BOQ format
How to quote electrical work
Why an electrical BOQ is quoted per point, what a point should include, and the definition gap that makes two electrical quotes look different by half.
The lines below, ready for your rates. Amount, GST and totals work themselves out, with a sheet on what to specify and a terms and exclusions page. Free, no signup. Or open them as a quote in Houscade, put in your rates, and send it as a link your client approves on their phone.
The unit
Point (nos), with the definition of a point written down
A point is one switched outlet wired back to the distribution board. Whether it includes the conduit, the wire, the switch, the modular plate and the labour is the whole argument — and it is almost never written on the line.
What the BOQ breaks into
| Line | Unit | Why it is its own line |
|---|---|---|
| Light points | nos | State what the point covers, end to end. |
| Power points (6A / 16A) | nos | Different rates. A 16A run needs heavier wire. |
| AC points | nos | Dedicated circuit, separate from general power. |
| Distribution board | nos | MCBs and RCCB itemised, not a lump sum. |
| Concealed conduit | rft | Where it is priced separately from the point. |
| Switches and modular plates | nos | Often client-choice and often excluded — say which. |
| Fixture installation | nos | Fitting the light is not the same line as wiring the point. |
The specs that decide the rate
- What one point includes
- Conduit, wire, back box, switch, plate, labour — name them. This single sentence is the difference between two quotes that look 40% apart and two that can be compared.
- Wire brand and gauge
- 1.5 / 2.5 / 4 sq.mm by circuit, and whose. FRLS or not. Buried in a wall for thirty years.
- Switch range
- Modular ranges span a wide price band within the same brand. The range name, not just the brand.
Nobody writes down what a point is
One studio prices a point as wire-to-switch-installed; another prices the wiring and lists plates separately. Both are honest and the totals differ by a third. The client reads two numbers and picks the lower one, then finds the switches are extra. One sentence defining a point, on the BOQ, removes the entire dispute.
Houscade writes this breakdown for you, room by room, and the client approves it on their phone. See a real quotation.