NRM 2: Detailed measurement for building works

The RICS new rules of measurement (NRM) is a suite of documents issued by the RICS QuantitySurveying and Construction Professional Group.

The rules have been written to provide a standard set of measurement rules that are understandable byall those involved in a construction project. They provide advice and best practice guidance to RICSmembers involved in the cost management of construction projects worldwide.

This volume, NRM 2: Detailed measurement for building works, provides detailed rules for themeasurement and description of building works for the purpose of obtaining tender prices. The rulesaddress all aspects of bill of quantities production, including setting out the information required from theemployer and other construction consultants to enable a bill of quantities to be prepared, as well asdealing with the quantification of non-measurable work items, contractor designed works and risks.Guidance is also provided on the content, structure and format of bill of quantities, as well as the benefitsand uses of bill of quantities.

Moreover, the rules can be used for bill of quantities for both main contract works and for discrete workpackages including separate preliminaries for both.

Although written primarily for the preparation of bill of quantities and quantified schedules of works, therules will be invaluable when designing and developing standard or bespoke schedules of rates, or otherquantity-based pricing document.

These rules provide essential guidance to all those involved in the preparation of bill of quantities,quantified schedules of works, schedules of rates and similar pricing documents, as well as those whowish to be better informed about the purpose, use and benefits of adopting detailed measurement oftheir cost control procedures.

The RICS new rules of measurement are based on UK practice but the requirements for a coordinatedset of rules and underlying philosophy behind each volume have worldwide application.

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RICS NEW RULES OF MEASUREMENT

NRM 2: Detailed measurement forbuilding works

1st edition

Acknowledgments

The project stages from the RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2007 are reproduced with the permission of the Royal Institute ofBritish Architects.

Published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Surveyor Court

Westwood Business Park

Coventry CV4 8JE

UK

www.ricsbooks.com

No responsibility for loss or damage caused to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the materialincluded in this publication can be accepted by the authors or RICS.

Produced by the Quantity Surveying and Construction Professional Group of the Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors.

ISBN 978 1 84219 716 5

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) April 2012. Copyright in all or part of this publication rests with RICS.No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means including graphic, electronic, ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or web distribution, without the written permission of the RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors or in line with the rules of an existing license.

Typeset in Great Britain by Columns Design XML Ltd, Reading, Berks

Printed by Page Bros, Norwich

ContentsForeword vAcknowledgments viIntroduction 1

Status of the RICS new rules of measurement 1The RICS new rules of measurement (NRM) suite of documents in context 2Identity 3Enquiries 3

Part 1: General 51.1 Introduction 71.2 Measurement in context with the RIBA Plan of Work and OGC Gateway Process 71.3 Purpose of NRM 2 91.4 Use of NRM 2 91.5 Structure of NRM 2 91.6 Symbols, abbreviations and definitions 10Part 2: Rules for detailed measurement of building works 152.1 Introduction 172.2 Purpose of bill of quantities 172.3 Benefits of bill of quantities 172.4 Types of bill of quantities 182.5 Preparation of bill of quantities 182.6 Composition of a bill of quantities 192.7 Preliminaries 222.8 Measurement rules for building works 242.9 Non-measurable works 242.10 Risks 272.11 Overheads and profit 282.12 Credits 282.13 Other considerations 282.14 Information requirements for measurement 302.15 Codification of bill of quantities 332.16 Cost management/control 382.17 Analysis, collection and storage of cost data 40Part 3:Tabulated rules of measurement for building works 413.1 Introduction 433.2 Use of tabulated rules of measurement for building works 433.3 Measurement rules for building works 46

Tabulated work sections:1 Preliminaries 502 Off-site manufactured materials, components and buildings 1203 Demolitions 1224 Alterations, repairs and conservation 1255 Excavating and filling 1316 Ground remediation and soil stabilisation 1397 Piling 1428 Underpinning 1459 Diaphragm walls and embedded retaining walls 14710 Crib walls, gabions and reinforced earth 149

EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JANUARY 2013 RICS NEW RULES OF MEASUREMENT | iii

