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ELV drawing BOQ: from layout to bill of quantities

Low-current systems are mostly cable, containment and head-end equipment that the layout never draws. Quantora counts the devices on your ELV drawings and works out everything they need.

An ELV layout shows cameras, card readers, data outlets and speakers. The BOQ also needs the cable to each one, the switch ports, patch panels and cords, the racks, the recording capacity, the door hardware behind each reader and the containment that carries it all. That is where ELV estimates go wrong, and it is what Quantora works out for you.

Systems covered

CCTVCameras by type and view, cable, PoE switch ports, NVR channels and storage, poles and brackets.

Access controlReaders, locks, exit buttons, break glass, door contacts and controllers, per door.

Structured cabling and ICTData outlets, Cat 6 / 6A cable, patch panels, racks, fibre backbone to each IDF.

Intercom, PA / BGM, IPTV, BMSDoor stations, speakers and amplifiers, TV outlets and head-end, BMS sensors and controllers.

How it works

Upload the drawings. PDF, DWG, DXF or a scanned sheet. Add the specification if you have it; sizes and heights written there are read too.
Choose the systems. Pick the disciplines to measure. The drawing is checked first: scale, legend, title block and sheet type, so the legend and schedules are never counted as items.
Quantora measures. Every symbol is counted, every run is measured along its route, and the items the drawing implies but does not show (cable, accessories, terminations) are worked out with the basis written next to them.
Check and export. The marked-up drawing shows every counted item boxed and numbered. Fix anything in the BOQ, then export it to Excel or PDF, or price it.

Example ELV BOQ lines

System	Description	Unit	Qty	Basis
CCTV	IP bullet camera 4MP, IR 50 m, IP67, IK10	nr	12	Counted on plan
CCTV	PoE switch 24-port, in IDF rack	nr	2	Cameras per IDF + 20% spare ports
Access control	Card reader with keypad, mullion mount	nr	16	One per controlled door
Access control	Electromagnetic lock 600 lbs with bracket	nr	16	Door hardware per reader
Structured cabling	Cat 6A U/FTP cable, LSZH	m	4,860	Route length + drops + 10% spare
Structured cabling	24-port Cat 6A patch panel, loaded	nr	9	Outlets per rack / 24

Illustrative lines only, showing the format; quantities depend on your drawings.

ELV shop drawings too

The same project can go to Quantora's AI draftsman, which produces ELV shop drawings in an approved contractor style: device layouts with tags, riser schematics, rack elevations and installation details, plus a 3D coordination model. The BOQ and the drawings come from the same design, so they agree.

Questions estimators ask

What is included in an ELV BOQ?

The field devices (cameras, readers, outlets, speakers), the cable and containment to each one, the active equipment (switches, recorders, controllers, amplifiers), racks and patching, and testing and commissioning.

Can it read ELV drawings with my own symbols?

Yes. The legend on the drawing is read first, so your own symbols are matched to the right items.

How is the cable length worked out?

Along the route the cable follows to its rack or panel, plus the drop at each device and a spare allowance, and the basis is written on the line.

Does it check authority requirements?

Yes. The design and the BOQ are checked against the rules of the project's country and city, for example camera coverage and recording requirements in the UAE.

Try it on your own drawings

Upload a drawing and get the take-off, the BOQ and the marked-up drawing back in minutes. Every line shows where it came from, so you can check it before it goes into your tender.

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