How to check your contractor's BOQ before you sign.
A BOQ — bill of quantities — is the most useful document in your build, and the one owners read least. A lump-sum rate per square foot can't be checked. A line-item BOQ can, and it becomes the yardstick for every bill that follows.
What a house construction BOQ should contain
- Every item of work, from excavation to finishing and external works
- A unit of measurement and a quantity for each item
- Brand and grade for every material — not just 'cement' or 'tiles'
- A rate and an amount per line, with labour and material made clear
- What is excluded, stated in writing
Red flags in a contractor's quote
- A single rate per square foot with no breakdown
- Vague items such as 'flooring — as required' or 'electrical — lump sum'
- Brands or grades missing, which leaves room to substitute later
- Labour and material combined in a way that lets you pay twice
- No link between payments and inspected stages
Checking quantities and rates
Quantities should be measured from your approved and structural drawings, not estimated from the plot size. Rates should be compared item by item with the current market. Neither is easy without training — which is why most owners sign a BOQ they cannot verify.
An independent engineer can measure the quantities from your drawings, compare each rate with the market and show you exactly where a quote is high, so you negotiate on facts.
After you sign — using the BOQ
The BOQ's real value comes later. Every contractor bill should be re-measured on site and checked line by line against it before you pay. That single habit stops quantities being rounded up and material being billed but never delivered.
What owners ask us about how to check a boq.
What is a BOQ in house construction?
A bill of quantities lists every item in the house with its unit, quantity, brand, grade and rate. It turns a rough budget into something you can check, compare and pay against.
Should my contractor give me a BOQ?
Yes. Ask for a line-item BOQ before you sign. A contractor who will only quote a rate per square foot is asking you to trust numbers you can't check.
Can someone check my contractor's BOQ for me in Chennai?
Yes. We measure quantities from your drawings, check each rate against the market and tell you where the quote is high — before you commit.
Is BOQ checking the same as quantity surveying?
It is part of it. Quantity surveying covers measuring, pricing and checking quantities; checking a contractor's BOQ is applying that on your behalf.
- Builder vs contractor in Chennai — who should build your house?
- House construction stages in Chennai — a quality checklist for every stage.
- What does a site engineer do on a house construction site?
- Slab casting checklist — what to check before the concrete pour.
- How to check your contractor's bills — and spot overbilling before you pay.