11 In-situ concrete works 15112 Precast/composite concrete 15913 Precast concrete 16114 Masonry 16415 Structural metalwork 16916 Carpentry 17317 Sheet roof coverings 17618 Tile and slate roof and wall coverings 18119 Waterproofing 18420 Proprietary linings and partitions 18721 Cladding and covering 19222 General joinery 19523 Windows, screens and lights 20024 Doors, shutters and hatches 20225 Stairs, walkways and balustrades 20526 Metalwork 20827 Glazing 21028 Floor, wall, ceiling and roof finishings 21229 Decoration 21830 Suspended ceilings 22031 Insulation, fire stopping and fire protection 22332 Furniture, fittings and equipment 22533 Drainage above ground 22734 Drainage below ground 23035 Site works 23436 Fencing 23837 Soft landscaping 24138 Mechanical services 24539 Electrical services 25040 Transportation 25441 Builders work in connection with mechanical, electrical and transportation

installations256

Appendices 261A Guidance on the preparation of bill of quantities 262B Template for preliminaries pricing schedule (condensed) 269C Template for preliminaries pricing schedule (expanded) 270D Template for pricing summary for elemental bill of quantities (condensed) 272E Template for pricing summary for elemental bill of quantities (expanded) 273F Templates for provisional sums, risks and credits 275G Example of a work package breakdown structure 276Bibliography 279Index 280

iv | RICS NEW RULES OF MEASUREMENT EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JANUARY 2013

NRM 2: DETAILED MEASUREMENT FOR BUILDING WORKS

Foreword

The measurement initiative steering group was set up by the RICS quantity surveying and constructionprofessional group to research the problems associated with the measurement of building works at all stagesof the design and construction process. The steering group quickly came to the conclusion that significantimprovements where required.

The development units on measurement set up by the measurement initiative steering group have produceda suite of documents covering all aspects of the measurement and description of a building project fromcradle to grave.

This volume, RICS new rules of measurement: Detailed measurement for building works (NRM 2), providesfundamental guidance on the quantification and description of building works for the purpose of preparingbill of quantities and quantified schedules of works; it also provides a sound basis for designing and developingstandard or bespoke schedules of rates. Direction on how to deal with items that are unquantifiable is alsoprovided e.g. preliminaries, overheads and profit, contractor designed works, risk transfer and fluctuations.

The RICS new rules of measurement: Detailed measurement for building works provides a uniform basis formeasuring and describing building works and embodies the essentials of good practice.

NRM 2 replaces the Standard Method of Measurement for Building Works (SMM), which was first published byRICS in 1922, with the latest edition being SMM7, published in 1988.

This first edition will become operative on 1 January 2013 and is post dated accordingly.

EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JANUARY 2013 RICS NEW RULES OF MEASUREMENT | v

AcknowledgmentsThe development of the RICS new rules of measurement: Detailed measurement for building works wasfacilitated by the RICS Quantity Surveying and Construction Professional Group under thedirection of the steering group.

Lead authors:

+ David Benge, Gleeds Cost Management Limited

+ John Davidson, Consultant

Contributors:

+ Simon Cash,Appleyards

+ Graham Hadden,V B Johnson

+ Michael Jewell, MDA Consulting

+ Michael Rickard (Harvey Frost)

+ Justin Sullivan,Adair Associates

+ Keith Tweedy

Steering Group:

+ Chair: Stuart Earl, Gleeds Cost Management Limited

+ David Benge, Gleeds Cost Management Limited

+ Alan Cripps, RICS

+ John Davidson, Consultant

+ Adrian Green, Laing ORourke

+ Andy Green, Faithful and Gould

+ Joe Martin, BCIS

+ Alan Muse, RICS

+ Sean Smylie, Shepherd Construction; Contractors Legal Group; UK Contractors Group

+ Roy Stratton, Countryside Properties

The Steering Group express their thanks to the professional institutions and trade bodies, and tothe quantity surveyors and building contractors for their co-operation and advice in the detailedconsultations that have taken place. The steering group and development unit also express theirthanks to the surveyors who have assisted in testing the RICS new rules of measurement: Detailedmeasurement for building works, an