What is an electrical work BOQ?
An electrical work BOQ is a Bill of Quantities for internal electrical installation: point wiring, conduit and cabling, distribution boards and protective devices, light fittings and fans, and earthing and lightning protection. You enter measured quantities and rates; amounts, section sub-totals and an abstract calculate from them.
What is in the electrical BOQ workbook?
- Project Details — project particulars, the schedule of rates adopted, and the percentages used on the Abstract.
- BOQ — the item list. Enter quantity and rate; amounts and sub-totals calculate.
- Abstract — section sub-totals pulled from the BOQ, plus contingencies, establishment, overheads and GST, giving the total estimated cost.
- Filled Sample — a G+2 residential building, 3 flats per floor, worked through with illustrative figures.
How does the electrical BOQ sheet calculate?
- Amount = quantity × rate, rounded to the paisa. It stays blank until both are entered, so a missing rate never shows as a silent ₹0.
- Section sub-totals carry into the Abstract sheet automatically.
- Contingencies, work-charged establishment and contractor's profit & overheads are each the cost of works × their percentage — all charged on the cost of works, not on each other.
- GST = total before GST × the GST rate, and the total estimated cost is the total before GST plus GST.
Worked example from the sample sheet (illustrative rate): 86 light points at ₹985 per point gives an amount of ₹84,710.
How do you use the electrical BOQ template?
- Open Project Details and enter the project particulars, the schedule of rates you are using, and the add-on percentages for the Abstract.
- Go to the BOQ sheet. Item descriptions and units are already filled in — enter your measured quantity and your rate against each item in the yellow cells.
- Delete any item that does not apply, and insert new rows inside the relevant section, above its sub-total row.
- Check the Abstract sheet. It is already linked to the BOQ — nothing to type there.
- Look at the Filled Sample if you are unsure what belongs in a column.
- Print or export to PDF. Header rows repeat on every printed page.
What should you check before relying on the electrical BOQ?
- Point wiring rates normally include the conduit within the point. Check whether your schedule measures conduit separately, or you will pay for it twice.
- Name the approved make for switchgear, cables and fittings before issuing for tender. Rates against unnamed products are not comparable.
- Earthing requirements are governed by IS 3043 and by the local electricity authority. Confirm the number and type of electrodes required for your installation before pricing.
- The service connection, meter and any transformer or DG set are usually outside this BOQ. Confirm the scope boundary.
- 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 (this page) |
| 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 |
What does each column mean?
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| S. No. | Item number within its section. Sections are lettered; items run A.1, A.2, and so on. |
| Description of Item | The full specification, pre-filled to common practice. For a departmental tender, replace it with the exact wording of that department's schedule — the wording governs what the rate is deemed to cover. |
| Unit | cum, sqm, rmt, point, nos, kg — as the item is measured. The rate must be quoted in the same unit. |
| Quantity | Your measured quantity from the drawings. This template does not calculate quantities. |
| Rate (Rs.) | Your rate for the item, from your own schedule of rates or a supplier quotation. Record the basis on the Project Details sheet. |
| Amount (Rs.) | Auto-calculated. Quantity x Rate, carried into the section sub-total and the Abstract. |
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.