Estimating Concrete and

Masonry

Common Concrete Elements

Footings
Abutments
Columns (various sizes)
Beams
Slabs
Walls
Decks (bridges etc)
Special Elements

Quantity Take-Off elements

Item

Unit

Description

Concrete Volume

Cu. M

Footings, Beams,
Columns etc

Contact Area

Sq. M

Joints
Formwork Area
Shoring Area

M
Sq. M
Sq. M

Surface Areas to be
formed
Waterstops etc

Finish Area

Sq. M

Embedded Elements

Formwork to be
supported
Special Treatment for
surfaces
Pipes etc

Stages in Concrete Construction

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Form Preparation
Embedded Unit Placement
Concrete Placement
Curing
Form Removal

Types of Labour used in

Concreting
Name
1. Carpenter

Role
Formwork

2. Labour for Placement Placing concrete in

forms

3. Barbenders
4. Masons
5. Operators

Prepare and place

reinforcement
Finishes, Mortar
Drive cement trucks,
operate pumps, cranes,
batching plants etc

Equipment

Alternative Checklist
Item

Considerations

1. Material

Cement, Sand etc

2. Forms and Shoring

Erection, Removal,
Cleaning, Oiling etc

3. Reinforcements

Bars, Wires, Hooks, Ties etc

4. Concrete Elements

Vol. of Beams, Columns etc

5. Finishes

Trowels, Brooms

6. Placing and Curing

Admixtures, pumps,
vibrators etc

Estimating Shortcuts
Calculate the Volume of Excavation for
the Trench Shown
6m
80 cm
80 cm
80 cm

4m
A

80 cm
Section on A-A
G.L
60 cm
80 cm

Long and Short Wall Method

Measure Long Walls Out to Out

Measure Short Walls In to In
Multiply by Breadth to get area
E.g

Long wall length = 2x6=12m

Short wall length = 2x(4-2x0.8) = 4.8m
Total Length = 16.8m
Volume of Excavation =16.8x0.8x0.6=8.064 cu.m

Center Line Method

Calculate Total Center Line Length
Multiply by Breadth to get area
6m

Center
Line

4m

E.g
Center Line length = 2x[(4-0.4x2)+(6-0.4x2)] = 16.8m
Volume = 16.8x0.6x0.8 = 8.064 cu.m

What will you do if thickness is not uniform?

Single Story Building Key items

to estimate

Preparatory Work
Foundation Excavation (Volume)
Concrete in Foundation (Volume)
Brickwork in Foundation (Volume)
Brickwork in Superstructure (Volume)
Concrete in Superstructure (Volume)
Concrete in Roof (Volume)
Formwork for Concrete (Area)
Doors, Windows and Fittings (Units)
Plaster on inner and outer walls (Area)
Plaster on ceiling (Area)
Painting of inner and outer walls (Area)
Flooring (Area)
Electrical and Mechanical work (Unit, length)
D.P.C etc (Area,)
.

Single Story Building - example

For the figure shown earlier, calculate

Excavation
Cement Concrete in Foundation
Brickwork in Foundations and Plinth Wall
Brickwork in superstructure
RCC work on the roof
12mm Interior and Exterior Plaster
10 cm thick lime terracing on the roof
Doors and Windows
6mm thick plaster on the ceiling
2.5 cm artificial stone flooring

Rates
Item

Description

Rate (Rs.)

Unit of Rate

cu.m

Excavation

Cement Concrete

700

cu.m

Brickwork in Foundations and

Steps

650

cu.m

Brickwork in Superstructure

665

cu.m

RCC for roof and lintel

980

cu.m

12mm Plaster

12.5

sq.m

10 cm lime terracing on roof

85

sq.m

Steel Door

680

sq.m

6 mm plaster on ceiling

10.5

sq.m

10

2.5 cm Artifical stone flooring

38

sq.m

Single Storey Building Answer

Item

Description

Excavation

Quantity

Unit

Rate
(Rs.)

