From Taking Off To Billing

The process of preparing a BQ from taking off done using Excel spreadsheet

1. In the taking off list tab, copy all the items and paste it to a new sheet.

2. Name the new sheet as BQ

3. In the BQ sheet, arrange all the items, and description in accordance with the final arrangement of the BQ. The sequence should follow SMM arrangement of descriptions, from dimensions to smaller dimensions if there are many of the items appeared.

4. Format the BQ to show the layout. To help prepare this task, change the spreadsheet to layout mode.

5. Format the header and footer

6. Link the quantities for each item to the take off quantities.

7. Preview the output

8. After all correction done, the BQ can be printed for tender docment preparation.

For the rates preparation,

Create another sheet for built up rate computation. Name the sheet as BURate.

Create a sheet for material price list

Create a sheet for Labour price list

Create a sheet for Machine and equipment list

The format for each of the sheet should include:

Item, Description, Quantity, Unit and Rate.

ALL THE ABOVE WILL BE PRESENTED IN CLASS.

Bar Bending Schedule Software

This software can be accessed from this website.

In this program, all calculations are done automatically, besides it generates a real dimensional shape of the bar. Dimensions demonstrated in the shapes are linked to bar bending data. Any changes in the bar bending data will be reflected in the cutting length, weight of steel and dimension within the demonstrated shape picture.

More than 480 shape codes are used in this program to identify different bend profiles.
Any shape code can be easily found through popup window in the program. So, the Bar Bending Scheduler doesn’t have to worry about remembering shape codes. A Civil Engineer who has a minimum knowledge of MS Excel can handle this program without any training.
All the shape codes used in this program are made exclusively for this program and are not complying with any standard shape codes.

Limitations of Program
1) This program doesn’t have any interface with software like CAD. So, program can't assign BBS directly from computer aided drawings.
2) User cannot add new shape code in addition to the built in shape codes.

You may download the software from the website or from here.

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO USE THE SOFTWARE.

Using Excel Spreadsheet To Carry out Taking Off

Excel spreadsheet is an excellent software to help Quantity Surveyor to do taking off and expedite the process of preparing a Bill of Quantities. The main thing to consider in preparing a taking off template is to know basic Excel commands, and to be able to use formula and links. The followings are general rule to follow when preparing a template.

1. Create one sheet for the taking off list. It is better to arrange the list in accordance with the final Bill arrangement, so that Bill preparation can be done easily. After preparing the list, sort the list in accordance with the final BQ arrangement.

2. Create sheet2 as the taking off portion.

3. Link the descriptions in sheet 1 to sheet 2, by using "=" sign.

4. The template for taking off should look something similar to the following:

5. Provide a complete description of the item.

6. Follow the sequence of L, W, H in taking off. For Linear item, only L will have the measured quantity, but for W and H insert the value = 1. For Unit of M2, then L and W or H should have the quantity, and W or H for the next dimension = 1.

7. Factor column is similar to timesing, indicating the number of occurrence of the item.

8. For item that need to be deducted, insert the factor column as -1, or if the quantity to be deducted is more than 1, insert the actual deduction quantity.

9. As there will be more measurement for an item, use command insert to insert the row.

10. For any measurement carried out, state the location by making reference to the grid, or room location or any other indication that can be read from the drawings.

11. Extension column can be left blank, but will be used later when we need to perform quantity squaring.

12. It is important to link the measurement where relevant, and applicable. Linking will ensure that a single dimension, also applicable to other dimension. So that in the event there are changes to the quantity, a single change may affect other dimension too. However, this rule may not necessarily help in cases when the linked quantity is rigid. In cases when a single change does not affect other quantity, individual items must be tracked to check for changes.

AutoCAD files for assignment

To carry out this assignment in class, form a group of minimum 3 students, and maximum of 5.

The tasks:

1. To prepare a complete Bills of Quantities for WBLFF element for the propose Bangunan Pentadbiran MDPT, as given in the following drawings:

1. PRSB_1004_S_1.0

2. PRSB_1004_S_2.0.1

3. PRSB_1004_S_3.0

4. PRSB_1004_s_4.0

5. PRSB_1004_S_DI

AUTOCAD Book

You may download the book here.

Prepare Your Taking Off Template and Schedule.

Taking off using computer software requires careful planning.

These are the steps to be taken before any taking off is done;
1. Check all the drawings, especially the number and sequence or version number.
2. Check that the date is the correct date: whether it is the latest, or the specific date when a drawing is referred to.
3. Prepare the overall ELEMENTAL breakdown, or if it is based on trade the TRADE breakdown.
3. Prepare taking off list. Proper taking off list should refer to the drawings and consider the construction sequence and the SMM requirements.
4. Make sure correct units are used in the taking off list.
5. Prepare a taking off template in EXCEL (if taking off is done using spreadsheet software).
6. Plan the schedule. Identify input and output for the schedule.
7. Tabulate carefully the data need to be gathered/ quantity for taking off/ other relevant information.
8. Plan the formula and computation proper to the schedule

The Course Outline

Download here.