A Schedule of Rates (SOR) is a published list of standard unit rates for items of construction work, used to prepare estimates and BOQs; the CPWD Delhi Schedule of Rates (DSR) is the best-known one in India, and state PWDs publish their own.
An SOR gives a rate per unit for each item, for example per cubic metre of brickwork or per square metre of plaster, built up from material, labour and machinery costs for a base period or location.
Government departments base tenders and estimates on the current SOR, often with a percentage above or below it quoted by each bidder. Private firms use the SOR as a benchmark, then adjust for local market rates.
Because material and labour prices move, an SOR is only a starting point. Estimators adjust rates for location, quantity and the date of the work.
ARC PEM lets you build BOQs from reusable templates with your own rates, so the rates you use for each firm and city are saved and reused, then compared with actual bills as budget vs actual. See all features.
Free tool: Construction Cost Calculator — Estimate the cost of building a house in India — per sq ft rates by quality and city, with a full cost breakdown and material quantities.
ARC PEM tracks your BOQ, vendor bills, labour attendance, contractor ledgers and GST across every project — live for the whole firm, on any phone or computer.
Join 30+ architecture and construction firms already using ARC PEM to track budgets, manage vendors, and generate professional reports — without a single spreadsheet.