The bill of quantities is the document that turns a design into a cost. In Italy it is called the computo metrico estimativo: it lists every work item, measures its quantity on the design, multiplies it by a unit price and adds up the amounts, giving a detailed estimate of the cost of the works, item by item. It is the tool on which the budget, the comparison of contractors’ offers and, on site, the control of costs are built.
This guide explains what a bill of quantities is in Italy, how it is made, how it differs from a quotation, a specification and the site accounts, which prices are used and how it serves to compare contractors. It is written by Federico Cappellina Architects, an architecture practice in Verona that prepares bills of quantities and compares contractors’ offers in its own commissions, and it is addressed to readers who know the term from other countries and want to understand the Italian practice. It is not a template to download: a bill of quantities is worth as much as the design it comes from. Nothing here is legal advice.
Bill of quantities in Italy in brief
- The Italian bill of quantities is the computo metrico estimativo. It combines measured quantities and unit prices to estimate the cost of the works.
- Without prices it is a computo metrico: quantities only, sent to contractors so that each one enters its own prices. It is the form closest to a tender document.
- Each line has the same parts: code, description, unit of measure, quantity, unit price and amount.
- Unit prices come from three places: the regional price list, a price analysis, or a supplier’s quotation with a date and a source.
- It is not the contractor’s quotation. The designer prepares the bill of quantities; the contractor’s offer can be filled in on the same lines, with its own prices.
- The total is not the budget. Technical fees, permits, charges, furnishings and a reserve for the unexpected are outside it.
What is a bill of quantities in Italy?
The Italian term contains two operations. The computo metrico is the measurement: for each work item the quantities are calculated (square metres of plaster, cubic metres of excavation, number of windows, linear metres of pipe), reading them from the design drawings. The estimativo adds the estimate: a unit price is applied to each quantity and the amount of the line is obtained. The sum of the lines gives the cost of the works.
When prices are left out, the document is a computo metrico non estimativo: it contains only quantities and is handed to the contractors so that each of them enters its own prices. It is the simplest way to obtain quotations that can be compared, and we explain it further below. A bill of quantities in Italy can therefore be two things at different moments of the same project: a priced estimate made by the designer, and an unpriced list given to bidders.
How the Italian bill of quantities differs from the one you may know
Readers from the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries often arrive with a clear idea of what a bill of quantities is: a list of the items of work, with their quantities, on which contractors price their bids. The core idea is the same in Italy. A few differences are worth knowing, so that documents are not misread.
- It is priced by the designer as well. In Italy the computo metrico estimativo is normally prepared with prices already applied, taken from a public price list, so that it works as an estimate of the cost of the works before any contractor is asked. The unpriced version is derived from it when quotations are requested.
- The designer prepares it. In our practice the bill of quantities is drawn up by the designer, who also writes the specification and compares the offers, rather than by a separate specialist appointed for the purpose.
- The contractor’s offer is a different document. The preventivo (quotation) is the contractor’s commitment to a price. It may be compiled on the bill of quantities, with the contractor’s own prices and a discount (ribasso), or it may be a free-form document, which is hard to compare.
- The contract states how the works are paid. Items can be paid on the quantities measured on site (a misura) or at a fixed price for the defined work (a corpo), and the contract must say which applies to each chapter.
- It is a matter of good practice, not of a general rule. For private works there is no general obligation to prepare one. Without it, however, it is hard to compare quotations and to control costs on site.
If you are used to the terms “quantity take-off” and “estimate” from North American practice, the first corresponds to the measuring of quantities and the second to the application of prices; the Italian document brings them together in one place.
How a line of the bill of quantities is built
Every line of a bill of quantities in Italy has a constant structure. Knowing it lets you read any document, including the one prepared by another contractor.
- Code: the reference to the item of the price list or to the price analysis from which the price derives.
- Description: what is done and how, with materials, thicknesses, performance and methods of installation. A generic description makes the price comparable only in appearance.
- Unit of measure: square metre, cubic metre, linear metre, number, kilogram, lump sum.
- Quantity: the result of the measurements, with the working of the calculation (length by width by height, number of identical parts) that allows it to be checked.
