Building Quantities, 3rd Edition

The measurement of Building Works for preparation of Bills of Quantities has traditionally been a primary and distinct function of the quantity surveyor. However, since the mid-1990s, Bills of Quantities started to lose favour in Singapore’s construction industry in the wake of a prolific increase in design and build contracts and other alternative forms of procurement. Over the years, the range of professional quantity surveying services has expanded in response to clients’ changing needs. As a result, the significance of this art of “taking-off” quantities has been somewhat diluted. Nevertheless, measurement, where employed, remains an important aspect of the development process as it provides the proper basis for cost management.

The rapid progress of Information Technology (IT) in recent years has left little doubt that IT is vital for the construction industry’s continuing development. Being an industry that is both cost conscious and labour intensive, automation is definitely one of the main areas where IT is able to create a strong impact. The exciting prospects of Automated Quantity Taking-Off Systems (AQTS) have launched several industry-wide initiatives that are set to revolutionise the way measurement, an age-old task, will be performed. The launch of the SS CP 97: 2002 ConstructionElectronic Measurement Standards (CEMS) Part 1: SMM for Building Works completes the preliminary stage of this paradigm shift.

Despite the advancement of IT into the area of automated quantity taking-off, there is still a need for continuous learning and development of traditional measurement skills. AQTS, in essence, serves as a complementary instrument that replaces the “taking-off” process. Measurement knowledge is still needed for the preparation of Bills of Quantities and in postcontract cost administration. This book is for the benefit of those who are learning about measurement in academic institutions, those who are being introduced to measurement in their profession and those who are engaged in the development and advancement of measurement tools and software. This book presents a comprehensive overview of measurement techniques by concentrating on the basic principles and fundamental rules. This book, however, does notattempt to deal extensively with every trade or cover every situation that could arise in practice. Examples of taking-off and sample bills of quantities are included as additional illustrations. An insight into other facets of quantity surveying tasks is also included.

This book is also meant to be used in conjunction with the above-mentioned SS CP 97: 2002 Construction Electronic Measurement Standards (CEMS) Part 1: SMM for Building Works.