What is an abstract of cost in a construction estimate?
An Abstract of Cost brings the totals of every sub-estimate or work package onto one page, adds contingencies, establishment charges, overheads and GST, and arrives at the total estimated cost of the project. It is the summary sheet submitted with a detailed estimate.
What is in the abstract of cost workbook?
- Project Details — project particulars and every percentage used on the Abstract.
- Abstract — the package-wise roll-up with add-ons, GST and the total estimated cost.
- Filled Sample — a worked example for a G+2 residential building.
How does the abstract of cost sheet calculate?
- Cost of works = the sum of every package total entered on the Abstract.
- Each add-on — contingencies, work-charged establishment, quality control / testing, contractor's profit & overheads — is the cost of works × its percentage. They are all charged on the cost of works, not compounded on each other.
- GST = (cost of works + add-ons) × the GST rate.
- Total estimated cost = cost of works + add-ons + GST. The Say figure rounds it to the nearest ₹1,000 and also shows it in lakh.
Worked example from the sample sheet (illustrative figures): packages totalling ₹2,37,77,000, with 3% contingencies (₹7,13,310), 2% establishment (₹4,75,540) and 0.5% quality control (₹1,18,885), come to ₹2,50,84,735 before GST. GST at the sheet's default 18% adds ₹45,15,252.30, giving ₹2,95,99,987.30 — say ₹2,96,00,000, or 296 lakh.
How do you use the abstract of cost template?
- Fill in the project particulars and the percentages on the Project Details sheet.
- On the Abstract sheet, enter each work package and its total from the corresponding detailed BOQ. Overwrite the suggested package names to match yours.
- In the Reference column, record where each figure came from — the BOQ sheet name, page or serial numbers. This is what makes the abstract auditable.
- The add-on rows, GST and total calculate themselves from the percentages you set.
- Check the rounded 'Say' figure at the bottom before submission.
What should you check before relying on the abstract of cost?
- Every figure on this sheet should trace back to a detailed estimate. An abstract with no references behind it will not survive scrutiny.
- Contingency and establishment percentages are prescribed by the department for government work and negotiated for private work. Do not carry the defaults over without checking.
- GST treatment differs between works contracts, supply contracts and composite supply. Confirm the applicable rate, and whether it is payable at all, before relying on the total.
- Rates are not supplied with this template. Enter rates from your own schedule of rates or market quotations; any figures on the sample sheet are illustrative only and must not be used for real estimating or billing.
Which BOQ template do I need?
| Your job | Use this template |
|---|---|
| Government, PWD or public-sector tender priced from a schedule of rates | BOQ Format in Excel |
| New house or builder floor, private work — turnkey or labour contract | House Construction BOQ Format in Excel (Private Work) |
| Renovation or repair mixing several trades: dismantling, waterproofing, tiling, painting, fabrication, POP | Renovation & Trade Works BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only waterproofing: terrace, toilets, basement or water tank | Waterproofing BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only flooring and tiling: tiles, stone, skirting and dado | Flooring & Tiling BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only painting: interior, exterior, steel and woodwork | Painting BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only the boundary wall and gate | Boundary Wall BOQ Format in Excel |
| Office, shop or home interior fit-out | Interior Work BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only plumbing and sanitary work | Plumbing & Sanitary BOQ Format in Excel |
| Only internal electrical work | Electrical BOQ Format in Excel |
| A building's fire-fighting system: pumps, hydrants, sprinklers, extinguishers | Fire Fighting BOQ Format in Excel |
| A road, pavement or internal road | Road Work BOQ Format in Excel |
| Adding several BOQs up into one project total | Abstract of Cost Format in Excel (this page) |
What does each column mean?
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| S. No. | Serial number of the work package within the abstract. |
| Sub-Head / Package | The work package or sub-estimate being rolled up — substructure, superstructure, finishing, services, external works, and so on. Overwrite the suggested names to match your estimate. |
| Reference | Where the figure came from: the BOQ sheet name, page or serial numbers behind it. An abstract line with no reference cannot be checked. |
| Basis (Rs.) | The package total carried in from its detailed BOQ, or the running total that an add-on percentage is applied to. |
| Rate | The percentage for an add-on row — contingencies, establishment, overheads, GST. Blank on a package line. |
| Amount (Rs.) | Auto-calculated. The package total, or basis x percentage for an add-on row. The rounded 'Say' figure at the foot is what goes on the cover. |
Everything in this band is priced on a bill of quantities. The BOQ format in Excel is that bill — pre-sectioned by trade, with an abstract that totals it — and every rate you settle here is applied against its measured quantities.
Get the quantities from your drawings
A template gives you the structure. The measuring — scaling every quantity off the drawing set — is still three to seven days of work. Upload your architectural and structural PDFs and InstaBOQ reads the drawings, extracts the quantities, and fills this same structure.