- Unit price: the cost of one finished and installed unit.
- Amount: quantity multiplied by unit price.
Measured or lump sum: a misura and a corpo
The difference between a misura (measured) and a corpo (lump sum) matters in every bill of quantities. A measured item is paid according to the quantities actually executed and measured on site; a lump-sum item is a fixed price for the defined work, independent of small variations in quantity. A contract can combine the two criteria, but it must declare which one applies to each chapter. Readers familiar with remeasurable and fixed-price contracts will recognise the distinction; what matters in Italy is that the bill of quantities and the contract use the same terms.
The chapters of a bill of quantities for a house
To read a bill of quantities, the items are grouped into chapters. For a house a typical order is this:
- Site works and temporary works: set-up, scaffolding, protection, transport.
- Demolition and excavation, with disposal.
- Structures: foundations, walls, floors, roofs, strengthening.
- Insulation and waterproofing.
- Internal walls, plaster and screeds.
- Services: electrical, plumbing and sanitary, heating and cooling, ventilation.
- Windows, doors, metalwork and joinery.
- Floors and wall coverings.
- Painting and finishes.
- External works: paving, boundaries, swimming pool, garden.
The same scheme applies to a renovation and to a new building: what changes is the weight of the chapters. To see what the total means in terms of budget, read our guide to the cost of renovating a house in Italy.
Where the unit prices of a bill of quantities come from
The prices in a bill of quantities can have three origins.
The regional price list
The price list (prezzario) of the region is a reference list of unit prices. In Veneto the 2026 edition was approved by regional resolution DGR no. 486 of 9 June 2026 and has been in force since 1 July 2026 (Region’s page). It can be consulted online on the regional price list website and comprises the list of prices, the price analysis, the parametric costs and the measurement rules, including in the open formats .ods and .xml. Other regions publish their own price lists: the reference is that of the place where the building stands.
The price analysis
When a work item is not in the price list, its price is built up by analysing its components: materials, labour, hire of machinery and equipment, general expenses and the contractor’s profit. The price analysis in the price list shows how the figures of the price list are reached and is the basis for building new items by the same method.
Market enquiries
For specific products, such as windows of a defined range, sanitary ware, wall coverings or light fittings, the price comes from suppliers’ quotations. The source and the date must be stated, because market prices change.
A bill of quantities that uses price-list prices can be compared and verified; one that mixes prices with no source is a personal estimate. The price list does not say what a private contractor will ask: it serves to see whether an item is consistent with the reference values.
Bill of quantities, quotation, specification and site accounts: the differences
- Bill of quantities (computo metrico estimativo): the quantities of the design with unit prices. The designer draws it up before quotations are requested.
- The contractor’s quotation (preventivo): the offer by which the contractor commits to a price. It can be compiled on the bill of quantities, with its own prices and a discount, or be a free-form document, hard to compare.
- Specification (capitolato): the document that describes how the work is carried out, with materials, tolerances, tests and responsibilities. The bill of quantities and the specification are read together: the first says how much, the second says how. See our guide to the construction specification in Italy.
- Site accounts (contabilità dei lavori): on site, the quantities actually executed are measured and recorded in progress statements. It is part of site supervision.
How the bill of quantities is used to compare contractors
- The unpriced bill of quantities is prepared: the same items and the same quantities for everyone, with the prices left blank.
- The specification is attached, together with the design drawings, so that every contractor reads the same requirements.
- Each contractor is asked to fill in the prices and to state any items excluded or modified.
- Totals and individual items are compared: a strong difference on a key item signals a different reading of the work.
- Doubts are cleared in writing, before the works are awarded.
- A contract is signed that refers to the bill of quantities and the specification: what is written there is the perimeter of the price.
This approach is useful with a single contractor and with a turnkey renovation (chiavi in mano) alike, because it turns an overall price into a list that can be checked. For the budget side of the same question, see the cost of renovating a house in Italy.
