Engineering Economics, Estimation

and Costing (3170615)

Units of Measurement
Dr. Haresh D. Golakiya
Associate Professor,
Civil Engineering Department,
Dr. S. & S. S. Ghandhy Government Engineering College, Surat
 Introduction :Based on IS: 1200
▪ Measurement of works occupies a very important place in planning and

execution of any civil engineering project, from the time of the first estimate
up to the final completion of work and settlement of payments for a project.

▪ The methods followed for the measurement are not uniform and the practices

as prevalent differ considerably in between the states. Even in the same state
different departments follow different methods.

▪ The different departments under central government and also the state

governments have mostly adopted IS methods of measurements for uniformity

throughout India. This eliminates ambiguities and misunderstanding of various
systems followed.
 Introduction :Based on IS: 1200
▪ The purposes of standardizing the measurement and deduction rules are

▪ for uniformity in taking measurement

▪ for accuracy in taking measurements

▪ to avoid ambiguities in taking measurements

▪ to properly define the item.

 General Rules of measurement
▪ Each item shall be fully described and shall include wherever necessary

all materials, transport, unloading, stacking, storing, waste handling,

return of packing, necessary scaffolding, safety appliances, lighting at
place of work, all labour required for finishing to its shape, size,
setting, fitting and fixing in position, cutting, waste and all other
incidental operations where necessary.

▪ In booking dimensions, the order shall be in the sequence of length,

breadth and height or depth or thickness

 General Rules of measurement
▪ All works shall be measured net subject to following tolerances, unless

otherwise stated
▪ a. Dimensions shall be measured to the nearest 0.01 m.

▪ b. Areas shall be worked out to the nearest 0.01 sq.m.

▪ c. Cubic content shall be calculated to the nearest 0.01 cu.m

▪ d. Weight shall be worked out to the nearest 0.001 tonne.

 General Rules of measurement
a) The thickness of RCC slab shall be measured to the nearest 0.005 m.

b) The thickness of woodwork shall be measured to the nearest 0.002 m.

c) The thickness of steel work shall be measured to the nearest 0.001 m.

d) The length of steel reinforcement bar shall be measured to the nearest 0.005 m and
its diameter to the nearest 0.001 m.

e) If the thickness of road is less than 20 cm, its thickness shall be measured to the
nearest 0.005 m.

f) Areas shall be measured to the nearest 0.01 sq.m., but the areas ot stee shall be
measured to the nearest 0.001 sq m

g) Volume shall be measured to the nearest 0.01 cu.m, but the volume of wood shall be
measured to the nearest 0.001 cu.m
 General Rules of measurement
▪ Same type of work under different conditions and nature shal be measu

▪ separately under separate items. e.g.

▪ work under water

▪ work in liquid mud

▪ work under tides

▪ work in snow, etc.

 General Rules of measurement
▪ In case of structural concrete, brickwork or stone masonry, the work under the

following categories shall be measured separately and the heights shall be

described.
▪ from foundation to plinth level

▪ from plinth level to first floor level

▪ from first floor level to second floor level.

▪ from first floor level to second floor level and so on.

▪ The bill quantities shall fully describe the materials, proportions and workmanships,

and accurately represent the work to be executed. Work which, by its nature, can
not be accurately taken off or which requires site measurements, shall be described
as 'provisional'.
 Principle of units of Items:
▪ The units of different items of work depend on their nature, size and shape. In
general the units of different items of work are based on the following principle.

1. Mass, voluminous and thick works shall be taken in cubic unit or volume (cu.m).
The measurement of length, breadth and height or depth shall be taken to
compute the volume (cu.m.).

2. Thin, shallow or surface work shall be taken in square units or in area. The
measurement of length and breadth or height shall be taken to compute area
(sq.m.).

3. Long and thin work shall be taken in linear or running unit. and linear
measurement shall be taken (running metre).

4. Piece work, job work, etc. shall be enumerated, i.e. taken in number.
Methods of Measurement of different works
Earth Work
▪ Earthwork shall be measured in cu m, and the length, breadth and height or depth shall

be measured to get the cubic content.

▪ Earth work in different kinds of soils as

▪ ordinary soil

▪ hard soil

▪ ordinary rock

▪ hard rock etc., shall be classified separately and measured under separate items.

