Quick answer: A BOQ (bill of quantities) is the itemised list behind an office fit-out quote: every item of work, its specification, quantity, unit and rate. It is the only way to compare quotes fairly and to control cost during the project. A good BOQ is built from drawings, lists make and model for key items, separates furniture, civil and MEP, and shows what is excluded.
What a BOQ is, in plain words
A bill of quantities turns drawings into a priced list. Instead of "₹2,200 per sq ft for 10,000 sq ft", it says how many square metres of gypsum ceiling, how many metres of glass partition, how many workstations, light fittings, AC units and data points you are paying for, and at what rate each.
That matters because two quotes with the same total can buy very different offices. The BOQ shows the difference before you sign, not after the site is built.
What a good office fit-out BOQ must contain
| Column | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Item description | The work in plain words, for example "12 mm toughened glass partition with aluminium frame" |
| Specification or make | Brand, model or grade for key items: chairs, workstations, AC units, light fittings, flooring |
| Unit | sq ft, sq m, running metre, number, lump sum |
| Quantity | Measured from the drawings, so you can check it |
| Rate | Price per unit, so changes can be priced fairly later |
| Amount | Quantity multiplied by rate |
It should be grouped by trade (civil and partitions, ceilings, flooring, carpentry, painting, electrical, HVAC, fire, plumbing, IT cabling, furniture, signage) with a summary page and a clear list of exclusions.
How to compare BOQs from different firms
- Put the totals by trade side by side. A firm that is far cheaper on HVAC or electrical has usually left something out.
- Check quantities against the drawing. If one BOQ has 40 light fittings and another 65 for the same layout, ask why.
- Compare makes, not just prices. A workstation or chair can vary three times in price for the same description.
- Read the exclusions. Common ones: landlord approval fees, DG and UPS, AC equipment, loose furniture, signage, GST.
- Look for lump sums. A few are normal (site setup, cleaning). Large lump sums hide quantities you cannot check.
Our guide to why contractors quote different prices for the same office goes deeper on the reasons behind gaps.
Red flags in a fit-out BOQ
- A per sq ft price with no item list.
- "As per design" or "as required" in place of quantities.
- No makes for furniture, AC, lighting or flooring.
- Provisional sums for major items like HVAC or fire.
- No exclusions page, so everything missing becomes an extra later.
- Rates that cannot be used to price a change.
How the BOQ controls cost during the project
Once agreed, the BOQ becomes the baseline. Any change (an extra cabin, a different chair, more data points) is priced from its rates and approved in writing before it is built. That is how cost stays visible from approval to handover. Our fit-out checklist for CFOs covers the approval steps finance teams should insist on.
BOQ, per sq ft rate and budget: how they fit together
Early on, a per sq ft rate is useful for budgeting. Officea publishes its 2026 rates for Delhi NCR (₹1,800 Basic, ₹2,200 Medium, ₹2,600 Good, ₹4,500 High end per sq ft, GST extra, furniture included) on the India fit-out cost index. Once a layout exists, the BOQ replaces the rate. If the BOQ total is far from the rate you budgeted, the gap shows exactly which items to rethink.
How Officea prepares a BOQ
We walk the site, agree a test-fit layout, then measure quantities from the drawings and price them by trade, with makes for every major item. You approve the itemised cost and a construction schedule before work starts. Try the office layout planner for a first estimate, or see how quoted and delivered compared on our case studies.