Unit of Rate

Amount

10.422

cu. M

cu.m

72.954

Cement Concrete

3.552

cu. M

700

cu.m

2486.4

Brickwork in Foundations and

Steps

9.616

cu. M

650

cu.m

6250.4

Brickwork in Superstructure

15.45

cu.M

665

cu.m

10274.25

RCC for roof and lintel

3.0492

cu.M

980

cu.m

2988.216

12mm Plaster

124.5

sq. m

12.5

sq.m

1556.25

10 cm lime terracing on roof

15.96

sq. m

85

sq.m

1356.6

Steel Door

2.52

sq. m

680

sq.m

1713.6

6 mm plaster on ceiling

28.08

sq. m

10.5

sq.m

294.84

10

2.5 cm Artifical stone flooring

14.4

sq. m

38

sq.m

547.2

Total

Rs.

27540.71

Formwork
Types
Below-grade Forms
On-grade Forms (Pavements etc)
Wall forms
Slab/Bean/Column Forms
High-Rise Forms

Materials
Plywood, Aluminium

Formwork Types
Table Forms

Doka System

Ply Forms

Aluminum Formwork

Shoring

Example Calculate Wall and Footing Form

Quantities

Solution 8% Wastage
SNo
1

Item

No

(m)

(m)

Units

Qty

Footing Forms

1.1

N&S Exterior

8.6 0.3

Sq. m 5.2

1.2

N&S Interior

6.8 0.3

Sq. m 4.1

1.3

E&W Exterior

6.6 0.3

Sq. m 4.0

1.4

E&W Interior

4.8 0.3

Sq. m 2.9

Total

Sq. m 16.2

Solution
SNo
1

Item

No

(m)

(m)

Units

Qty

Wall Forms

1.1

N&S Exterior

8.0 3

Sq. m 48

1.2

N&S Interior

7.4 3

Sq. m 44.4

1.3

E&W Exterior

6.0 3

Sq. m 36

1.4

E&W Interior

5.4 3

Sq. m 32.4

Total

Sq. m 160.8

Solution
Total Formwork Required = 16.2+160.8
= 177 sq. m

Applying 8% wastage:
Formwork Reqd = 177x1.08
Formwork Reqd = 191.16 sq.m

Also need to calculate amount of

dowels, ties, etc

Reinforcement

Bar-Bending Schedule

Calculate Rebar in Foundation

Solution
SNo
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4

Item

No

L
(m)

B
(m)

Units

Qty

Rebar in Footings
(#25M)
N&S Longitudinal
N&S Transverse
8m long/0.2m + 1
E&W Longitudinal
E&W Transverse
6m long/0.2m + 1
Total

6x2 8

96

41x 0.9
2

73.8

6x2 6

72

31x 0.9
2

55.8

297.6

Solution
Total Rebar Required = 297.6 M
Applying 10% wastage and a density of
3.973 kg/m:
Rebar Reqd = 297.6x1.1x3.973
Rebar Reqd = 1.3 Tonnes

Also need to calculate amount of

dowels, ties, etc
Calculate Rebar for Walls?

Solution
SNo

Item

No

L
(m)

B
(m)

Units

Qty

Rebar in Walls
(#25M)

1.1

N&S Longitudinal
(3.2m/0.3 +1)x2x2

47

376

1.2

N&S Transverse
(8/0.3 + 1)x2x2

111

3.6

399.6

1.3

E&W Longitudinal
(3.2m/0.3 +1)x2x2

47

282

1.4

E&W Transverse
(6/0.3 + 1)x2x2

84

3.6

302.4

1360

Total

Solution
Total Rebar Required = 1360 M
Applying 10% wastage and a density of
3.973 kg/m:
Rebar Reqd = 1360x1.1x3.973
Rebar Reqd = 5.9 Tonnes

Also need to calculate amount of

dowels, ties, etc

Precasting
Types
Precast Panels, Slabs
Precast Joists
Tilt-Up Walls
Precast Beams, Columns

Prices are set based on the economics of

the yard and transportation
Pre-stressing also adds to the cost

Precasting

Masonry Components
Masonry Units
Bricks, CMU etc

Mortar
Cement, Lime and Sand

Grout
Can fill cells in hollow units, or between
units

Accessory Materials
Reinforcement, Sealants, vapour barriers

Masonry

Masonry

Problem
Consider Modular Bricks of Specified Size
90x57x190. You have a 100 sq. m wall with a
common bond and 10mm joints. How many
bricks will you need with a wastage of 5%?
Nominal Brick Size = 100x67x200
Tables Indicate that you need 73.66
bricks/sq.m for common bond.
For 100 sq.m we need 7366 bricks.
With a 5% wastage, we need 7735 bricks

Thank You