▪ Earth work of different nature as excavations,

▪ in foundation

▪ in trenches, shall be measured under separate items.

 Earth Work
▪ Earthwork of different nature as filling, in plinth in banking, etc. shall be

measured under separate items.

▪ Excavation shall include throwing of the excavated earth at least 1 m clear of

the edge of excavation.

▪ Where the excavations is in trenches or from borrow pits in fairly uniform ground

‘Deadmen' or "Tell-tales' shall be left at suitable intervals to determine the

average depth of excavation. For uneven or sloping ground diagonal Tell-tales'
shall be left.

▪ No deduction shall be made for ‘Deadman' or "Tell-tales', which shall be removed

after the measurements have been taken and checking has been completed.
Earth Work
 Earth Work
▪ When the ground is very uneven levels shall be taken before the start and after

the completion of the work by levelling instrument and the average depth of
excavation or filling shall be determined from these levels.

▪ Whenever it is not possible or convenient to take measurements from borrow pit

or cutting, excavation shall be worked out from filling or banking and deduction
for shrinkage or voids shall be made from actual measured cubic contents
depending on the nature of soil and methods of compaction. Generally,
▪ 10% deduction for ordinary consolidated fills.

▪ 5% deduction for consolidation by heavy machinery.

▪ Except hill side cutting where no lift is involved all excavation shall be measured

in successive stages of 1.5 m stating the commencing level.

 Earth Work
▪ No separate measurement shall be taken for the following works

▪ setting out works

▪ profiles

▪ site clearance

▪ deadman

▪ stepping

▪ removal of slips or falls

▪ pumping of water from rains

▪ supporting pipes, cables, etc.

 Earth Work
▪ Lead and Lift:

▪ The measurement shall be taken separately for every 30 m (100 ft) lead or distance and

every 1.5 m (5 ft) lift or height or depth.

▪ The lead shall be measured from the center of the area of excavation to the center of

the area of spoil heap.

▪ The normal rate is for each unit of 30 m lead and 1.5 m lift. For greater lead or lift the

rate shall be different for every unit of 30 m lead and fore very unit of 1.5 m lift.

▪ ISI specifies the unit of lead as 50 m, measured over the shortest practicable route.
 Earth Work
Surface dressing:

▪ Trimming and dressing of natural ground, excavated surface and filled up area to remove

vegetation and small irregularities not exceeding 15 cm deep shall be taken in sq.m under a
separate item 'surface dressing'.

Surface excavation:

▪ Excavation exceeding 1.5 m in width as well as 10 sq.m. on plan with a depth not exceeding

30 cm shall be described as 'surface excavation' and measured in sq. m.

Foundation Trenches:

▪ Unless otherwise specified the foundation trench shall be measured in cu m for rectangular

section, bottom width being width of concrete and the depth shall be measured as vertical
depth even though the contractor might have excavated with sloping sides for convenience.
 Earth Work
Timbering of trenches :

▪ Timbering for protecting the sides of trench or loose earth shall be measured in

sq.m. of face supported, and shall be classified as separate item as,

▪ Depth not exceeding 1.5 m

▪ Depth exceeding 1.5 m but not exceeding 5.0 m

▪ Depth exceeding 5.0 m

Dewatering:

▪ When spring water required pumping the work of pumping or dewatering shall be

taken as a separate item.

 Earth Work
Timbering of trenches :

▪ Timbering for protecting the sides of trench or loose earth shall be measured in

sq.m. of face supported, and shall be classified as separate item as,

▪ Depth not exceeding 1.5 m

▪ Depth exceeding 1.5 m but not exceeding 5.0 m

▪ Depth exceeding 5.0 m

Dewatering:

▪ When spring water required pumping the work of pumping or dewatering shall be

taken as a separate item.

 Earth Work
Return, fil and ram

▪ Returning. filling and ramming of excavated earth shall be taken in cu m

under a separate item and shall include spreading in layers not exceeding
20 cm in depth watering. ramming and levelling.

Cutting down trees

▪ The girth of tree shall be measured at 1m height above ground.

▪ girth less than 30 cm sq.m.

▪ girth 30 cm to 100 cm Nos.

▪ girth greater than 100 cm- Nos.

