CESMM3 vs NRM2 vs CESMM4

Comparison at a glance

None of the three sets rates. They define how to measure, describe and group work so that every bidder prices the same quantities.

What does CESMM measure?

CESMM is used for civil engineering: earthworks, piling, pipework, roads, tunnels, structures and similar. Work is grouped into 26 classes lettered A to Z. Class A holds general items, which are the items commonly called preliminaries. The other classes cover types of work, for example earthworks, in situ concrete, pipework, piling and roads and pavings.

Each item is identified by its class letter and three levels of division, so a code tells the reader the class and then narrows to the specific work. The descriptions are built from those divisions, which keeps item wording consistent between bills.

CESMM also separates method-related charges from the measured items. A contractor can price the cost of chosen construction methods, such as temporary works, in their own item instead of burying it in unit rates.

How is CESMM4 different from CESMM3?

CESMM4 is the later edition of the same method and keeps the class-based structure. It updates the rules and coverage of the earlier edition. If a contract names an edition, use that edition. If you hold bills written to CESMM3, do not reprice them with CESMM4 rules without checking item by item.

What does NRM2 measure?

NRM2 is RICS guidance for detailed measurement of building works. It organises work in 41 work sections, running from preliminaries in section 1 through to builder's work in connection with mechanical, electrical and transportation installations in section 41. External works are in section 35, fencing in section 36 and soft landscaping in section 37. It replaced SMM7 as the RICS rule set for building works. The rules are tabulated, with measurement rules, definitions and coverage set out for each section.

NRM2 sits alongside NRM1, which covers cost estimating and cost planning, and NRM3, which covers maintenance. NRM2 is the one used to produce a priced bill of quantities for tender.

Which should you use?

The method of measurement is a contract matter. It is stated in the preamble to the bill, and it governs disputes about what an item includes.

Why it matters when you price

The same wall or trench can be described differently under each method, with different coverage rules about what is included in the rate. Pricing a bill without reading its measurement rules is how an estimator ends up with a rate that omits something the method says the rate must cover. Read the coverage rules for the item, then price.

Common mistakes when mixing methods

• Applying NRM2 coverage rules to a civil bill because the trade names look similar.
• Reusing a CESMM3 rate build-up for a CESMM4 bill without checking whether the item coverage changed.
• Reading a rate from a cost book without checking which method of measurement it was priced to.
• Assuming the preliminaries section holds the same items under every method.

Where EstimateNext fits

EstimateNext prices BOQs in the structure of the market you work in. Its UK rate library is organised in NRM2 structure. Ask about CESMM if you work on civil bills, as we do not claim CESMM-structured output on this page. To see how it prices a real BOQ, send one for the free pricing check below.