BOQ & cost
Understanding BOQ rate build-ups
Where each rate comes from and how totals are built.
Each BOQ rate is chosen in a fixed order: the marketplace median for that item, then a quote from a vendor, then a supplier price feed, then the regional baseline, and finally a manual rate. A project override always wins.
A rate build-up shows material, labour and plant per unit. Labour comes from output constants (how much a crew does per day) times the daily rate; plant is priced by hire period.
Section totals roll into a collection page, then the grand summary adds preliminaries, overheads, profit (35% by default), contingency (10% by default) and VAT. The screen, database and every export use the same calculation, so they always agree.
Questions
Why did a rate change by itself?
If the rate source is the marketplace median or a supplier feed, it updates when prices move. Set a project override to lock it.
Can I change the profit or contingency percentage?
Yes, on the BOQ settings. The summary recalculates immediately.