A BOQ-based quotation from China should let you check every line against your own bill of quantities — line-item pricing, the commission basis and the specific exclusions — not arrive as one bundled number you have to take on faith. This article sets out exactly what a properly structured BOQ quotation includes, what it deliberately excludes, and why the exclusion list matters as much as the price itself when you’re comparing it against a local contractor’s all-in number.
What Does a BOQ-Mapped Quotation Actually Show?
- Line-by-line mapping to your BOQ numbering: each quoted item references the same item number as your bill of quantities, so a reviewer can check the quotation against the BOQ line by line rather than reconciling two different numbering systems.
- A stated commission basis: the quotation states the commission that applies — 5% for suppliers you nominate, or a direct price on products we source for you. A quotation that gives one bundled number with no stated basis cannot be audited this way.
- Specification reference per line: material, finish, dimensions and any applicable certification standard, matched to the BOQ description — not a generic product name that could apply to several different specification tiers.
- Lead time framework per category: a production and shipping timeframe given as a planning framework, not a fixed delivery date — confirmed dates are issued once production is underway, not promised at quotation stage.
What Is Deliberately Excluded from a BOQ Quotation — and Why It Matters
| Excluded item | Why it’s excluded |
|---|---|
| Destination customs clearance | Handled by your customs broker at the destination, and fees vary by country and product classification |
| Site storage | Depends on whether the site is ready to receive goods on arrival — a project-timing variable, not a sourcing cost |
| Delivery into the building and installation | Normally contracted to the general contractor or a local installation crew, separate from the procurement package |
| Local building permits and inspections | Jurisdiction-specific and outside the scope of a China procurement quotation entirely |
Knowing this exclusion list before you compare quotations prevents the most common false-savings mistake: comparing a China sourcing quotation (factory price + freight + duty) against a local contractor’s all-in number that already bundles installation, permits and site logistics into one figure.
Why BOQ-Mapped Line Items Beat a Single Package Price
A one-stop supplier quoting your whole BOQ as a single package price cannot be checked line by line — there’s no way to know whether the door hardware or the tile is where the margin is concentrated, or whether a scope change on one line has been priced fairly. A BOQ-mapped quotation, priced line by line on FBM Sourcing’s own quotation, lets you renegotiate or re-scope one line item without unwinding the whole quotation, and lets your quantity surveyor cross-check it the same way they would check any other subcontractor’s priced bill.
If you are assembling the enquiry package that goes to the factories in the first place, our RFQ template for China factory quotations sets out the fields a factory needs before it can price a line.
Want your BOQ quoted line by line?
FBM Sourcing works with project owners, developers, main contractors and FF&E contractors on commercial building projects. Send us your BOQ or drawings — our team will review it and return a quotation mapped to your own numbering.
How Should You Compare Two BOQ Quotations?
- Match the exclusion lists first — a lower headline number with a longer exclusion list is not automatically cheaper once the missing scope is added back in.
- Check that the commission basis is stated — the percentage and the order-value threshold it applies at — rather than left unexplained.
- Confirm the specification reference matches your BOQ description exactly — a lower price against a lighter-duty spec is a different product, not a better price.
- Ask what the lead time framework assumes — whether it starts from deposit received, sample approval, or order confirmation, since quotations that look identical on price can differ meaningfully on when the schedule clock actually starts.
This is the same line-by-line discipline covered in how a sourcing agent splits your BOQ into factory-level RFQs in the first place — the quotation should mirror the same structure the RFQ was split into.
How FBM Sourcing Structures a BOQ Quotation
FBM Sourcing manages the entire China procurement package for overseas construction projects, and every BOQ we quote is returned mapped to your own item numbering, priced line by line on our own quotation, with a clearly stated exclusion list. Before a quotation is finalized, our own FBM Sourcing QC team has already confirmed the factory can hold the specification referenced on each line — not just quoted a price against a product name. All quotations, invoices and shipping documents are issued by FBM Sourcing — you deal with us, and we carry the responsibility. For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. We ship by full container, consolidating your BOQ across factories into full containers — never less-than-container-load.
If you have a BOQ ready to quote, send it to us along with drawings if available. Our team will return a quotation mapped line by line to your numbering — use the quote button above or WhatsApp +86 135 6007 5057.
Where the Quotation Sits in the Document Chain
A BOQ-based quotation is one stage in a chain that starts with your tender BOQ and ends with factory production orders; the whole sequence is mapped in how to send a BOQ or drawings to a China sourcing agent, and it runs as one service — the BOQ & drawing takeoff service. Before a quotation can exist the bill has to be split into factory-level RFQs, and any window or door schedule converted from schedule to order sheet. After approval, the specification moves on to shop drawings a factory can actually build from. If your BOQ has not gone out yet, it is worth checking it against the 5 mistakes to avoid before sending a BOQ to China first.
