The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey

Bills of Quantities (BQs) have existed in one form or another for over 300 years. Debate over the use, benefits and problems of BQs has been long standing. A literature review on BQs is reported herein. The review found little empirical research into the use of BQs. Much of the literature is based o...

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Main Authors: Davis, Peter, Baccarini, David
Format: Conference Paper
Published: RICS Foundation 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46958
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author Davis, Peter
Baccarini, David
author_facet Davis, Peter
Baccarini, David
author_sort Davis, Peter
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Bills of Quantities (BQs) have existed in one form or another for over 300 years. Debate over the use, benefits and problems of BQs has been long standing. A literature review on BQs is reported herein. The review found little empirical research into the use of BQs. Much of the literature is based on unsubstantiated opinion. The results of a survey of 86 Australian construction professionals, primarily consultant quantity surveyors, are reported to provide some empirical evidence of issues related to the use of BQs in construction projects. The key findings are that there is a strong desire to simplify the measurement process; there is a reluctance by building principals to formalise BQs as part of the contract; over the past five years there has been little change in the use of BQs by either clients or contractors; and BQs account for less than 25% of quantity surveyors' work load. The most useful aspect of BQs is its ability to provide a common basis for assessing change in a project.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-469582017-01-30T15:30:20Z The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey Davis, Peter Baccarini, David consultant quantity surveyors Bills of Quantities construction projects quantity surveying Bills of Quantities (BQs) have existed in one form or another for over 300 years. Debate over the use, benefits and problems of BQs has been long standing. A literature review on BQs is reported herein. The review found little empirical research into the use of BQs. Much of the literature is based on unsubstantiated opinion. The results of a survey of 86 Australian construction professionals, primarily consultant quantity surveyors, are reported to provide some empirical evidence of issues related to the use of BQs in construction projects. The key findings are that there is a strong desire to simplify the measurement process; there is a reluctance by building principals to formalise BQs as part of the contract; over the past five years there has been little change in the use of BQs by either clients or contractors; and BQs account for less than 25% of quantity surveyors' work load. The most useful aspect of BQs is its ability to provide a common basis for assessing change in a project. 2004 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46958 RICS Foundation fulltext
spellingShingle consultant quantity surveyors
Bills of Quantities
construction projects
quantity surveying
Davis, Peter
Baccarini, David
The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title_full The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title_fullStr The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title_full_unstemmed The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title_short The Use of Bills of Quantities in Construction Projects - An Australian Survey
title_sort use of bills of quantities in construction projects - an australian survey
topic consultant quantity surveyors
Bills of Quantities
construction projects
quantity surveying
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46958