1. Preserve the original BOQ
Treat the client BOQ as a controlled source document. Keep an untouched copy and avoid restructuring it in a way that makes later comparison difficult. If the pricing process uses a separate breakdown, link the result back to the original item instead of replacing the source.
This is especially important when addenda arrive. A clean source makes it easier to see what changed and whether a new revision affected quantities, descriptions or only commercial instructions.
2. Classify before you price
Group items by discipline, system, section and work stage before searching for rates. Classification prevents a plumbing accessory from being compared with an HVAC component simply because both descriptions contain similar words.
Use item codes and section headers when available, but never rely on codes alone. The full description, unit, size, specification and nearby headers provide the technical context.
- Mechanical: HVAC, plumbing, drainage, fire fighting and related equipment.
- Electrical: power, lighting, ELV, panels, containment and associated accessories.
- Keep provisional or unclear items visible instead of forcing them into the wrong family.
3. Create a breakdown that explains the rate
The breakdown should answer how the unit rate was created. For a material-heavy item, that may mean main component, fittings, accessories, wastage, labour and installation equipment. For equipment, it may include freight, supports, controls, testing and commissioning.
Avoid excessive detail that nobody can maintain. A useful breakdown is detailed enough to audit and simple enough to update when a supplier price changes.
4. Keep rate sources traceable
Each important material rate should have a reference: supplier quotation, current price list, approved historical purchase order or another controlled source. Record supplier, date, currency, VAT treatment, validity and the item or model matched.
Historical prices need context. A price from an older project may be valuable as a benchmark, but it should not be treated as current without considering year, project location, quantity, specification and market movement.
5. Run commercial checks before issue
Once all items have rates, review zero-rate items, unusually high or low unit rates, duplicated items, currency conversions, tax treatment and formulas. Check that any markups are applied once and to the intended base.
Then compare system totals against known project benchmarks or previous comparable tenders. The purpose is not to force the number to match history, but to identify results that deserve another technical review.