What are the preliminary items included in BOQ?

Project particulars: - Name, nature and location Names and addresses of Employer and Consultants

Drawings: - List of drawings that form pan of the Contract.

Site and access:- Location of site and access are described with limitation on working times and access.

Scope and description of the works:- General description of the works to be undertaken and the total gross floor area provided.

Firms employed direct or executed by Statutory Undertakers:- Details of crossovers by local authority and consideration of statutory services on the site.

Supervision/Staffing/Site management

Temporary telephones

Temporary screens

Temporary fencing, hoardings, etc.

Name board

Setting out

Form of Contract

Conditions of Contract and insurances:- The contract documents to provide a complete list of relevant conditions of contract.

Details of the terms of the bond or guarantee shall be set out:- The obtaining of such bond or guarantee and the cost is to be at the expense in all respects of the Contractor. The approved  bond or guarantee shall be presented prior to the first payment under this Contract.

Safety, health and welfare:-  The Contractor is to provide suitable safety, health and welfare measures and amenities to comply with all the current Statutory Regulations and the Code of Welfare conditions of the  National Joint Council for the Building Industry.

Access and scaffolding:- Access to the works is heavily influenced by the design of the finished project, but the decision  on which method to employ rests almost entirely with the contractor.

Safeguarding the works:- The Contractor is to safeguard the works, materials and plant against damage and theft and all watching and lighting for the security of the works and the protection of the public and the Employer.

Site accommodation:-The Contractor is to allow for providing and maintaining temporary site accommodation for  Architect and Contractor including removal on completion.

Deleterious materials:- The Contractor is not to use or permit to be used any of the described deleterious materials in the execution of the works.

Protecting, drying and cleaning the works:- The Contractor is to allow for protecting the works from inclement weather, providing all  temporary screening to openings, providing for all costs in connection with drying and  controlling the humidity of the works, protecting the whole of the works and removing all rubbish.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations

Quantity Surveyors often use standard abbreviations in the bills of quantities and take off list. it is used to save space and time spent in entering items. The following abbreviations posed

Abbreviation	Description
agg	aggregate
av	average
ab	as before
abd	as before described
adj	adjoining/adjustment
acc	accordance
a/r	all round
alum	aluminium
bk	brick
bit	bitumen
bkg	breaking
bldg	building
blk	block
bott	bottom
b & p	bed and poin
btm	bottom
bwk	brick work
cap	capacity
cast	casement
cat	catalogue
c i	cast iron
clg	ceiling
clr	clear
cln	clean
c.m	cement mortar
col	column
cnr	corner
conc	concrete
conn	connection
c.w	cold water
cub	cubic
c.s.v	circular  soffit ventilater
ddt	deduct
descd	described
dia	diameter
disp	disposal
ditto/do	ds before
dn	down
dp	deep
dpc	dam-proop-course
dr.	door
drg	drawing
ea	each
e.o	extra over
grd	ground
gth	girth
grtd	grouting
gyp	gypsum
h.b	half brick

Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Fiber reinforced concrete is concrete containing fibrous material which increases its structural integrity. Fiber reinforced cements and concretes are firmly established as construction materials. 

Since the early 1960’s extensive research and developments have been carried out with FRC materials leading to a wide range of practical applications. In recent years, a great deal has been leaned regarding the limitations of some FRC materials and, particular, the importance of good design. The universities and the construction industry world-wide are blessed with experts in all facets of FRC theory and applications. Is there anybody bold enough to ask the experts, individually or or collectively

Fibers include steel fibers, glass fibers, synthetic fibers and natural fibers. Within these different fibers that character of fiber reinforced concrete changes with varying concretes, fiber materials, geometries, distribution, orientation and densities.

It has very good compressive strength but comparatively little tensile strength, which makes it likely to crack under many conditions. Cracking leads to further damage.  Fiber reinforced concrete is less likely to crack than standard concrete.

