There are three quotes on the table for structured cabling and CCTV. The easy thing is to look at the total on the last page and pick the lowest. But the total is the least informative number in a quote — it tells you nothing about what is included and what is not.
A bill of quantities (BOQ) is a list of line items: what is supplied, in what quantity, at what unit price and with what work. Read properly, a BOQ shows where quotes really differ — and which questions to ask contractors before you choose.
Anatomy of a BOQ line
Each line of a well-prepared BOQ contains:
- A description with enough technical detail — model or key parameters
- A unit of measure — piece, meter, set
- Quantity
- Material unit price and labour unit price, shown separately
- Line total
- A note on assumptions, where relevant
If a quote does not follow this format and, for example, shows a whole system as a single line — 'CCTV system, 1 lot' — ask for a breakdown. Without it, comparison is impossible.
Step 1: normalize the scope
Build your own comparison table with a single list of line items and map each contractor's lines onto it. Where a quote is missing an item, write 'not included' rather than zero — that work still has to be done, and someone will pay for it. Only totals normalized this way can be compared with each other.
Step 2: check quantities, not just prices
A large difference in quantities is either a mistake or a different design. For cable you can make a simple estimate: total cable length ≈ number of outlets × (average route length + slack at both ends). For example, for 100 outlets with an average route of 35 m plus slack, you would expect roughly 4,000 m of cable. If a quote shows half or double that, it is worth a question.
Apply the same logic to video storage: required capacity = bitrate × seconds × number of cameras ÷ 8. A hypothetical 20 cameras at 4 Mbit/s each with 30 days of retention need about 26 TB. If the recorder offered has far fewer disks, then either retention is shorter or image quality is lower.
Step 3: find hidden and missing items
Generic lines such as 'installation materials', 'installation — 1 lot' or 'commissioning' can cover a lot — or almost nothing. Check where the following items, which are most often missing, actually appear:
- Patch cords at both ends — in the rack and at the workstation
- Link testing with a certification tester, and the test reports
- Labeling — cables, outlets, patch panels
- Containment, trays and fire-stopping
- Rack accessories: power distribution units (PDUs), cable managers, shelves
- Software licenses and their term
- Configuration, integration and staff training
- As-built documentation
- Project management and on-site coordination
Step 4: compare equipment by parameters, not names
Models from different manufacturers cannot be compared directly unless you look at their parameters. For cameras: resolution, sensor, lens, night performance and standards compatibility (e.g. ONVIF). For recorders: channel count and storage capacity. For switches: ports and PoE budget — the combined power of connected devices must not exceed it. For cable: category and jacket type. In network infrastructure and security systems, these parameters define what you actually receive.
Step 5: labour, schedule and terms
A quote is more than a price for materials and labour. Compare the delivery period, who will be on site and how many people, warranty terms for materials and workmanship separately, the payment schedule, the validity period of the quote and how changes are handled. An unrealistically short schedule is as much a warning sign as an unrealistically low price.
Questions to ask every contractor
- What is not included in your price, and what must the client provide?
- How did you calculate cable and material quantities?
- Is testing of every link and delivery of test reports included?
- What happens if site conditions turn out to differ from the specification?
- What does the warranty cover, and for how long?
- Who is the responsible project lead, and how will progress be reported?
Have several quotes and want them to speak the same language? Contact us — we can help define the scope and prepare a BOQ structure that makes comparison straightforward.