LECTURE 1
MALAYSIAN STANDARD
METHODS OF MEASUREMENT
FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING
WORKS
(CESMM)
-FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES-
Scope of civil engineering
works

Civil engineering is a professional engineering
discipline that deals with the construction and
design of public and private sector works such as
bridges, roads, dams and buildings.
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General civil engineers work closely with surveyors
and specialized civil engineers to fit and serve
fixed projects within their given site, community
and terrain by designing grading, drainage,
pavement, water supply, sewer service, electric and
communications supply and land (real property)
divisions.
Scope of civil engineering works
(continued)
 Construction engineers engage in the design of
structures temporary, cost estimating, planning and
scheduling, materials procurement, selection of
equipment, and cost control.
Measurement for Civil Engineering
Works

The civil works measurement referred to a document called 'Civil
Engineering Standard Method of Measurement '(CESMM).

Before this document is produced, the party who responsible for the
working measurement refers to the method adopted in the United
Kingdom named ‘CESMM 2nd Edition or 3rd Edition’.
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There are a large part of the measurement refer to methods used in
building works or more unfortunate, they use their own
measurement system. This led to inconsistencies in measurement
procedures. As a result, contractors have difficulty to appreciate
the tender.

The actual measurement work must take into account the level of
complexity of work undertaken. Work measurement for any one
item of work is also closely related to the methodology and
construction activities
Malaysian Standard Method of
Measurement for Civil Engineering Works

MALAYSIAN STANDARD METHODS
OF MEASUREMENT FOR CIVIL
ENGINEERING WORKS is to be used in
conjunction with the Conditions Of
Contract for Civil Engineering Works.

Does not deal with the preparation of BQ
for mechanical & electrical engineering
work, building work or work which is
seldom encountered in civil engineering
contracts.

If any such work to be included in the
contract, such work shall be measured in
accordance with their respective SMM
and shall be stated in the Preambles to
the BQ.
Development Of Civil Engineering
Codes Of Measurement
1933 – ICE provide the 1st time a standard procedure for drafting BQ for
civil engineering works – no uniformity of practice & engineers
worked up their own systems.
1953 - Revised documents named Standard Method of Measurement of
Civil Engineering Quantities
1963 – reissued with slight amendments
1968 – reissued with metric addendum
1976 – reappraisal of the civil engineering code of measurement by
consultation of the construction industry, relevant bodies &
person produced Civil Engineering Standard Method of
Measurement
Contract Documentation for Civil
Engineering
1.
2.
3.
4.
Conditions of contract –a written agreement intended to
be enforceable by law to bind the appointed contractor with
the employer based on an agreed conditions.
Contract Drawings – technical / detailed construction
drawings for measurement / costing by QS / engineers –
prepared by architect / engineers.
Specification / Preambles - A concise description of
materials and workmanship, standard or quality of
workmanship. It must convey the architect and engineer’s
requirements.
Bill of Quantities – prepared by Quantity Surveyor based
on measurement from the construction drawings / building
plans This document were itemized all the quantities for each
categories of works applied in constructing the buildings. E.g.
building works, mechanical, electrical works, civil, structural
works, infrastructure works, etc. The contractor will priced
/estimate all the works associated in completing the buildings
during pre-construction stage.
Reasons for Bills of Quantities

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All tendering contractors base their prices on the same
information & therefore tenders are strictly comparable
(even if an error exists in the Bill)
Contractors are saved the costly exercise of each having to
take off quantities for themselves.
Bills provide a fair basis for valuing variations and
adjustments for the final account.
Bills may provide a convenient basis for valuation of
certificated stage payments during the contract, before the
accurate re-measurement figures are available.
Bills provide an approximate checklist for the contractor to
order materials and other resources.
Bills can provide data for cost analysis for use in cost
planning of future projects.
Comparison of Civil Engineering and
Building Methods of Measurement
CESMM

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provides a standard format, either in

the form of items components and
how they should be measured.
various stages of introducing CESMM 
classification or space for description
of the work that can be developed.
CESMM measurement method using
the concept of method-related charges
to present the cost of construction at
the site in more obvious, such
as covering the cost of site
preparation and building machinery
operating costs, labor force and so on.
SMM
The details of building works are
more in precise stage at the time
preparing BQ.
Building work covers more work
sections in consequence subject
to more detailed measurement.
Scope of measurement based on
CESMM
Various civil engineering works including
roads, railway, bridges, artificial channels,
canals and drainage, shipyard, ports, bases,
embankments, structure-breaking waves and
drainage work.
 Apart from that it also includes projects such
as structural engineering among others, metal
work, reinforced concrete work, stone work,
wood work and brick work

