Measurement of work

The accurate measurement of work undertaken on a construction project is of fundamental importance as:

• it is necessary to ensure that the works are being undertaken in accordance with the contract requirements
• on a remeasurement contract, the amount paid to the contractor depends on the measurement of work done.

To ensure accuracy and reduce corruption risk, measurement should be undertaken by both:

• the contractor, and
• the project owner, or the project engineer on behalf of the project owner.

The measurement is normally undertaken by someone skilled in the task, such as a quantity surveyor (QS).

Measurement can be undertaken by a variety or combination of methods, depending on the type of materials or equipment being measured.  For example:

• For excavation and fill (e.g. foundations):
  • taking detailed ground level readings before and after excavation and fill; the difference in levels is the amount excavated or filled
  • measuring the volume of material delivered to, or removed from, site (such as by truck delivery records or quarry loading records).
• For building construction:
  • measuring the building dimensions upon completion of stages
  • measuring the volume of material delivered to site.
• For equipment or products (e.g. pipes, lights, taps, air conditioning plant): counting them once installed.