 Brick Work
▪ The description of the bricks and mortar shall be fully described.

▪ Unless otherwise stated, all brickworks shall be of English bond.

▪ Brickwork shall generally be measured in cu m.

▪ Brick walls one brick thick (20 cm) and less shall each be measured separately in sq.m.

stating thickness.

▪ Brick walls exceeding one brick thick but not exceeding three bricks in thickness shall be

measured In multiples of half-brick which shall be deemed to be inclusive of mortar

joints, measurements shall be taken as follows.
▪ up to 1/4 brick thick ...... actual measurements.

▪ exceeding 1/4 brick thick . full half brick.

▪ walls more than three bricks.. actual thickness (nearest 1 cm)

 Brick Work
▪ Rules for Deductions

▪ No deduction or addition shall be made for the following

1. Opening up to 0.1 sq. m area.

2. Ends of dissimilar materials like beams, lintels, joists, rafters, purlins, steps, etc.

3. Wall plates, bed plates, bearing of slabs, chhajjas and the like, where the thickness

does not exceed 10 cm and the bearing does not extend over the full width of wall.

4. Chases of section not exceeding 50 cm in girth.

5. Cement concrete blocks for holdfasts and holding down bolts.

6. Iron fixtures, such as hold fasts for doors and window.

7. Pipes up to 30 cm diameter.
Brick Work
 Brick Work
Partition wall

▪ Half brick wall or brick on edge shall be taken in sq. m stating the thickness and shall be

fully described including mortar and its proportion.

▪ Reinforcement as hoop irons, wire netting or bars if provided shall be included in the

item and fully described, stating type, width, gauge or thickness or diameter and spacing

▪ Reinforced brick work:

▪ Reinforced brick work shall be taken in cu m under separate item and the reinforcement

shall be measured separately in quintal.

▪ Pillars or columns:

▪ Pillars shall be fully described (rectangular, curved or any shape) and measured in cu n.
 Brick Work
Arches

▪ Brickwork in arches and vaulting shall be

measured in cu m separately and shall include
centering for spans up to 2 m. For span
exceeding 2 m centering shall be measured
separately. Cutting of bricks shall be included in
the description.

Honeycomb brickwork

▪ Honeycomb brickwork shall be taken in sq m

stating the thickness of wall and pattern of

honey-combing. Honeycomb holes or opening
shall not be deducted.
 Brick Work
Brick on edge:

▪ Brick edging by the sides of roads, footpaths, and the like shall be measured

in running metre.

Fire place, Chimneys

▪ Brickwork shall be measured as solid in cu m if smoke or airflues do not

exceed 0.25 sq.m. in sectional area, no deduction shall be made for flues
and no extra payment shall be made for pargetting and coring of flues.

▪ When flues exceed 0.25 sq.m. in sectional area deduction shall be made for

core opening and pargetting and coring of flues taken separately in running
meter stating size of flue.
 Concrete
Accuracy criteria :

▪ Cement concrete shall be measured in cu m and measurements of length, breadth and

height or thickness shall be taken to the nearest 1 cm, except that the thickness of
slabs, partitions, beams and the like shall be measured to the nearest 0.5 cm.

▪ Cement concrete may be plain, reinforced or pre-stressed and each shall be measured

separately.

▪ Works in precast and cast-in-situ shall also be kept separate.

▪ Concrete of different materials and different proportions shall be taken under separate

items.

▪ In RCC, the steel reinforcement shall be measured under a separate item in quintal.
 Concrete
▪ The volume occupied by steel reinforcement shall not be deducted from the measured

concrete volume.

▪ Normally, centering and shuttering (formwork) shall not be measured separately but

included in the rate of R.C.C. or P.C.C. work.

▪ Binding wire is not measured separately.

▪ The item of RC.C. work shall include R.C.C. slabs, beams, columns, footings, lintels,

chajjas, staircases, etc. and each of them shall be classified under a separate item.

▪ Chajjas may be measured in running metre stating the projection and its average

thickness, if specified.

▪ Special light weight partitions shall be measured in sq.m. stating thickness and fully

described.
 Concrete
▪ Formwork :

▪ Unless otherwise specially mentioned formwork shall be measured

separately in sq m as the actual surface in contact with the concrete.

▪ For slabs vertical sides (edges) shall not be measured.

 Concrete
Rules for deductions

▪ No deduction shall be made for the following:

1. Openings less than 0.1 sq.m. area.

2. Volume occupied by reinforcement.

3. Volume occupied by pipes, conduits, etc. not exceeding 100 sq. cm in

cross sectional area.

4. Ends of dissimilar structures such as beams, rafters, steps, girders, etc.

up to 500 sq. cm in cross sectional area.

5. Small voids not exceeding 40 sq. cm in cross section.

 Concrete
Damp Proof Course (D.P.C.):

▪ Damp proof course shall be fully described and measured in sq m stating the

thickness. The item shall include formwork, finishing, levelling, curing. etc. The
horizontal and vertical D.P.C. shall be measured separately.

Precast cement concrete :

▪ Precast cement concrete reinforced or plain shall be taken separately in cu m and

shall be described as including moulds, finished faces, hoisting and setting in

position.

▪ Proportion of mix and ingredients of setting mortar, providing and fixing inserts, etc.

shall be stated in the item. Reinforcement if any, shall be included in the item or
may be measured separately.
 Concrete
▪ Expansion joints :

▪ Expansion joints in roofs, floors and walls shall be measured in running

metre stating the depth and width of joint. The item shall include all
formwork and labour necessary to form joint material used for filling shall
be described.
 Plastering and Pointing
Accuracy criteria:

▪ Plastering shall be taken in sq m starting thickness, mortar and its mix. The number of

coats shall be stated in the item.

▪ Plastering on roofs, ceiling and walls shall be kept separate.

▪ Plastering bands 30 cm or below shall be measured in running metre, separately.

▪ Interior plastering in case of building shall be measured separately for each storey.

▪ Exterior plastering to a height greater than 10 m from average ground level shall be

measured separately in stages of 3 m.

▪ The measurement for all plastering shall be taken for the dimensions before plastering

for length and from top of floor or skirting to the celling for height. Soffit of stairs shall
be measured as plastering on ceiling.
Plastering and Pointing
 Plastering and Pointing
Rules for deductions:

▪ No deductions shall be made for openings not exceeding 0.5 sq m in area. and no

addition shall be made for reveals, jambs, soffits, sills, etc. of these openings.

▪ No deductions shall be made for ends of joists, pots, steps, etc. not exceeding

0.5 sq. m in area.

▪ For openings exceeding 0.5 sq.m. but not exceeding 3 sq.m., and when both

faces are plastered with the same plaster each deduction shall be made for one
face only and the other face shall be allowed for jambs, soffits and sills which
shall not be measured.
 Plastering and Pointing
Rules for deductions:

▪ For openings exceeding O.5 sq.m. but not exceeding 3 sq. m and when the

two faces are plastered with different mortars or with one side plastered and
other pointed, deduction shall be made on the side of chaukhat (frame) or
door or window on which the width of Jambs and reveals is less than the
other side, and no deduction shall be made for other side.

▪ In case of openings of area above 3 sq.m. each deduction shall be made for

both faces of the openings, and the jambs and sills shall be measured and
added. In taking measurement of jambs, soffits and sills, chaukhat if any
shall not be deducted.
 Plastering and Pointing
Pointing:

▪ Pointing shall be measured in sq. m stating the type of pointing, mortar

and its mix. various types of pointing as, struck, flush, keyed, etc. shall
be taken separately. Pointing of wall, floor, roof, etc. shall be kept
separate.

▪ Raking of joints shall be included in the item.

▪ Deductions in pointing shall be dealt in the same way as for plastering.

Pointing
 Woodwork
▪ Classification of Timber

1. Batten: The term batten means a piece of swan timber whose cross-
sectional dimensions do not exceed 5 cm in either direction.

2. Scantling : A piece of timber whose cross-sectional dimensions exceed

5 cm but do not exceed 20 cm in both directions, is called a
scantling.

3. Bulk: A piece of swan timber whose cross-sectional dimensions

exceed 5 cm one direction and 20 cm in other direction is called bulk.

4. Plank: A piece of swan timber whose thickness does not exceed 5 cm

and at the same time the width exceeds twice the thickness, is called
plank.
 Woodwork
▪ Accuracy criteria

▪ The woodwork shall be measured in cu m unless otherwise specified.

▪ Length and width shall be measured to the nearest 1 cm.

▪ Width of a plank shall be measured to the nearest 2 mm (0.2 cm).

▪ Thickness shall be measured to the nearest 2 mm (0.2 cm)

▪ Area shall be calculated to the nearest 0.01 sq.m.

▪ Cubical contents shall be calculated to the nearest 0.001 cu.m.

 Woodwork
▪ Accuracy criteria

▪ The following shall be measured separately in sq. m when the timbers measured in cu m

or running metre stating the thickness,

▪ Notching exceeding 15 cm each in girth

▪ Scribing

▪ Circular cutting

▪ The following shall be measured in running metre stating width or girth, unless covered in

the description of main items.

▪ Rebates, grooves, tongues

▪ Mouldings

▪ Beads, flutes
 Woodwork
▪ Door and window frames (Chaukhat):

1. Frames, mullion and transoms shall be taken in cu m.

2. The length of horns, tenons, etc. shall be added to the sight lengths.

3. The length of frame shall be measured to the nearest 1 em and the

thickness shall be measured to the nearest 2 mm.

4. The sectional area shall be the least square or rectangle from which they

may be cut or made.

 Woodwork
Door and Window shutter :

1. Shutter shall be taken in sq. m stating the thickness and the kind of

wood. Measurement shall be taken form inside after closing the shutters
excluding chaukhat.

2. Different types of shutters as ledged and battened, framed, framed and

paneled, flush, glazed, etc. shall be measured separately.

3. The rate of item shall include nails, screws, spikes, fevicol, etc. But

aldrop. handles, hinges, tower bolt, stopper, etc. shall be measured in

numbers and shall be paid separately.
 Painting
1. Painting shall be measured in sq. m stating the number of coats

2. Preparation of surface as cleaning, rubbing down, removing, burning ofi, etc. shall
be described.

3. Different types of surfaces as steel, wood, fibre board, concrete surface etc. shall
be measured under separate item.

4. Painting in large area as roof ceiling etc. shall be of small kept separate and
painting areas as doors and windows, steel works, etc. shall each be taken under
separate item.

5. Corrugated surfaces shall be measured as flat and the quantity so measured shall
be increased by the following percentages and added with the measured area.
Painting
 Painting
Sr.
Painting surface Increase in area
No.

1 Corrugated iron sheets 14%

Corrugated asbestos cement sheet

2 20%
(with large corrugations)

Semi-corrugated asbestos cement sheets

3 10%
(Trafford sheets)

4 Nainital corrugated sheets 25%

 Painting
6. Painting of doors and windows shall be measured closed and flat not

girthed in sq. m and shall include chaukhat edges, cleats. et.

7. Different types of doors and windows shall be grouped under one item

and the area of uneven surfaces shall be converted into equivalent plain
area by multiplying the flat measured area by a multiplying factor as
given in table below.
 Painting
Sr.
Type of work Multiplying factor
No.
Panelled, framed and braced, Ledged and
1 1.3 (for each side)
battened doors and windows
2 Flush door 1.2 (for each side)
3 Fully glazed door and window 0.8 (for each side)
4 Partly glazed and partly panelled door 1.0 (for each side)
5 Fully ventilated or louvered door/window 1.8 (for each side)
6 Weather boarding 1.2 (for each side)
7 Wooden roof 1.1 (for each side)
8 Trellis (or jaffiri) work 2.0 (for painting all over)
9 Steel rolling shutter 1.1 (for each side)
10 Plain sheet steel doors and windows 1.1 (for each side)
11 Partly panelled and partly glazed steel doors 0.8 (for each side)
12 Fully glazed steel doors and windows 0.5 (for each side)
13 Collapsible gate 1.5 (for painting all over)
14 Ralings, grills, Guard bars, balustrates etc. 1.0 (for painting all over)
 Stone Masonry
1. Stone masonry work shall be measured in cu. m.

2. The thickness of wall shall be measured to the nearest 1 cm, fractions including 0.5 cm and above
shall be measured as 1 cm and fractions below 0.5 cm shall be ignored.

