🇨🇴 Colombia · Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra · Work section
Internal & external finishes in a Colombia bill of quantities
In Colombia, the finishes section of a Bill of Quantities (Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto) (Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra) is measured to Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra (Latin American practice). It covers 6 principal groups of work — plaster and render to walls, internal and external through to painting and decorating, including preparation — and is headed in the bill as "CAPÍTULO 03 — INTERNAL & EXTERNAL FINISHES".
Internal & external finishes is one of the sections every Bill of Quantities (Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto) (Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra) in Colombia is built from. This page sets out what belongs in it, the unit each item is measured in under Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra (Latin American practice), the local conventions that change the quantities here, and a worked example for a 150 m² house — plus the errors in this section that actually cost money on site.
What this section covers
- Plaster and render to walls, internal and external
- Floor screeds and levelling
- Floor finishes — tiling, timber, vinyl, sealed concrete
- Wall tiling to wet areas
- Ceiling finishes and cornices
- Painting and decorating, including preparation
How each item is measured
| Item | Unit | Measurement rule |
|---|---|---|
| Plaster / render | m² | Measured on the net surface covered, stating thickness and mix. Internal walls are measured on both faces. |
| Screed | m² | Net floor area, stating thickness and mix. |
| Floor tiling | m² | Net area laid. Cutting and waste are deemed included in the rate, which is why the rate not the quantity carries the wastage. |
| Skirting | m | Measured on the room perimeter, less door openings. |
| Painting | m² | Net area painted, stating the number of coats and the substrate. |
Local conventions in Colombia
- —Plaster here is conventionally 15 mm externally and 12 mm internally, mixed 1:5.
- —Screed is taken at 40 mm, mixed 1:4.
- —A wastage allowance of about 5% applies to tiles and paint locally.
Worked example — 150 m² house in Colombia
Quantities for this section on a representative single-storey house, computed from Colombia construction conventions. Rates are deliberately not shown: they move constantly and are priced against your own drawings.
| Description | Qty | Unit |
|---|---|---|
Plaster / render area External face plus both faces of internal walls | 471.8 | m² |
Cement — plaster 15 mm external, 12 mm internal, 1:5 | 38 | bags (50 kg) |
Floor screed cement 40 mm screed at 1:4 | 46 | bags (50 kg) |
Floor tiles / finish Floor area × 1.05 wastage | 157.5 | m² |
Paint Two coats at 10 m² per litre per coat | 94 | litres |
What goes wrong in this section
- —Finishes is where specification, not quantity, drives cost. The same 150 m² of floor can vary threefold between a sealed screed and imported stone — always state the specification in the item, not just the area.
- —Internal wall plaster is measured on both faces. Measuring it once halves the section.
- —Preparation is most of the painting cost on new plaster. A rate for 'two coats emulsion' with no preparation item is an argument waiting to happen.
Get every section measured, not just this one
Upload your dimensioned drawings and get a complete bill of quantities (cómputos métricos y presupuesto) in the Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra format, priced in COP ($), with every rate source-cited.
Generate my Colombia BoQInternal & external finishes — frequently asked
What goes into the finishes section of a bill of quantities in Colombia?
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Plaster and render to walls, internal and external; Floor screeds and levelling; Floor finishes — tiling, timber, vinyl, sealed concrete; Wall tiling to wet areas; and 2 further groups of work. Under Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra each is described, measured in its own unit, and priced separately so the total is auditable line by line.
What units is internal & external finishes measured in?
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Plaster / render in m², Screed in m², Floor tiling in m², Skirting in m. Getting the unit right matters more than getting the quantity precisely right — a contractor can adjust a quantity, but cannot price an item measured in the wrong unit at all.
How is internal & external finishes different in Colombia from elsewhere?
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Plaster here is conventionally 15 mm externally and 12 mm internally, mixed 1:5.
What is the most common costly mistake in this section?
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Finishes is where specification, not quantity, drives cost. The same 150 m² of floor can vary threefold between a sealed screed and imported stone — always state the specification in the item, not just the area.
How do I get this section measured for my own project?
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Upload your dimensioned drawings to Enormous Buildings. The bill is produced in the Cómputos Métricos y Presupuesto de Obra format, grouped by section with internal & external finishes priced in COP ($), and every unit rate carries a source so a Colombia quantity surveyor can check it.