix CSR rates with their own price lists, updated more often. This makes sense, since material prices in Pakistan can change fast.
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How Do You Prepare a Bill of Quantities?
- Define the scope of work and gather all drawings, specs, and client needs
- Break the work into items and measure each one from the drawings
- Check the quantities — ideally have a second person review the numbers
- Write the BOQ, section by section, with a clear format
- Check it follows the rules — building codes and any legal requirements
- Get it approved — a senior engineer or the owner signs off before tendering starts
What Are the Common Mistakes When Preparing a BOQ?
| Mistake | Why It’s a Problem |
|---|---|
| Wrong quantity measurements | Small errors turn into big cost overruns |
| Poor handling of changes | Design changes mid-project leave the BOQ out of date |
| Missing risk factors | Weather, site access, or ground issues rarely make it into the first draft |
| Old price data | Cement and steel prices in Pakistan can change within weeks |
| Not enough detail | Vague descriptions cause confusion and billing disputes |
How Does Software Help With Managing a Bill of Quantities?
Once the BOQ is ready, the next job is managing resources against it. A Gantt chart shows tasks on a timeline and flags delays before they cause bigger problems. Two features matter most day to day:
- Resource management — tracking who’s available, who’s on leave, and balancing workload so no one’s overloaded
- Digital timesheets — locking hours once submitted, filling in automatically from logged time, and showing real progress against the BOQ
What’s the Bottom Line on Bills of Quantities?
A bill of quantities is the base that everything else in a construction project stands on. Get it right, and you get fair bidding, accurate project budgeting, and an easy way to track progress. Get it wrong, and you get disputes, cost overruns, and delays. Download the free template above, fill in your own project details, and you’ll already be ahead of anyone still guessing costs on paper.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bill of Quantities
1. What is BOQ in construction?
It’s a document that lists every material and labor item a project needs, with the amount, unit, and cost — mainly used for tendering and cost estimates.
2. Is a bill of quantities legally binding?
Once it’s part of a signed contract, it usually becomes a binding reference for scope and price. This depends on how the contract is written.
3. Who prepares a BOQ in Pakistan?
Usually an architect, engineer, or quantity surveyor, often using CSR rates for government work.
4. What’s the difference between BOQ and BOM?
A BOQ covers both materials and labor, used for cost estimates and tendering. A BOM lists only materials, used for buying supplies.
5. Can I make a BOQ without a quantity surveyor?
Small, simple projects can use a template on their own. Bigger or more technical projects do better with a professional quantity surveyor, to avoid costly mistakes.