🇺🇸 United States · CSI MasterFormat divisions · Work section
External works in a the United States bill of quantities
In the United States, the external works section of a Construction Cost Estimate — Quantity Takeoff is measured to CSI MasterFormat divisions (United States). It covers 6 principal groups of work — boundary walls, fencing and gates through to septic tank and soakaway where there is no municipal sewer — and is headed in the bill as "DIVISION 03 — EXTERNAL WORKS".
External works is one of the sections every Construction Cost Estimate — Quantity Takeoff in the United States is built from. This page sets out what belongs in it, the unit each item is measured in under CSI MasterFormat divisions (United States), 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
- Boundary walls, fencing and gates
- Driveways, paving, paths and kerbs
- Storm-water drainage and soakaways
- External water and electrical reticulation to the boundary
- Landscaping, topsoil and planting
- Septic tank and soakaway where there is no municipal sewer
How each item is measured
| Item | Unit | Measurement rule |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary wall | m or m² | Measured on the length stating the height, or on the face area. Piers, copings and gates are separate. |
| Paving and driveways | m² | Net area, stating the sub-base, thickness and finish. |
| Kerbs and edgings | m | Measured on the length, including bedding and haunching. |
| External drainage | m | As internal drainage: run length with diameter, depth and bedding stated. |
| Septic tank / soakaway | item | A fully described lump sum including excavation, construction and backfill. |
| Landscaping | m² or item | Measured on area for turfing and topsoil; enumerated for planting. |
Local conventions in United States
- —With a municipal sewer available, external works here is dominated by paving, boundary treatment and storm water rather than foul treatment.
- —Storm-water and surface drainage should still be measured explicitly rather than deemed included.
What goes wrong in this section
- —External works is the section cut first when the budget tightens and the one most visible when it is missing. Price it honestly rather than pretending it will be done later.
- —Boundary walls are measured in hundreds of metres on a large plot and can rival a small building in cost. Measure them; do not assume them.
- —Connections to public services carry authority charges that are not construction cost at all and must be listed separately or they are simply never budgeted.
Get every section measured, not just this one
Upload your dimensioned drawings and get a complete construction cost estimate — quantity takeoff in the CSI MasterFormat divisions format, priced in USD ($), with every rate source-cited.
Generate my United States BoQExternal works — frequently asked
What goes into the external works section of a bill of quantities in the United States?
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Boundary walls, fencing and gates; Driveways, paving, paths and kerbs; Storm-water drainage and soakaways; External water and electrical reticulation to the boundary; and 2 further groups of work. Under CSI MasterFormat divisions each is described, measured in its own unit, and priced separately so the total is auditable line by line.
What units is external works measured in?
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Boundary wall in m or m², Paving and driveways in m², Kerbs and edgings in m, External drainage in m. Getting the unit right matters more than getting the quantity precisely right — a contractor can adjust a quantity, but cannot price an item measured in the wrong unit at all.
How is external works different in the United States from elsewhere?
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With a municipal sewer available, external works here is dominated by paving, boundary treatment and storm water rather than foul treatment.
What is the most common costly mistake in this section?
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External works is the section cut first when the budget tightens and the one most visible when it is missing. Price it honestly rather than pretending it will be done later.
How do I get this section measured for my own project?
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Upload your dimensioned drawings to Enormous Buildings. The bill is produced in the CSI MasterFormat divisions format, grouped by section with external works priced in USD ($), and every unit rate carries a source so a the United States quantity surveyor can check it.