Who prepares the bill of quantities, and the levels of detail
The designer draws up the bill of quantities, generally with dedicated software that links the measurements to the drawings and the price to the items of the price list. It is prepared after the developed design and refined with the construction design, before quotations are requested. In a full commission, such as those we describe in our guide to the house design process in Italy, the bill of quantities belongs to the services of the construction design; fees and terms are agreed in the appointment letter, as explained in our guide to architect fees for a villa in Italy.
A bill of quantities is not made once. It is refined together with the design.
- Parametric estimate. In the early phases, when the project is still an idea, one reasons by large items and parametric costs. It serves to verify that the ambition fits the budget; it is an indication, not a commitment.
- Bill of quantities of the developed design. With plans, elevations and sections the main quantities are measured and the chapters are detailed. It is the basis for deciding whether to proceed or scale down.
- Bill of quantities of the construction design. With construction details and material specifications each item is described precisely. It is the document to give to contractors for their quotations.
- Site accounts. The quantities actually executed are measured and compared with the contract bill of quantities.
For a new building the bill of quantities follows the order of the site: excavation and foundations, structure above ground, roofs, envelope and insulation, internal walls, services, windows and doors, finishes, external works. The weight of the items differs from that of a renovation: structures and envelope count for more, demolition for almost nothing, and the uncertainty is concentrated in the foundations, which depend on the geological report. A bill of quantities prepared before the geological report is an estimate to be revised.
A worked example of a line, and the measurement rules
The example below is illustrative and carries no prices. Consider the floor of a rectangular room measuring 5.00 metres by 4.00 metres.
- Description: supply and laying of a porcelain stoneware floor of the format and finish stated in the specification, on a screed already prepared, including adhesives, grout, cuts and waste.
- Unit of measure: square metre.
- Quantity: 5.00 × 4.00 = 20.00 square metres, written in the bill of quantities together with the measurements that produced it, so that anyone can check it.
- Unit price: the value per square metre, taken from the price list or from an analysis.
- Amount: 20.00 multiplied by the unit price.
The unit price includes what the description declares: if the skirting is not mentioned, it is a separate item. This is the point at which two quotations most often drift apart: whoever reads only the total does not see that one contractor understood “laying the floor” more broadly than the other.
A bill of quantities is reliable only if the measurements follow shared rules. The regional price list includes, alongside the list of prices, the measurement rules, which establish how the quantity of each work item is calculated and what is included in the unit price. Declaring in the bill of quantities which rules it follows avoids arguments on site, when executed quantities are measured for the progress statements. If the contract does not refer to measurement rules, the way of measuring must be described in the specification.
From the bill of quantities to the progress statement
Once the contract is signed, the bill of quantities becomes the tool for controlling payments. At agreed intervals, for example when a phase of the work is reached, the site manager measures what has been built, values it at the contract prices and draws up a progress statement (stato di avanzamento) on which the payment to the contractor is calculated. In this way one pays for what has been executed, not for an approximate percentage.
A project is rarely built without changes. When a variation is introduced or an unforeseen work emerges, the item is valued in one of three ways: with a price already present in the bill of quantities, with a price-list price applied to the new quantity, or with a new price agreed in writing before execution. The practical rule is a single one: no additional work without an approved item, because what is not written beforehand is discussed afterwards. The site manager keeps the accounts up to date with the approved variations. The mechanism is described in our guide to the house design process in Italy.
The bill of quantities is also tied to the programme of works: each chapter has a period of execution, and progress statements follow the phases. A well-built contract links payments to these statements, not to arbitrary dates, and provides for a retention as security until testing and the handover of the final documents; the completion documents are discussed in our guide to the certificate of habitability in Italy. The programme says when, the bill of quantities says how much: together they let the owner foresee the cash flow of the site and decide on financing.
Common mistakes, and how to check a bill of quantities you receive
An owner who receives a bill of quantities from a contractor, or from another professional, can have it checked with a few questions.
- Are the quantities justified? Each line should show how it was measured, not just the result. Quantities taken by eye are the largest source of deviations.
- Are the descriptions complete? Materials, formats, thicknesses, performance and the work included must be readable. A line such as “electrical system, lump sum” compares nothing; the description should list points, panels, lines and fittings.
- Where does the price come from? A price-list code, an analysis or a dated supplier’s quotation. An outdated price list or an old supplier’s quotation distorts the total.
