Free Bill of Quantities Template (Excel)
What is a bill of quantities and who needs one
A bill of quantities, or BOQ, itemizes every measured component of a construction project — quantity, unit, and rate — organized by trade, so a contractor can price the job accurately and a client can compare bids on an apples-to-apples basis. It's the document that turns a set of drawings into a priced list of work.
Contractors, quantity surveyors, and self-builders all use BOQs, but for different reasons: contractors use them to price and track a job, surveyors use them to produce accurate cost estimates, and self-builders or small developers use them to understand where their construction budget is actually going trade by trade.
What's inside the free bill of quantities template
The blank BOQ sheet has 120 rows split across 9 trade sections: Preliminaries, Substructure, Superstructure, Roofing, Doors & windows, Electrical, Plumbing, Finishes, and External works. Each row picks a trade section from a dropdown, describes the item, sets a unit (m2, m3, m, no., kg, or LS), and enters quantity and rate.
Amount calculates automatically as quantity times rate on every row, and the summary block totals each of the 9 trade sections separately via SUMIF, plus a grand total across the whole project — so you always know both the trade-level breakdown and the bottom line.
Example: bill of quantities for a 4-bedroom house
A second sheet, the 4-Bedroom House Example, is pre-filled with 30 realistic line items across all 9 trade sections — from site setup and foundation concrete through roof trusses, electrical wiring, kitchen units, and driveway paving — so you can see exactly how a complete residential BOQ is structured before building your own.
The rates in this example are illustrative placeholders, not current market pricing for any specific location. Always replace them with quotes from your own suppliers and subcontractors before using the numbers to price a real job — the example is there to show structure and format, not to be used as-is.
How the cost totals and category breakdown work
Both the blank BOQ and the worked example use the same formula pattern: Amount = Quantity x Rate on every row, trade subtotals sum every row tagged to that trade section, and the grand total sums all 9 trade subtotals. A chart on the example sheet shows cost by item, so you can see at a glance which line items carry the most weight in the budget.
Because trade section is a dropdown rather than free text, the SUMIF formulas behind the subtotals stay reliable — every row's trade section matches exactly one of the 9 categories, so nothing falls through the cracks from a typo.
Bill of quantities template FAQ
The blank BOQ and the example are separate sheets in the same workbook, so you can study the example while building your own project's BOQ on the blank sheet without them interfering with each other.
If your project doesn't need all 9 trade sections — a renovation might skip substructure entirely, for instance — just leave those rows blank; the SUMIF-based subtotals will show zero for any section with no entries.
How to use it
- Open the 4-Bedroom House Example sheet to see how a complete BOQ is structured trade by trade.
- On the blank BOQ sheet, add one row per measured item: pick the trade section and unit, then enter quantity and rate.
- Watch amount, trade subtotals, and the grand total calculate automatically as you fill in rows.
- Replace the example's illustrative rates with real quotes before using any numbers to price an actual job.
Download the free Free Bill of Quantities Template (Excel)
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Construction Pack
Once your BOQ is priced, the Construction Pack ($49) adds WH-347 certified payroll, WIP reporting, and manpower tracking for running the job through to completion.
See the full versionFrequently asked questions
Can I use this in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. All the totals keep working.
Is this template really free?
Yes. You give an email address to download it, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.
Are the rates in the 4-bedroom house example real market prices?
No. They're illustrative placeholders to show how a complete BOQ is structured. Always replace them with quotes from your own suppliers and subcontractors before pricing a real project.
What are the 9 trade sections in this BOQ?
Preliminaries, Substructure, Superstructure, Roofing, Doors & windows, Electrical, Plumbing, Finishes, and External works.
Do I have to use all 9 trade sections?
No. Leave sections that don't apply to your project blank — the subtotal formulas will simply show zero for any section with no rows entered.
What's the usage license?
Personal use or use within one business. It's not meant to be resold or redistributed as a template product.