Standardise every BoQ item to this structure: code, concise description, unit, quantity, unit price to two decimal places, and total, aligned to NRM2 and with a Uniclass code where relevant. The immediate next step is to audit a sample of recent bills against that structure and flag every inconsistent description, unit or coding gap before you build or adopt a template.
TL;DR:
- A standard BoQ item must include a unique code, a clear description, correct units and exact measured quantity, with prices fixed to two decimal places.
- Items should follow NRM2's prescribed order for measurement types and be classified using Uniclass codes for better project-wide consistency and traceability.
- Auditing existing bills and piloting templates on one work package helps ensure standardization, with clear roles and version control supporting ongoing quality assurance.
- Using a structured data environment and fixed templates for exporting measurement data prevents errors and maintains consistency from drawings through to asset management.
Table of Contents
- What a standard BoQ item should contain and why each field matters
- Classification and naming: applying NRM2 ordering and Uniclass codes
- Step by step: how to standardise BoQ items across a practice or project
- Governance, quality assurance and audit trail for consistent wording
- Tools and data practices that preserve item structure from drawings to BoQ
- Practical resources and where this guidance comes from
- Try a draft BoQ workflow built around standard item structure
- Sources
- FAQ
What a standard BoQ item should contain and why each field matters
A properly structured BoQ item carries six fields: item code, a concise description, unit of measurement, measured quantity, unit price to two decimal places, and the extended total. Each field does a specific job. The code links the item to its position in the works and to any drawing reference. The description states exactly what is being measured, without ambiguity about materials, location or method. The unit and quantity together give the measured extent, and the unit price, held to two decimal places, multiplies out to the total that feeds the summary and the final account.
NRM2 sets out that a standard bill also includes the form of tender, a summary, preliminaries, measured works, non-measured works, provisional sums, contractor-designed works, risks and credits. Each of these sits in a defined place, and treating them inconsistently is one of the fastest ways to undermine a bill's credibility.
Preambles and pricing schedules deserve particular care. A practical BoQ template shows that preambles set out the general conditions and clauses that apply across trades, while pricing schedules, including those for preliminaries, give tenderers a consistent basis for quoting. Provisional sums split into two categories: defined, where the surveyor has enough information to programme and price the work, and undefined, where that detail is not yet available, as NRM2's detailed rules confirm. NT, or non-measured, items and PC sums follow their own measurement rules under the same document, and credits need their own line so that deductions are traceable rather than buried in a net figure. Our guide to provisional sums covers how to present the defined and undefined split in practice.
Consistent units and two-decimal pricing are not cosmetic. RICS guidance on NRM states that a bill gives a uniform basis for tender comparison and ongoing contract valuation, and that standardisation reduces ad-hoc amendments. When every tenderer prices the same unit against the same quantity, the comparison is like for like rather than an exercise in reconciling different conventions.
- Item code: links the line to its drawing reference and position in the works.
- Description: states material, method and location without ambiguity.
- Unit and quantity: match the measured extent exactly as taken off.
- Unit price and total: priced to two decimal places, extended without rounding errors.
Classification and naming: applying NRM2 ordering and Uniclass codes
NRM2 governs detailed measurement for building works and links back to the elemental breakdown structure in NRM1, which means a well-coded BoQ item can be traced straight through to an elemental cost plan without re-mapping the data by hand. Getting the ordering of measures right within each element matters more than it first appears. NRM2's ordering guidance sets out a consistent sequence: cubic measures first, then square, then linear, then enumerated items, then itemised work. Following that order reduces the chance of double-counting or missing a quantity during take-off, and it keeps the bill readable for anyone checking it against the drawings later.
Uniclass 2015 adds a second layer of consistency by classifying the object itself rather than just the measured work. A door, for instance, carries a Uniclass code regardless of which element or trade package it sits under, which makes it possible to filter, sort and cost-check items across a whole project or a whole practice's library. Using NRM2 for the measurement description and Uniclass for the object code gives you two complementary systems rather than one trying to do both jobs.
- Order measured items by type (cubic, square, linear, enumerated, itemised) within each element.
- Apply a Uniclass code to the object wherever a recognised classification exists.
- Cross-check the Uniclass code against the NRM2 description before the item goes into the bill.
Naming conventions tie the two systems together. Start descriptions with a verb where the action matters (supply, fix, excavate), keep location references only where the item could otherwise be confused with another, avoid proprietary or vendor names in favour of generic material descriptions, and use reference tags consistently so the same abbreviation always means the same thing across every bill your practice produces.
Pro Tip: Keep a single master list of approved abbreviations and reference tags, and ban any new ones from entering a live bill without sign-off.
Step by step: how to standardise BoQ items across a practice or project
Rolling out a standard item structure works best as a staged process rather than a single rewrite.
- Audit existing BoQs. Pull a sample of recent bills and log every variation in wording, units and coding, paying particular attention to recurring non-standard descriptions that keep reappearing under different names.
- Design or adopt a template. Build the item structure around NRM2 and Uniclass, including preamble and pricing schedule templates so preliminaries and general clauses are handled the same way every time. Our BoQ format overview and preambles guide are useful starting references.
