BOQ Format in Excel — Free Download Template
A Bill of Quantities is the priced item-by-item breakdown of everything a building consumes — earthwork, concrete, steel, brick, plaster, finishes — with a measured quantity and a rate against each line. It is the document a contractor bids from, a client approves a budget against, and a site engineer bills against. Get it wrong and every downstream number is wrong with it.
Most free BOQ formats floating around are a dead table with column headers and nothing else — no sections, no formulas, no subtotals. This one is a working sheet. Quantities and rates multiply automatically, each trade section subtotals on its own, and a second Abstract sheet pulls those subtotals into a summary you can hand to a client without retyping anything.
Sections included
Earthwork · PCC · RCC · Brickwork · Plastering · Flooring · Doors & Windows · Painting · Waterproofing · Plumbing · Electrical
Worked example — brickwork section
Take a 230mm external wall, 6.0m long and 3.0m floor-to-floor, with one 1.0m × 2.1m door and one 1.2m × 1.2m window. Gross volume is 6.0 × 3.0 × 0.23 = 4.14 cum. Deduct the door (1.0 × 2.1 × 0.23 = 0.48 cum) and the window (1.2 × 1.2 × 0.23 = 0.33 cum) to get a net measured quantity of 3.33 cum. That's the number that goes in the Quantity column — everything else in the row follows from it.
| Description | Unit | Qty | Rate (₹, illustrative) | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickwork in superstructure, 230mm external wall, CM 1:6 | cum | 3.33 | 5,500 | 18,315 |
| Brickwork in superstructure, 115mm internal partition, CM 1:4 | cum | 2.10 | 6,000 | 12,600 |
| Brickwork in parapet/coping above roof level, 230mm, CM 1:6 | cum | 0.85 | 5,500 | 4,675 |
| Brickwork section subtotal | 35,590 | |||
The rate column above is illustrative, not a current DSR or market figure — use your own measured quantities and current rates. What matters is the pattern: gross volume minus openings, one row per wall type and mortar mix, and a subtotal that carries into the Abstract sheet untouched.
Common mistakes
Mixing DSR and market rates in one sheet. DSR rates are usually inclusive of labour, material, and contractor profit at a defined percentage. Market rates you collect from a supplier typically are not. Pricing half your BOQ one way and half the other produces a total that means nothing.
Unit mismatches. Steel quoted per quintal against a quantity measured in kg is a 100× error that survives review because both numbers look plausible in isolation. Lock your units before you start measuring.
Missing items rather than wrong items. An omitted waterproofing line costs more than a slightly wrong plaster rate. Work through the section list even where the quantity is zero, and write zero explicitly rather than leaving the row out.
Zero-rate lines. If an item has no rate against it, the amount silently reads zero and the grand total is understated. Scan the Rate column for blanks before you send anything.
Not recording the rate basis and date. A BOQ priced eight months ago against rates that have moved is a liability. Fill the header block.
What each column means
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| S.No | Sequential within each section. Restart numbering per section if you prefer — the formulas don't depend on it. |
| DSR Code | The schedule-of-rates item code. For UP work this is the UP PWD DSR 2023 code. Leave blank if you're pricing at market rates. |
| Description of Item | The full specification as written in the DSR, not a shorthand. "PCC 1:4:8" is not enough — a contractor will price nominal mix differently from design mix. |
| Unit | cum, sqm, rm, kg, quintal, or nos. This must match the unit the rate is quoted in, and it is the single most common source of a wrong BOQ. |
| Quantity | The measured quantity from the drawing. |
| Rate (₹) | DSR rate or current local market rate. Note which basis you used in the header block — mixing the two silently is how BOQs get disputed. |
| Amount (₹) | Auto-calculated. Quantity × Rate. |
| Remarks | Assumptions, exclusions, deviations from the DSR item. Anything you'd otherwise have to explain in a phone call. |
Pricing steel on this BOQ? You'll also want the bar bending schedule format in Excel to work out the reinforcement quantity that goes into it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a BOQ and an estimate?
An estimate is a total figure, often derived from a per-square-foot rate. A BOQ is the itemised measured breakdown that produces that figure and can be independently checked, tendered, and billed against.
Is this BOQ format suitable for residential buildings?
Yes — the section structure follows the trade sequence of a typical Indian residential project, from earthwork through finishes and services.
Can I use this format for tender submission?
The structure is standard and accepted for private tenders. Government tenders usually mandate their own departmental proforma; check the tender document.
Does the template include rates?
No. Rates vary by city, date, and rate basis. The Rate column is yours to fill — you can reference UP PWD DSR 2023 or current local market rates.
How long does it take to fill a BOQ by hand?
For a mid-size residential project, measuring quantities off drawings typically takes three to seven working days.