Thursday, December 31, 2009

Convert BQ to PDF on the fly — for Free!

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Sometimes we need to convert some BQ files (doc, xls or proprietary BQ software) to PDF (portable document format) & send to other parties so that these files are not editable.



But we don't want to purchase costly Adobe Acrobat just for this small (but maybe frequent) purpose, and it is troublesome using those free pdf conversion services on-line, isn't it?

Why not try this freeware:



CutePDF Writer is freeware - FREE for commercial and non-commercial use!

Most important is - No watermarks! No Popup Web Ads!

CutePDF Writer (formerly CutePDF Printer) is the free version of commercial PDF creation software. CutePDF Writer installs itself as a "printer subsystem". This enables virtually any Windows applications (must be able to print) to create professional quality PDF documents - with just a push of a button!



Download here

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Save Ink, Save Paper & Save Time with FINEPRINT

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Sometimes we just want to print some draft BQ for checking purpose, of course we can print them on draft papers.

Or, some expensive copier/printer drivers support printing of multiple pages on a single sheet:



We can also using FINEPRINT to achieve this. It's a "virtual" printer driver that basically sits between us and our real printer. We print everything to FINEPRINT (by choosing FINEPRINT as printer), and then we can change 1:1 print jobs to 2, 4 or 8 up layout. Then, we choose "actual" printer to print out the document.



This ROCKS. we can take 2/4 page-long BQ and print them on one page to any printer. And FINEPRINT works with all printers.


2 pages on 1 A4/Letter paper (PREVIEW)


4 pages on 1 A4/Letter paper


Some of the FINEPRINT functions:

- Print multiple pages on a single sheet

- No more printing blank pages (by deleting any unwanted pages)

- Remove unwanted text and images

- Delete unwanted pages

- Archive print jobs


Download fully functional free trial

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BCIS Standard Form of Analysis

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Get it here

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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Sunday, December 27, 2009

BQ - Preliminaries Template

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Separate the Headings & Descriptions in two (2) parts - Headings using excel (or BQ software) & Descriptions using MS Word (or other word processors)





Advantages:-

1) Enable Rate-to-Rate comparison;
2) Standard Prelim items for all projects (Headings only);
3) Add/delete/amend only on Descriptions part;
4) Solve formatting problems/difficulties in either Excel/Word formats

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Singapore ETender (GeBIZ)

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Business Opportunities => Tenders & Quotations

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

CIDB Average Prices for Selected Building Materials

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The factors of production involved in the any construction process, just like any other economic activities, are the usual 4Ms namely materials, manpower, machinery and money. Materials normally consist of a significant major portion of any construction activity. Manpower relates generally to the labour force required. Machinery involves the plants and tools associated with the activities. Money refers to the capital requirement to acquire the other resources as well as the financing of the whole construction execution.

In the process of collecting prices for to build the Building Materials Construction Index numbers, CIDB obtained data on the prices of basic major building materials that were adopted to make up the Index numbers. These index referred as the Building Materials Cost Index (BMCI) is publish in a separate CIDB publication. As for the prices collected, these numbers are then processed accordingly to produce this publication on the average prices for major materials for the building construction.


In the middle 1980s bricks was available below ten cent per piece while construction cost of a government school was estimated at RM25 per foot square. Today, the scenario has changed and so does in the future. However, these construction resources price movements have not been documented in a systematic and organised manner. On the other hand, this key information is of vital importance in monitoring prices. It can also assist various users of different requirements.

Currently, various organizations either contractors, consultants or clients, practice different method of estimating process. There are various type of approximate estimate procedures ranging from unit method, cube method, floor area method etc. The bigger organisations that specialise in cost advice to clients as well as established construction companies, all have the advantage of owning comprehensive construction cost information. They are able to give adequate consultancy to their client on the matter.

But for investors, building clients, smaller organisations or even the public who wished to have some comparisons or guidelines on the price of materials, there are not many central source of information available to them for this purpose. Hence, this publication intends to fill this vacuum and provide the various users some rough indications to the current average prices of the major building materials' prices. This publication is also part of CIDB's effort to established The Construction Industry Resource Centre in order to provide basic essential information to the construction community. This is also in line with CIDB's main function in providing systematic essential information to the construction industry community.

It is hope that the information will be able to assist those who are involved in the construction industry to execute simple approximate estimates as estimating is the key to a successfully conceived, managed and completed project. In addition, it is also a function common to a broad spectrum of projects in which cost, other than time, must be managed. The primary function of an approximate estimate is essentially to produce forecast of the probable cost a future project before the facilities has been designed in detail and contract particulars prepared. In this way the person involve, either the investor or the building client, is aware of his financial commitments before extensive design work is undertaken.

View and download the Average Price of Building Materials.



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Method of Measurement for Highway Works

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Standards for Highways - Home



Section 1 - Method of Measurement for Highway Works

Amendments dated May 2001, May 2002, February 2003, May 2003, November 2003, May 2004, November 2004, May 2005 and November 2006 (incorporating amendments listed in SD 21/06 Annex D)

Section 2 - Notes for Guidance on the Method of Measurement for Highway Works

Amendment dated May 2001, May 2003, November 2003, May 2004, November 2004 and November 2006 (incorporating amendments listed in SD 21/06 Annex D)


Section 3 - Library of Standard Item Descriptions for Highway Works

Amendments dated May 2001, May 2002, May 2003, November 2003, May 2004, November 2004, May 2005, November 2006 and May 2009 (Incorporating amendments listed in SD 27/09)


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POMI - Principles of Measurement (International)

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Get it here

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CESMM3

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Scanned copy, get it here

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JKR Rate Online

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RATOL l Rates Online



- Rate Online provide current average tendered rates to assist in preparation of cost estimates.
- Cost data are derived from BQ rates of shortlisted tenderers.
- The mean represent the average tendered rates.

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