Dissertation project investigation into the use of standard rules of measurement for the measurement and pricing of construction work

Abstract

In 2010 the RICS conducted a survey titled ‘contracts in use survey’ this highlighted the decline in the use of bills of quantities in the procurement of construction work. It touches upon the raise of alternative procurement routes that are emerging and are steering away from the traditional method of producing bills of quantities that are produced in accordance with the standard rules of measurement. The rise of new procurement routes such as design & build and plan & specification which do not or very rarely require bills of quantities, has led to main and sub-contractors having to take on the responsibility and risk to produce their own quantities for the measurement and pricing of construction work. It would appear that over recent years there has been a change from the traditional method of having fully detailed bills of quantities and drawings to main and sub-contractors being asked to provide all-in lump sum prices based on a scope of works and relevant drawings. In turn this has led to main and sub-contractors developing and using their own in house rules and methods of quantifying and pricing construction works, which has therefore led away from the use and following of the standard rules of measurement. The research suggests that the industry is aware of the decline of the use of the standard rules of measurement for the quantification of construction works, although there has recently been an updated standard rules of measurement (NRM2), this still seems to have had little if any impact in re-enforcing standard rules of measurement at the heart of measurement and quantification of works. To add to this clients perceive the risk to be high when procuring a contract using the traditional bills of quantities method which raises the question if there are even enough professionals left in the industry that are able to carry out this task.