- Are there very large lump-sum items? A single line covering an entire system is an area of uncertainty.
- What is missing? Disposal, builder’s assistance, scaffolding, permits, making good and testing. Ancillary work is the item most often forgotten.
- Does it match the drawings? The bill of quantities should refer to a precise revision of the design, stated in the document.
- Is it being mistaken for the budget? The total of the works does not include technical fees, permits, charges, furnishings and the reserve for the unexpected.
Tools, formats and revisions
A bill of quantities can be compiled in a spreadsheet or with dedicated software, which links the measurements to the drawings and updates the amounts when the design changes. What matters is traceability: every quantity must be reconstructible and every price must have a source. The Veneto regional price list makes the list of prices and the price analysis available also in open formats (.ods and .xml), which estimating software can import and which allow prices to be updated when a new edition appears, as happened with the one in force from 1 July 2026. It is always advisable to state in the bill of quantities the edition of the price list used.
The bill of quantities is not a formality completed at the end: it is part of the design. It verifies economic feasibility, prepares the tender and governs the site. For an overview of the phases, from survey to handover, see our guide to the house design process in Italy; for how to choose the professional to whom it is entrusted, see the questions to ask an architect. When the works touch the building’s legal status, the guides to CILA and SCIA and to the building permit in Italy come first.
Italian terms at a glance
- Computo metrico estimativo: the priced bill of quantities, drawn up by the designer.
- Computo metrico non estimativo: the unpriced version, with quantities only, for contractors to price.
- Prezzario: the regional price list of reference unit prices.
- Capitolato: the specification describing materials, methods, tests and responsibilities.
- Preventivo: the contractor’s quotation, an offer at a price.
- A misura / a corpo: paid on measured quantities / paid at a fixed price for a defined work.
- Stato di avanzamento: the progress statement on which payments are calculated.
- Direttore dei lavori: the site manager who supervises the works and keeps the accounts.
Bill of quantities in Italy: frequently asked questions
What is a bill of quantities in Italy?
It is the computo metrico estimativo: a document that lists the work items of a design, their quantities measured on the drawings and their unit prices, and adds up the amounts to estimate the cost of the works.
What is the difference between a computo metrico and a computo metrico estimativo?
The computo metrico contains only quantities; the estimativo applies unit prices to them and calculates the amounts. The unpriced form is the one given to contractors to price.
What is the difference between a bill of quantities and a contractor’s quotation?
The designer draws up the bill of quantities on the design with reference prices; the quotation is a contractor’s offer, which can be compiled on the same lines with the contractor’s own prices.
Where do the prices in a bill of quantities in Italy come from?
From the regional price list (for Veneto, the 2026 edition in force from 1 July 2026), from price analyses and, for specific products, from suppliers’ quotations with a date and a source.
What do a misura and a corpo mean in a bill of quantities?
A misura: payment is based on the quantities actually executed and measured. A corpo: a fixed price is paid for the defined work.
Do I need a bill of quantities to renovate a house in Italy?
There is no general obligation for private works, but without one it is difficult to compare quotations and to control costs on site. The level of detail depends on the intervention.
Does the total of the bill of quantities equal the budget?
No. It covers the works only. Technical fees, permits, charges, furnishings and a reserve for the unexpected are outside it.
Further reading
To turn the bill of quantities into a budget, read our guide to the cost of renovating a house in Italy. For the document that sits beside it, the construction specification. For the building title, CILA and SCIA and the building permit in Italy. For the whole path of a project, the house design process in Italy. Related guides: architect fees for a villa in Italy and the questions to ask an architect. To discuss a project, write to the practice from the contact page.
In short, a bill of quantities in Italy is the measured and priced list of works that links the design, the budget, the comparison of contractors and the accounts of the site; its value depends on the quality of the measurements and of the sources of its prices.
Sources: Regione Veneto, regional price list 2026 (DGR 486 of 9 June 2026, consulted on 8 November 2026). Informational content: a real bill of quantities depends on the design and the place.
Related guides: construction drawings, construction schedule, change of use, splitting a property, design changes during construction.