Practical guide
Bill of Quantities Example [2026]
If you are looking for a bill of quantities example, what helps most is a BOQ structure that makes sections, line items, quantities and totals readable enough to review, negotiate and reuse.
This guide shows a practical bill of quantities example, explains what each part is doing, and highlights the points that matter when a quote starts needing more structure than a simple one-page estimate.
If your need is adjacent
If you are after a nearby format or workflow instead of a full BOQ example, start with the closest match:
- •If you want the workflow behind the document, read bill of quantities software.
- •If you want a broader reusable format, start with construction estimate template.
- •If you want a less technical quoting example first, see builder quote example.
What a good bill of quantities example should show
A BOQ is not just a longer quote. It usually needs to show:
- •Project details: client, site, date, reference and short scope note.
- •Section structure: logical work packages or trade-based breakdown.
- •Line items: clear descriptions, units, quantities, rates and amounts.
- •Section totals: subtotals that let people review the budget in parts.
- •Commercial clarity: exclusions, assumptions or notes outside the pricing lines.
The reason people search for an example is usually the same: they need to see how a BOQ becomes readable without collapsing into either one lump sum or an unreadable spreadsheet dump.
Still turning structured jobs into spreadsheet chaos? arcley helps you build BOQ-style budgets from reusable sections, line items and quantities instead of rebuilding the structure manually.
Try for freeA practical bill of quantities example
This is the kind of structure a builder, estimator or quantity surveyor might use for a mid-sized renovation or fit-out package. The exact sections change by project, but the logic stays the same.
| Section | Example line item content | Example amount |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminaries | Site setup, access, temporary protection and waste handling | £4,900 |
| Demolition and strip-out | Removal of finishes, fixtures and non-structural elements | £8,750 |
| Building works | Partitions, making good, joinery support works and repairs | £18,600 |
| Mechanical and electrical | Electrical first and second fix, plumbing changes and testing | £14,200 |
| Finishes | Tiling, decoration, final fittings and handover items | £11,950 |
| BOQ subtotal | Before optional or provisional items | £58,400 |
What the underlying line items would normally include
Inside those sections, the BOQ would often include lines such as:
- •site protection to occupied areas
- •remove existing finishes and dispose of waste
- •form new partition walls
- •electrical rewiring to revised layouts
- •plumbing alterations to kitchen or bathroom points
- •wall and floor finish installation
- •final making good and clean down
The value of the example is not the exact amounts. It is showing how the scope becomes easier to review when the work is broken into sections and traceable items.
What the line item columns usually look like
At minimum, a practical BOQ line often includes:
- •item reference or section code
- •item description
- •unit of measure
- •quantity
- •unit rate
- •line total
Some workflows add notes, provisional sums or remarks. That is fine, but the main job is still clarity. If a reviewer cannot understand where the quantity or amount came from, the extra detail is not helping enough.
When a quote becomes a BOQ in practice
The switch is not always formal. In many teams, a quote starts behaving like a BOQ when:
- •there are several trades involved
- •the quantities matter in review
- •the client or contractor expects section subtotals
- •revisions need to happen at item level
- •technical handoff matters, not just presentation
That is usually when a flat quote becomes harder to defend and a structured BOQ becomes more useful.
BOQ examples are useful, but reusable structure matters more
Once you price similar structured jobs repeatedly, saved sections and line items usually create more value than another static example file.
What to include outside the BOQ table
The main pricing table is only part of the document. A strong BOQ example should also remind you to include:
- •scope summary or project note
- •exclusions and assumptions
- •optional or provisional items where needed
- •validity period
- •payment or programme notes when relevant
These details often prevent confusion more effectively than adding another ten rows of pricing detail.
When a BOQ example stops being enough
Examples help when you want to improve structure quickly. They stop being enough when every new BOQ still means:
- •copying an old workbook
- •cleaning previous wording manually
- •rebuilding recurring sections
- •checking formulas line by line
- •exporting separate versions for different people
At that point, the problem is not a lack of examples. The problem is that the workflow still depends on manual rebuilding.
Conclusion
A good bill of quantities example should make one thing easy to see: the scope, quantities and totals can be followed without guessing. If the structure does that, the document becomes easier to review, easier to revise and easier to trust.
Use the example above as a structure guide. If your team produces similar BOQs repeatedly, the next improvement is not collecting more samples. It is moving to a reusable estimating workflow.
Sources and reference material
If you want to review recognised quantity and budget structure references, these are useful starting points: