Clear terms.
Confident estimates.
A practical glossary for construction and quantity surveying.
34 terms, explained
A
Aggregate
Aggregate is granular material used in products such as concrete and mortar or as a separate layer in construction.
↗B
Bill of Quantities (BoQ)
A bill of quantities lists described items of work with their units and measured quantities.
↗C
Cement Ratio / Mix Ratio
A mix ratio states proportions of constituents on a stated basis, such as cement, sand and coarse aggregate by volume.
↗Concrete Grade
Concrete strength classes describe specified compressive strength using a defined test basis.
↗Contingency
Contingency is a stated allowance for uncertainty within a cost estimate.
↗Cost Plan
A cost plan organises the expected project cost so it can be tested and managed as the design develops.
↗D
Damp Proof Course (DPC)
A damp proof course is a barrier incorporated into a building detail to limit moisture movement through a construction element.
↗Damp Proof Membrane (DPM)
A damp proof membrane is a sheet or other specified barrier used to control moisture passage through an assembly, often within a ground floor build-up.
↗Defects Liability Period
The defects liability period is a contract-defined period associated with identifying and addressing defects after completion.
↗E
Elemental Cost Analysis
Elemental cost analysis groups costs by functional building elements so that projects or design options can be compared.
↗F
Final Account
The final account brings together the agreed financial value of a construction contract after the relevant adjustments.
↗Formwork
Formwork creates the temporary mould and support arrangement for concrete until it can support the relevant loads.
↗I
Interim Valuation
An interim valuation assesses the value of work and other eligible items at a point during a project.
↗L
Lap Length
Lap length is the length over which reinforcing bars overlap to transfer force through the surrounding concrete.
↗Life Cycle Costing
Life cycle costing considers costs over a stated study period, including acquisition, operation, maintenance, replacement and disposal where relevant.
↗M
Markup vs Margin
Markup measures the difference between selling price and cost as a percentage of cost.
↗Measured Works
Measured works are work items quantified against an agreed measurement method.
↗N
NRM (New Rules of Measurement)
NRM is the RICS suite of measurement guidance for building cost management.
↗O
Overheads and Profit
Overheads are business or project support costs that must be recovered through pricing; profit is the amount remaining after the relevant costs.
↗P
PC Sum (Prime Cost Sum)
A prime cost sum is an allowance for a specified cost component, often the supply of an item whose final selection is unresolved.
↗Practical Completion
Practical completion is a contractual milestone concerning completion of the works, assessed under the relevant agreement.
↗Preliminaries
Preliminaries describe project-wide obligations and costs that support carrying out the works rather than forming a single permanent work item.
↗Provisional Sum
A provisional sum is an allowance for work that is not sufficiently defined to be fully priced at the relevant stage.
↗R
Rate Build-Up
A rate build-up shows the components used to calculate a unit rate.
↗Rebar (Reinforcement Steel)
Rebar is steel reinforcement used within concrete as part of a designed structural system.
↗Rebar Grades
A rebar grade identifies specified material properties, not the diameter or total amount of steel.
↗Retention
Retention is an amount withheld from payments where the contract permits it, usually in connection with completion obligations and defects.
↗S
Screed
Screed is a layer placed to achieve a required floor level, finish or substrate condition.
↗SMM7 (Standard Method of Measurement)
SMM7 is the seventh edition of the Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works.
↗T
Takeoff (Quantity Takeoff)
A quantity takeoff is the process of extracting quantities from drawings, models or site measurements.
↗U
Unit Rate
A unit rate is the cost or price assigned to one defined unit of work, such as a cubic metre of concrete or a square metre of painting.
↗V
Value Engineering
Value engineering evaluates ways to meet required performance and function with better overall value.
↗Variation Order
A variation order records an instructed change to the contracted works through the procedure applicable to the project.
↗W
Wastage Factor
A wastage factor adds a stated allowance to a net material quantity for cutting, handling, breakage or other expected losses.
↗No matching terms. Try another search.