Quantity surveying
Measured quantities are the survey of the work actually performed and, in structural construction, the basis of the invoice — by item and quantity, usually against a bill of quantities.
Definition
Measurement follows the rules of the applicable standard, not the eye: what counts as area, how openings are deducted, which allowances apply — all of it is laid down. Measured quantities are therefore a calculation that can be checked — and in a dispute, is checked.
This is why trade software needs more than time tracking: what gets invoiced is the quantity, not the hours. Whoever records only hours cannot issue an invoice on measured quantities.
Where to read it
- Swiss Contractors’ Association
- CRB — Swiss Research Centre for Rationalisation in Building and Civil Engineering
What the software must be able to do
What is needed: capture of quantities per item — on site, not in the office —, the link to the bill of quantities, and carry-through across interim invoices to the final invoice. Capture on a phone is not a convenience here; it is where the figure comes into being.
Checked Aug 2026
More terms under Construction and planning: Cost plan BKP / eBKP NPK bill of quantities SIA project phases Time-and-material reports