- Pilot on one work package. Apply the template to a single trade or element, gather feedback from whoever prices and checks it, and adjust wording or coding before it spreads further.
- Roll out formally. Train the team on the finished template, assign clear sign-off responsibilities, and put a change control process in place so nobody edits the master template without recording why.
- Review periodically. Revisit the template after each project cycle, capture lessons learned, and correct drift before it becomes the new informal standard.
Pro Tip: Run the pilot on a package with enough variety (a mix of measured and non-measured items) to stress-test the template before you commit a whole practice to it.
A standardised template pays off most visibly at tender stage. Comparing bids against a consistent item structure removes the guesswork that comes from reconciling different wording and units across submissions, a point also made in the context of structured bid preparation by BidBlock, which focuses on standardised tender documentation.
Governance, quality assurance and audit trail for consistent wording
Standardisation survives staff turnover only when the roles behind it are explicit. A drafter or author produces the first version of an item description and coding. A technical reviewer checks it against the drawings and specification, and an approving quantity surveyor signs off before the item enters a live bill. Splitting these roles prevents the same person from drafting and approving their own wording unchecked.
Version control matters as much as the roles themselves. Every change to item wording or coding should be logged with who made it and why, so a dispute months later can be traced back to a specific decision rather than guessed at. JCT practice notes describe the function of the bill within contract documentation, and a clear audit trail supports exactly that function when a valuation or variation is challenged.
A short quality assurance checklist catches most recurring errors before a bill goes out:
- Confirm every unit matches the convention used elsewhere in the bill (no mixing of square metres and square feet, for instance).
- Re-check extended totals arithmetically, not just the unit price entry.
- Cross-reference each item against the current drawing revision and specification clause.
- Confirm provisional sums are flagged as defined or undefined, never left ambiguous.
Tools and data practices that preserve item structure from drawings to BoQ
A common data environment, built around ISO 19650 concepts, keeps structured item data consistent as it moves between design, measurement and pricing. A Data Requirements Library approach, referenced in open standards guidance, makes BoQ item data interoperable between systems rather than locked into one firm's spreadsheet habits.
In practice, that means structured Excel or CSV templates with fixed columns for code, description, unit, quantity and price, so the fields cannot drift between projects. When using any automated takeoff or drafting tool, map its output directly onto your approved template, keep an auditable trail of what the tool generated against what a surveyor changed, and require sign-off before the item is treated as final.
- Use a CDE to hold the current approved version of drawings and bill data together.
- Enforce fixed columns and units in any export template, rather than free-text fields.
- Treat any automated output as a draft that still needs a surveyor's review and sign-off.
Firms managing BoQ data through into operation, where items feed asset and maintenance records, will find the same structured approach relevant to platforms such as Curcle, which handles facilities and asset information once construction handover is complete.
Practical resources and where this guidance comes from
This guidance draws on practitioner-facing material covering NRM2's measurement rules, provisional sum treatment and BoQ formatting published on the QuantiFlow blog by its founder. QuantiFlow itself reads construction drawings and produces a draft Bill of Quantities for a quantity surveyor to review and sign off, and remains in development. Any automated draft, from this tool or any other, is a starting point: professional sign-off and judgement remain essential before an item structure or price reaches a live bill.
Try a draft BoQ workflow built around standard item structure
Building a standard template from scratch takes time most practices would rather spend pricing. QuantiFlow reads your drawings and produces a draft Bill of Quantities for you to review, adjust and sign off, structured around the fields and conventions covered above. 
Plans run from Solo at £69 per month to Business at £149... listed at £299 per month on the pricing page, with Enterprise pricing available on request. Visit QuantiFlow to see how a draft BoQ workflow fits your own template.
Sources
FAQ
What are common BoQ mistakes to avoid?
The most frequent mistakes are inconsistent units across similar items, descriptions that leave out material or method detail, and provisional sums left unflagged as defined or undefined. Arithmetic errors in extended totals and missing cross-references to current drawing revisions also recur, which is why a quality assurance checklist against NRM2's rules catches most of them before tender.
What is the standard BoQ format?
A standard bill includes the form of tender, a summary, preliminaries, measured works, non-measured works, provisional sums, contractor-designed works, risks and credits, as set out in NRM2. Each measured item within it carries a code, description, unit, quantity, unit price to two decimal places and a total.
What are NT items in BoQ?
NT, or non-measured, items are works included in the bill without a precise measured quantity, typically priced as a lump sum or against a schedule of rates. NRM2 sets out specific measurement rules for how NT items and PC sums should be treated and presented.
What are the two types of BoQ?
Bills of quantities are generally produced either as firm bills, where quantities are fully measured and fixed before tender, or as approximate bills, used when design information is incomplete and quantities are expected to change. Provisional sums within either type split further into defined and undefined, depending on how much detail is available at tender stage, per NRM2.
Recommended
- Which bill of quantities format should you use?
- BoQ pricing for UK quantity surveyors: practical guide
- Risk allowances in BoQs: the UK QS guide
This article is for general information only and is not professional, legal or commercial advice. Quantity surveying decisions should be taken by a qualified professional with reference to the specific project, drawings and contract in question. Content is produced with AI assistance and reviewed before publication. QuantiFlow Ltd accepts no liability for reliance on it.