Glossary
Material takeoff (quantity takeoff)
A material takeoff (Mengenermittlung, quantity takeoff) is the counting and measuring of the quantities of work and material for a project, from the drawings before construction and by measuring what was built afterwards (Aufmaß).
In short
On US public works, the engineer’s estimate carries the bid item quantities. Texas DOT states: “The Bid Item Quantities for each item of work are provided for in the Engineer’s Estimate.” For suppliers and contractors, takeoff is the common word for counting and measuring the items from the plans.
A material takeoff counts and measures the quantities of work and material for a project: from the drawings before construction, and by measuring the work as built. The German term for the second part is Aufmaß.
In Germany, the client states the quantities in the contract documents, by measure, weight or number of pieces (VOB/A 2019 § 4 Abs. 1 Nr. 1). These are the Vordersätze, the quantities given for each position.
Example
For a heating LV, the planner takes off 245.75 m² of underfloor heating and 3 manifolds from the drawings. The wholesaler’s quote is based on these quantities. After installation, the installer’s Aufmaß shows 251 m². That is within 10 % of the LV quantity, so the unit price stays (VOB/B § 2 Abs. 3).
After the work, the contractor has to bill in a verifiable way. Under VOB/B § 14 Abs. 1, it attaches the quantity calculations (Mengenberechnungen), drawings and other proof of the kind and extent of the work. Under VOB/B § 14 Abs. 2, the measurements needed for billing are to be made jointly as far as possible, as the work progresses.
What to watch for
LV quantities are estimates. Pipe, cable and insulation need waste and pack sizes on top of the net quantity.
Check the unit of measure (m, m², St) before you convert anything.
Keep delivery notes. They support the installer’s Aufmaß.
Not to be confused with
Leistungsverzeichnis (bill of quantities): the document that contains the quantities. The takeoff is the work of counting and measuring them.
Bill of materials: a product’s parts list, not a count of a project’s quantities.
In Mercura
When Mercura imports a GAEB file, it reads the quantity and unit of each position with it.
Related terms
Unit price (in a bill of quantities)
A unit price (Einheitspreis, EP) is the price for one unit of a bill of quantities position, such as one metre or one piece. Quantity times unit price gives the item total, and the item totals add up to the bid total.
Unit of measure (UoM)
A unit of measure (UoM) is the unit in which a quantity is counted or measured, such as piece, metre, square metre, kilogram or pack. Every order line, LV position and catalogue article has one.
Positionsarten (item types in a German bill of quantities)
Positionsarten are the item types of a German bill of quantities, such as normal, base, alternative and provisional items. The type decides whether an item counts toward the bid total.
Leistungsbeschreibung (statement of work in a German tender)
A Leistungsbeschreibung describes the work being tendered. It is the umbrella term: a Leistungsverzeichnis, with quantities for each item, is one form of it, and a Leistungsprogramm, with goals and requirements, is the other.
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