3. Different kind of stone masonry as Random rubble masonry, coursed rubble masonry, ashlar
masonry, etc. shall be taken under separate items.

4. Dressed stone work in sills, lintels, steps, columns, copings, etc. shall be taken in cu m and the
type of dressing shall be fully described.

5. Stone face work shall be described and taken in sq. m stating the thick.

6. The type of stone, kind of walling and mix of mortar shall be stated in the description of the
item.

7. Cutting chases, rebates, throating, grooves, etc. in walling shall be measured in running metres.
But when exceeding 20 cm in girth, shall be measured in sq.m.
 Stone Masonry
Rules for Deductions

No deduction or addition shall be made for the following

1. Opening up to O.1 sq.m. area.

2. Ends of dissimilar materials like beams, lintels, Joists, rafters. purlins, steps etc.

3. Wall plates, bed plates, bearing of slabs, chajjas and the like, where the thickness does
not exceed l0 cm and the bearing does not extend over the full width of wall.

4. Chases of section not exceeding 50 cm in girth.

5. Cement concrete blocks for holdfasts and holding down bolts.

6. Iron fixtures, such as hold fasts for doors and window.

7. Pipes up to 30 cm diameter.
 Steel and Ironwork
▪ In general steel and iron work shall be measurement by weight in quintal and fully

described.

▪ Various items of rolled steel sections as joists, channels, angles, tees, M.S. rounds, flats,

bolts, cast iron, wrought iron, etc. shall be measured under separate items.

▪ Reinforcement shall be measured to nearest 0.005 m. The thickness of steel work shall be

measured to the nearest 0.001 m. Weight of steel work shall be worked out to the nearest
0.001 tonne.

▪ Unless otherwise specified weight of cleats, brackets, packing plates, nuts, bolts, washers,

gussets with overall square dimensions, fish plates, ete. shall be added to the weight of
respective items.
 Steel and Ironwork
▪ In case of riveted work, an addition of 2.5% of the weight of structure shall be made for

weight of stop and site rivet heads.

▪ No deduction shall be made rivet holes or bolt holes.

▪ Unless otherwise stated, in case of steel welded structure, no allowance shall be made for

the weld metal.

▪ Structural steel works as girders, plate and lattice girders, steel sanctions, trusses, framed

steel work, etc. shall each be taken under separate item and measured in quintal.

▪ Cast iron railing shall be measured in running meter stating the height and fully described.

▪ Cast iron balusters and newels shall be enumerated and fully described including the

methods of fixing.
 Steel and Ironwork
▪ FLue pipes shall be measured in running meter stating the diameter, type

of pipe gauge or weight per unit length.

▪ Iron hold fasts shall be taken by weight in quintal, or enumerated stating

the length, breadth and thickness of flat iron.

▪ Cast Iron chequered plates shall be described and measured in quintal.

▪ Expanded metal, wire netting shall be measured in sq. m stating gauge and

mesh

▪ No deduction shall be made for openings up to 0.l sq.m.

 Steel and Ironwork
▪ Collapsible gates shall be measured in sq. m or by weight in quintal and

full described stating the size of gate opening, channel pickets, pívoted
flat bars, etc.

▪ The top and bottom runners, locking lugs, handles, etc. shall be described

and included in the item.

▪ Rolling shutters shall be measured flat in sq. m stating the gauge and width

of slats, distance between the centres of interlock and the bridge depth.
The description shall include the spring winding mechanism, top cover,
jamb guides, bottom rail and locking arrangements including erection.
 Road Work
▪ Materials for roadwork Road metal, ballast, grit, etc. shall be measured in

cu.m. stating type, quality and size of materials and their source of supply
shall be stated.

▪ Measurement shall be taken in bottomless boxes or measuring boxes or in

closely packed stacks prepared on level ground and measured in mm.

Where thickness is measured it shall be the minimum thickness after
compaction. Road metal of different type of gauge shall be taken
separately.
 Road Work
▪ Usually road metal is stacked along the road on the side berms and cross sectional

measurement is taken with the help of stacking template of trapezium type and
the length of the stacks are measured to get the quantity. Stacking o metal shall
be included in the item stacks of kankar shall be 32 cm high and shall be
measured as 30 cm.

▪ For boulders deduct 10% for voids.