Quantora Estimating guides
Practical, no-nonsense guides for quantity surveyors and MEP estimators working from drawings — written from the same engineering rules Quantora applies.
How to prepare a CCTV BOQ from drawings
How to prepare a CCTV bill of quantities from floor plans: counting cameras by type, deriving PoE switches, estimating CAT6 cable runs, NVR channels, and SIRA compliance in Dubai.
Fire alarm BOQ: devices, loops, interfaces and approval
How to build a fire alarm bill of quantities from drawings: detector selection by area, call points, sounders, loop loading, fire-rated cabling, system interfaces, and Dubai Civil Defence approval.
MEP take-off from PDF drawings: a working method
Why MEP take-off is harder than architectural take-off, a working order for processing a PDF drawing set, how to state the basis of derived quantities, and where estimates most often lose money.
Structured cabling BOQ: outlets, cable, panels and testing
How to estimate structured cabling quantities: counting outlets by type, calculating horizontal cable runs and the 90-metre limit, patch panels and cabinets, backbone fibre, testing, and UAE operator requirements.
UAE authority approvals for building systems
Which UAE authority governs which building system: SIRA for CCTV and access control, Dubai Civil Defence for fire alarm, TRA and du/Etisalat for structured cabling, Dubai Municipality and DEWA for MEP — and what each means for your BOQ.
Let Quantora do this from your drawings
Upload a floor plan and Quantora returns a complete bill of quantities in minutes — every item counted, located and justified, with a confidence score and the reasoning behind each line.
Start the 14-day free trial →