Advantages of Fiber reinforced concrete

Corrosion resistance

Light weight

High longitudinal strength

improve freeze-thaw resistance

High fatigue endurance (varies with type of reinforcing fiber and bar)

Magnetic transparency

Low thermal and electric conductivity

Limitations of Fiber reinforced concrete

Low modules of elasticity

Low share strength

Reduce durability in moist, acid/salt, and alkaline environments

Low transverse strength

High coefficient of thermal expansion perpendicular to the fibers relative to concrete

Fire resistance can be less than adequate, depending on the type of matrix used for producing frp bars

Assistant quantity surveyor

Assistant quantity surveyors provide technical assistance to chartered quantity surveyors in costing building projects. They estimate quantities and costs of materials and labour. They also take measurements on-site when a project is underway so that they can calculate actual costs.

Work Activities

Assistant quantity surveyors provide technical assistance to chartered quantity surveyors in costing building projects at all stages from planning to completion.

Before a project begins they use technical drawings to estimate quantities and costs of materials, labour, plant, taxes and the likely maintenance costs for a new building or civil engineering project. Assistant quantity surveyors work out, for example, the amount of steel and concrete required for a bridge, the number of bricks and roof tiles for a housing estate or the quantity of glass for an office block.

They then prepare a bill of quantities. This is a detailed list of the labour and materials needed for a project. Contractors use the bill of quantities to work out their bids.

Assistant quantity surveyors check bids from contractors. They analyze the bills of quantities returned with prices; they check the calculations are correct and that all items have been priced. They make sure that contractors' prices are fair.

When a project is under way quantity surveying technicians visit the construction site at intervals, to measure the work completed. They keep detailed records of all measurements because they are used to calculate actual costs. If there are changes to the project, assistant quantity surveyors measure alterations and adjust values. The client uses these measurements to pay the contractor for completed work.

Contractors use the measurements to pay sub-contractors, such as electricians, plant operators and construction workers.

Measurement work can involve being outdoors in all weather conditions and working at heights.

Assistant quantity surveyors use computers to get prices of materials from suppliers and to store data, such as measurements, costs, budgets and financial reports.

They also carry out the general administration involved in managing the office.

Personal Qualities and Skills

As an assistant quantity surveyor you should enjoy working with numbers. You will need to make calculations quickly and accurately. Attention to detail is important, as is the ability to concentrate and work methodically.

You will need problem solving skills to organize your work and practical skills to undertake measurement work. Estimating costs and quantities involves reading and analyzing technical drawings.

You will need good communication skills to talk with quantity surveyors and other members of the construction team. You should be able to work to deadlines.

Purpose of Project work scheduling

Purpose of a schedule is to encourage everyone to see her efforts as part of a whole, and to invest in making her pieces work with the others. Until there is a draft schedule suggesting specific dates and times for when things have to be ready, it’s unlikely that connections and dependencies will be noticed. Without a schedule, everyone will focus on her own tasks and not think about how her work will impact others.

The schedule provides means for identifying and highlighting critical work package and tasks on the project.

It simplifies the project plan: the bar chart type work schedule provides a simplified version of the work plan, which can easily be understood by all concerned with planning, coordination, execution and control of the project.

Reveal developing problems early so that action can be taken to deal with them.

Identify areas where other projects should be managed differently.

It optimize the resource employed: a work schedule is based on the most economical employment of the resource of men, materials and machinery. It smoothens abrupt changes which may occur from time to time . resource optimization  is achieved by a systematic utilization of the flats of non critical activities. Unless otherwise constrained, a project is  schedule using either the optimum or the available pattern of resource.

It validates the time objectives:  a work schedule shows the planned sequence of activities, date-wise. While putting the work plan on a calendar basis, it takes into account reduced efficiency of resources to adverse climate conditions and other factors. It verifies the deadlines imposed for completion of the project and achievement of the milestones.

It evaluates the implications of scheduling constraints: a work schedule brings out the implications of constraints, and enables preparation of a plan of work within the framework of these constraints.

Improve project performance together with the management of project.

It forecasts the input resource, and predicts the output: a work schedule enables the forecasting of resource and also indicates the pattern of resource consumption. The time schedule of work forms the basis for predicting the resource requirement as well as the financial state of the project in terms of investment, expenditure, out put and income.

Mastering Project Management

 By Scott Berkun Project Planning,Scheduling,& Control: A By Lewis                                                    Construction project management: planning, scheduling and controlling