By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Mastering these skills will help you work confidently and accurately in the building trade, ensuring projects are measured and planned right from the start!
Quantity Survey professionals in Kenya rely heavily on accurate measurement and quantification of building works to prepare bills of quantities, cost estimates, and tender documents. The process commonly referred to as "take off quantities" involves systematically extracting measurements from architectural and structural drawings. Mastery of this process ensures precise cost control and resource planning during construction projects such as county government office buildings, hospitals, and educational institutions.
The preparation of a quantities checklist is a foundational step for quantity surveyors to organize and streamline the measurement process. It serves as a systematic guide to ensure all components of the building works are accounted for before commencing the take off. In Kenya, where project timelines and budgets are tight, a well-prepared checklist reduces errors and omissions that could lead to cost overruns.
The purpose of a quantities checklist is to ensure comprehensive coverage of all elements requiring measurement, preventing omissions that can affect tender accuracy. Its importance includes:
A typical quantities checklist for building works includes:
| Name | Specification | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Scale ruler | Metric scale with various ratios | To measure dimensions on drawings |
| Measuring tape | Steel tape, 5m to 30m length | For on-site verification of dimensions |
| Calculator | Scientific calculator with memory | For arithmetic calculations |
| Digital plan measurer | Electronic device with LCD display | For fast and accurate drawing measurements |
List the key components that should be included in a quantities checklist for a two-story hospital building. (5 marks)
Describe six steps you would follow to prepare a comprehensive quantities checklist for a county government office project. (6 marks)
Explain why verifying the checklist with the project team is essential before starting quantity take off. (4 marks)
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Create a free accountThis chapter covers the essential process of preparing a quantities checklist as the foundation for accurate measurement of building works. It then details the take off procedures for various building components including the substructure, superstructure frames made of reinforced concrete and steel, walling, and roofing systems comprising timber and metal materials. The importance of precise booking of dimensions is emphasized to ensure clarity and consistency in quantity measurement. Following this, the chapter explains how to properly describe booked items to maintain uniformity in documentation. It further explores the timesing of dimensions, a critical step to multiply quantities correctly for volume or area calculations. The technique of dotting dimensions is introduced as a method to avoid errors in measurement transfer. Finally, the chapter discusses squaring of booked dimensions to verify accuracy and completeness before final quantity computations.
A rectangular foundation trench measures 8 m long, 1.2 m wide, and 1.5 m deep. Calculate the volume of concrete required for the foundation. (2 marks)
A reinforced concrete column has a square cross-section of 0.4 m by 0.4 m and a height of 3.5 m. Determine the volume of concrete needed for this column. (2 marks)
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Measuring Tape (5m) | Architectural Drawing |
| Builder's Square | Notepad |
| Spirit Level | |
| Pencil | |
| Calculator |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measuring Tape (5m) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Builder's Square | 1 Pc per 4 Candidates |
| 3 | Spirit Level | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 4 | Pencil | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 5 | Notepad | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Calculator | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | Architectural Drawing (Scale 1:100) | 1 Set per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Preparation Process | |||
| Identified and donned appropriate PPEs including helmet, safety boots, and reflective vest (Award 1 mark for each correctly worn PPE) | 3 | ||
| Assembled all required tools and materials before starting the checklist preparation (Award 1 mark for each of three correctly assembled items) | 3 | ||
| Read and interpreted the architectural drawing correctly (Award 1 mark for each accurate interpretation of length, height, thickness, and wall type) | 4 | ||
| Measured and verified wall dimensions from the drawing accurately (Award 1 mark each for correct length, height, thickness, and wall openings dimensions) | 5 | ||
| Identified all building elements and materials to be measured including bricks, mortar, wall ties, damp proof course, and plaster (Award 1 mark for each correctly identified element/material) | 5 | ||
| Recorded quantities in the checklist clearly and systematically (Award 1 mark for clarity, 1 mark for systematic arrangement, 3 marks for completeness) | 5 | ||
| Reviewed and cross-checked the quantities checklist for accuracy (Award 3 marks for thorough review and correction of errors) | 3 | ||
| Cleaned and stored tools and working area after task completion (Award 1 mark each for cleaning and proper storage) | 2 | ||
| Sub-Total | 30 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Quantities checklist includes wall length 10,000 mm ±50 mm tolerance (Award 2 marks for correct length with tolerance) | 2 | ||
| Quantities checklist includes wall height 3,000 mm ±50 mm tolerance (Award 2 marks for correct height with tolerance) | 2 | ||
| Quantities checklist includes wall thickness 230 mm ±10 mm tolerance (Award 2 marks for correct thickness with tolerance) | 2 | ||
| All building elements and materials are listed with correct units and quantities (Award 1 mark each for bricks, mortar, wall ties, damp proof course) | 4 | ||
| Checklist is well presented, legible, and logically organized (Award 5 marks for neatness and logical flow) | 5 | ||
| Sub-Total | 15 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 45 | ||
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Measuring Tape (5m) | Safety Helmet |
| Spirit Level | Safety Boots |
| Builder's Square | Reflective Jacket |
| Plumb Bob | |
| Pencil and Notepad | |
| Calculator |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measuring Tape (5m) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Spirit Level | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 3 | Builder's Square | 1 Pc per 4 Candidates |
| 4 | Plumb Bob | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 5 | Pencil and Notepad | 1 Set per Candidate |
| 6 | Calculator | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | Safety Helmet | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 8 | Safety Boots | 1 Pair per Candidate |
| 9 | Reflective Jacket | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: OBSERVATION CHECKLIST | |||
| Identified and used PPEs correctly (helmet, boots, jacket) (Award 1 mark each for correct PPE usage) | 3 | ||
| Assembled all required tools before starting the take off (Award 0.5 mark each for at least six tools assembled) | 3 | ||
| Measured wall length accurately within ±50 mm tolerance (Award full marks for correct measurement within tolerance) | 3 | ||
| Measured wall height accurately within ±50 mm tolerance (Award full marks for correct measurement within tolerance) | 3 | ||
| Measured wall thickness correctly as 200 mm (Award full marks for correct thickness measurement) | 2 | ||
| Measured footing width accurately as 600 mm ± 50 mm (Award full marks for correct footing width measurement) | 3 | ||
| Measured footing depth accurately as 300 mm ± 50 mm (Award full marks for correct footing depth measurement) | 3 | ||
| Used builder's square and plumb bob to check wall verticality and corners (Award 1 mark each for correct use of tools) | 3 | ||
| Recorded all measurements and quantities clearly and legibly (Award full marks for clear recording) | 3 | ||
| Calculated quantities of bricks, mortar, concrete, and reinforcement bars (Award 1 mark per correctly calculated quantity, zero otherwise) | 6 | ||
| Sub-Total | 32 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Accurate take off quantities matching the dimensions: wall 6m x 3m x 200mm and footing 600mm x 300mm (Award 2 marks for each correct major quantity: bricks, mortar, concrete, reinforcement) | 8 | ||
| Calculations presented clearly and logically with correct units (Award 4 marks for clear and correct presentation) | 4 | ||
| Take off list is complete with all relevant items included (Award 2 marks for inclusion of each key item: bricks, mortar, concrete, reinforcement, formwork) | 6 | ||
| Overall neatness and professionalism of the final document (Award full marks for neat and professional presentation) | 4 | ||
| Sub-Total | 22 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 54 | ||
At the start of this chapter we promised you would be able to:
Tick each one you can genuinely do.
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