A furniture BOQ is not a shopping list. Its purpose is to make the requirement unambiguous enough that two suppliers price the same scope, and specific enough that a delivered product can be checked against what was ordered.
The core structure
A workable furniture BOQ has one line per distinct item, with enough specification columns to describe it completely. Grouping by area (Floor 3, Executive Suite, Reception) makes installation easier to plan; grouping by product category makes manufacturing easier to plan. Most projects need both views.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Item ref | Links the BOQ line to drawings, submittals and delivery |
| Area / zone | Allows phased delivery and installation planning |
| Category | Workstation, seating, storage, joinery, partition |
| Description | A short definition of the item and its function |
| Dimensions | Width, depth, height — not a model number |
| Material | Core material and surface material, with thickness |
| Finish | Colour, decor, gloss level, edge treatment |
| Quantity | Exact count, with spares stated separately |
| Performance | Load rating, acoustic rating, fire rating where relevant |
| Notes | Anything that changes the item, e.g. left-hand return |
Avoid these four BOQ mistakes
- Quoting a model number with no specification. The number means nothing outside one manufacturer, and it invites a visual match rather than a product match.
- Leaving finishes to a schedule reference that the supplier does not receive. Always attach the finish schedule.
- Mixing supply and installation in one line without saying which is included. State supply, delivery and installation separately.
- Omitting quantities for accessories. Power modules, monitor arms, cable trays and task lighting change the cost materially and are often forgotten until after award.
A worked example
A single workstation line done properly reads like this: GF-WS-01, Floor 3, Open Office, Bench workstation 1600 × 800 mm, 25 mm E1 melamine-faced board with 2 mm PVC edge, powder-coated steel frame, 1200 mm fabric screen with cable tray, two grommets with power and data provision, qty 240.
The same line done badly reads: Workstation, 1600, qty 240. Those two lines will receive quotations that differ by more than 50%, and neither will be wrong.
Add an exclusions column
State explicitly what the supplier is not providing. Common exclusions to name: floor boxes and building power infrastructure, AV equipment and screens, monitor arms, installation labour, inland transport, customs duties and storage. Naming exclusions prevents the most common post-award dispute.
Ask for a line-by-line response
Require suppliers to return the BOQ with unit rates and extended prices, and to restate the specification they are quoting where it differs from yours. Deviations should be visible, not hidden inside an equivalent total.