Measuring reinforcement steel for RA bills

Unit of measurement

Reinforcement steel, cut, bent and placed is measured in kg. Reinforcement is measured by weight, worked out from the bar bending schedule: number of bars, cut length of each bar and the standard weight per metre for its diameter.

The BOQ item description decides the unit and what the rate includes. Where the BOQ and this guide differ, the BOQ and the contract's mode of measurement win.

What is measured

• Number of bars of each shape and diameter, from the approved bar bending schedule (BBS).
• Cut length of each bar, including bends, hooks and laps shown on the drawing.
• Weight per metre for each diameter, at the standard sectional weight the contract adopts (commonly d squared divided by 162, in kg per metre).
• Laps and chairs only where the drawing shows them or the engineer-in-charge approves them.

Standard deductions

• Wastage and rolling margin are part of the rate and are not measured, as per the contract's mode of measurement and the relevant part of IS 1200.
• Binding wire is usually not measured separately.
• Extra laps made for the contractor's convenience, because of short bars, are not paid.

Worked example

Ward office building, Fe 500D reinforcement for slab S3 and beam B7, from BBS sheet 14. B is the weight per metre in kg.

Row by row: Slab S3 bottom bars, 10 mm, 42 x 6.5 x 0.617 = 168.441; Beam B7 main bars, 16 mm, 16 x 6.8 x 1.58 = 171.904; Beam B7 stirrups, 8 mm, 120 x 1.5 x 0.395 = 71.100.

Total: 168.441 plus 171.904 plus 71.100 = 411.445 kg. Deductions are entered with negative nos, so they reduce the total in the same column.

Common disputes

• Steel is billed on weighbridge weight of bars received, while the contract pays on theoretical weight from the BBS.
• Laps added for short bars are billed although the drawing shows continuous bars.
• The BBS was not approved before placing, so the client's engineer re-works it and cuts the quantity.
• Client-issued steel is not reconciled against the theoretical consumption of the billed quantity.

Recording it in Tatha Vastu

Import the BBS from Excel and each shape becomes an entry with nos, cut length and diameter. The weight follows from the diameter, and the quantity also feeds the steel reconciliation where the client issues the steel.

Approved entries are locked, and a correction becomes a new version with its reason. See the measurement book, or use the measurement sheet template if you still keep the register in Excel.