Procedures and Practices of
CESMM

Include the scope of most project management such as:
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selection types of contracts,
documentation,
preparation of drawings,
specifications,
project information,
contract terms and list of quantities,
preparation of list of material requirements / quantities,
Method statement - detailed list of detailed construction
work with short explanation with quantity measured by
CESMM
Explanation on the scope of work that will be implemented
by the contractor and then be the basis for pricing the
tender.
Purpose of CESMM
 The
main purpose of the measurement
based on CESMM is for coordinating and
planning of the quantity list, to list the
details of work to ensure consistency
and systematic and to state the new
techniques of construction clearly.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 1
Definitions
A number of definitions are contained.
 Referring to words / expression that will be
defined in the CESMM and preparation of bill of
Quantities.
 Words and expression defined in the CESMM
shall have the same meaning when defining the
words / expression in the Conditions of Contract
and the Specifications
 Please refer to CESMM-Section 1: definitions.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 2
General Principles
In this section , it clarify the following:
 The application and extent of CESMM
 Objective of CESMM
 Objectives of the Bill of Quantities
 Malaysian Standard Method of
Measurement for Civil Engineering Works
(CESMM) to be used in conjunction with the
conditions of contract for Civil Engineering
works.
 Refer to CESMM-SECTION 2

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 3
Application of the Work Classification
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Work classification divides work into 18 main
classes; Class A- Class R
Each class comprises up to 3 division which classify
work at successive level of detail.
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First division
Second division
Third division
Each division comprises a list of up to 8 descriptive
features of work.
Each item description shall identify the component
of work covered with respect to one feature from
each division of the relevant class.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 4
Coding & Numbering of Items
Each item in the work classification has been placed with
the code and numbering system that alphabetically and not
more than three digits.
 The letter corresponds to the class in the work
classification in which the items occurs and the digits give
the position of the item in the first, second and third
divisions of the class.
 E.g. Code F.3.1.0 identifies an item as
Class
F
concrete works
1st Division
3
precast concrete
2nd Division 1
beams
3rd Divison
0
 Description: F.3.1.0 - Precast concrete, in beams
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FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 4
Coding & Numbering of Items

Reasons:
 It gives an advantage to the tendered contractors due
to bills that have code.
 Quantity surveyor feels that they are assisted by the
code and numbering system and can be used as a brief
reference to the file system and data costs.

Each class work contains a set of measurements,
definitions, coverage, additional rules of measurement
that expands and clarify all information and evidence.

Every classification of work explains every units for each
item of work, within the total allocation and numbering
system for each item, the items in units of meters long, in
units of square meters of area (hectares for cleaning
site), unit volume and weight and metric units.
CESMM; SECTION 4
(Code & Numbering of Items)
Applications for Bridge Work
CESMM; SECTION 4
(Code & Numbering of Items)
Applications for Road works
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 5
Preparations of the Bill of Quantities
The preparation of BQ shall be started prior
to the completion of measurement works.
 Section of the bill of Quantities:
 Preamble
 Work items – division of the BQ into parts.
 Day work schedule
 Grand summary / tender summary

Form & Setting of BQ
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 6
Completion, Pricing and Use of the BQ
 Rates
and prices shall be inserted in the
rate column in Ringgit Malaysia with Sen
inserted as decimal fractions of one
Ringgit.
 Each part of the BQ shall be totaled
and the total carried to the Grand
Summary
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CESMM
CESMM; Section 7
Method-Related Charges
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Meaning: the sum for an item inserted in the BQ by a
tenderer.
Two types:
 Time-related charges – a method-related charge for
work, the cost of which is to be considered as
proportional to the length of time taken to execute the
work
 Fixed charge- a method-related charge which is not a
time related charge.
A tenderer may insert in the BQ the method related charges
as he may decide to cover items of works relating to his
intended method of executing the works, the cost of which
are not to be considered as proportional to the quantities of
the other items and for which he has not allowed in the rates
and prices for the other items.