The short video presentation below outlines some of the issues involved with taking off quantities for below ground drainage.

Every year families of swifts make their long and perilous journey from Africa to nest in the eaves of my house as they have done for over 100 years.

For a number of reasons, it may not be possible to measure and describe every item of work and/or materials. Non-quantifiable items can be accommodated in a number of ways.

Both NRM2 and CESMM4 have similar rules of measurement for taking off quantities for bored in-situ concrete piles.

Last month the CITB (The Construction Industry Training Board) the CIOB and ONS published their overview of the UK construction industry in 2026 and it didn’t make for very encouraging reading. The CITB is of course at the sharp end as far as skills and training is concerned. The reports didn’t pull punches describing construction as a sector that has remained largely unchanged for decades and telling a story of an industry at a crossroads.

About 20 years ago I wrote a book called Procurement of Built Assets which involved interviewing a variety of people and organisations advocating greater collaboration in the procurement of buildings. This was only a few years after the publication of the Latham Report which urged construction to adopt a more collaborative approach to construction procurement.

This is an overview of estimating decoration work.

This is an overview of taking off quantities for embodied carbon

This is an overview of taking off quantities for external works

This is an overview of taking off quantities for second fix.

This is an overview of taking off quantities for flat roofs /floors.

This is an overview of taking off quantities for pitched roofs.

Starting on 1st January 2026 the number of times that candidates have to attempt the RICS APC will be capped at four to encourage candidates to be better prepared.

A long running dispute revolving around late payment when using the JCT(16) Design and Build Standard Form of contract has now finally been settled by the Supreme Court.

This is an overview of taking off quantities for cut & fill.

In 2000 Building published an article ‘ 'Will we soon be drying a tear over a grave marked RIP Quantity Surveying, 1792 – 2000?’. I have always defended my profession, but recently I’ve begun to have second thoughts, perhaps the end is nigh?

This is a short video dealing with taking off quantities for structural metalwork.

This is an overview of taking off quantities for composite concrete construction

This is a short video dealing with taking off quantities for narrow widths in finishings and decoration.

This is an overview of the measurement of hot and cold water installations.