This course is designed for professionals responsible for planning, estimating and managing road and highway construction projects. Over roughly 10 weeks, it provides a thorough grounding in the processes and techniques used to measure and quantify every element of a linear infrastructure project—from initial site survey through to final account settlement. Whether you oversee a widening scheme in India, an expressway in the Gulf, or an interstate upgrade in the USA, this program equips you to produce reliable bills of quantities, negotiate contracts with confidence, and control costs throughout the life of the project.

Why This Course Matters
Road and highway projects are inherently long and complex, spanning numerous disciplines: earthworks, drainage, pavement layers, structures, road furniture and ancillary works. Small errors in quantity take-off can translate into large cost overruns or disputes down the line. Construction managers need to understand exactly how every cubic metre of cut or fill is measured, how pavement courses are quantified, and how structural elements are broken down into concrete, reinforcement and formwork. They must also know how to document changes, price variations fairly, manage cash flow and close out the job with an accurate final account.

Without a systematic approach to measurement and reporting:

• Contractors may price work too low and then claim extras, eroding your budget.

• You risk paying for work not done, or paying late for urgent variations.

• Cash-flow mismatches can stall construction, triggering penalties and damage to your reputation.

• Disputes arise over ambiguous descriptions, unclear measurement rules or missing allowances.

This course teaches you how to avoid those pitfalls. You’ll learn how to structure a bill of quantities, write clear item descriptions, apply consistent measurement conventions, and build detailed rate analyses. You’ll practice phasing costs against a construction schedule, planning crews and machines to meet your forecast, and managing changes so that everyone knows exactly what is paid for and why. By the end, you’ll have the toolkit to keep projects on time, on budget and free of disagreement.

Course Duration
– Total Length: 10 weeks
– Delivery Mode: Interactive workshops, case-study discussions and guided exercises
– Study Time: Approximately 6–8 hours per week, including practical take-off tasks and group review sessions

Who Should Attend

• Construction managers overseeing road, highway or linear infrastructure projects

• Senior surveyors and estimators seeking to standardize measurement procedures

• Civil engineers responsible for cost control, contract administration and project close-out

• Project directors who need a holistic view of how quantities drive budgets and schedules

Course Outline

1. Introduction to Quantity Take-Off for Roads & Highways
   Understand the scope of measurement in linear infrastructure: subgrade, pavement, drainage, structures, road furniture and more. Learn the objectives of accurate take-off, key terminology, units and conventions. Review relevant codes and standards (e.g., PWD, NHAI, IRC) and the role of contract documents in defining scope.

2. Site Survey and Data Collection
   Explore methods for topographic and alignment surveys, capturing as-built and utility data. Practice deriving cross-sections, contour plans and preliminary cut-and-fill quantities from survey outputs. Prepare the groundwork for all subsequent measurements.

3. Earthwork Quantification
   Master cut-and-fill volume calculations using section-by-section and prismoidal formulas. Analyze borrow pits, material balances and apply shrinkage, bulking and swell factors. Generate reliable earthwork totals for both cut sections and embankments.

4. Subgrade and Granular Layers
   Learn to measure subgrade preparation—proof-rolling, trimming, moisture conditioning—and quantify sub-base and base courses (granular, water-bound macadam, GSB). Apply compaction allowances and tolerance checks to ensure true payable quantities.

5. Bituminous Surfacing & Pavement Works
   Quantify primer seals, tack coats, prime coats, bituminous macadam, dense macadam, continuously graded mixes and open-graded friction courses. Calculate hot-mix asphalt quantities with rolling factors and wastage, ensuring accurate tonnage take-off.

6. Drainage Structures and Culverts
   Break down open drains, pipe culverts, box culverts and surface water chambers into excavation, lining, bedding, backfill and headwalls. Measure volumes, areas and counts for inlets, manholes and chambers, producing clear BOQ items.

7. Minor Bridges & Retaining Structures
   Measure footings, piers, abutments, reinforced concrete decks and slabs, precast rails, beams, slabs, expansion joints, bearings and pads. Apply inline formulas to calculate concrete, steel and formwork quantities for minor bridge works.

8. Road Furniture & Ancillaries
   Quantify road markings (lines, symbols, transverse markings), studs, delineators, signboards, gantries, traffic signals, guardrails, barriers, kerbs, fencing, gate posts and right-of-way clearances. Capture counts, lengths and areas with precise measurement rules.

9. Measurement Rules & Documentation
   Compare manual measurement techniques with computerized take-off, structure a logical bill of quantities, write item descriptions with unit and rule clarity, and implement QA/QC checklists. Establish sign-off procedures for verified quantities.

10. Cost Estimation & Reporting
    Build rate analyses—labour, material and equipment breakdowns—for key items. Allocate provisional sums and contingencies, calculate escalation allowances, phase costs against the construction programme, plan resource deployment and manage variations. Prepare final accounts to close out the contract.

Key Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Produce a fully structured bill of quantities for a linear road project, complete with clear item descriptions and measurement rules.

• Apply cross-section and volume calculations for earthworks and pavement layers with confidence.

• Quantify concrete, steel, formwork and ancillary elements for drainage structures, minor bridges and furniture.

• Carry out rate analysis that reflects local labour rates, equipment costs and material prices, with built-in allowances for wastage and overhead.

• Prepare a time-phased cash-flow forecast aligned to the project schedule, and translate quantities into resource plans for labour and machinery.

• Document and price variations through a disciplined change management process, ensuring that all additional work is measured, agreed and paid.

• Compile a final account statement that reconciles the original contract sum, omitted works, approved variations, retention and advances.

• Implement QA/QC procedures for quantity verification, discrepancy reporting and formal sign-off, reducing the risk of disputes.

Why Construction Managers Need This Course
Construction managers sit at the nexus of design, procurement, site execution and finance. They must ensure that what is built matches what was priced—and that deviations are tracked, explained and paid for properly. This course:

• Empowers you to challenge contractor take-off when bids seem unrealistic

• Gives you tools to re-estimate quickly when design changes occur

• Supports robust cash-flow management, avoiding financial bottlenecks

• Equips you to document and resolve variations before they become contentious claims

• Strengthens your ability to deliver projects on budget and schedule, enhancing your reputation and that of your organisation

From project inception through to handover, accurate measurement and cost control underpin every decision. Enrol in this course to build the expertise that turns drawings into dollars, safeguarding both your project’s finances and your peace of mind.

Duration Reminder: 10 weeks, with guided exercises each week and opportunities for peer discussion to cement your understanding.

We look forward to helping you master the methods and procedures that make quantity take-off an exact science rather than a guesswork art.