- 2067 Asar (old course) · 4 marks
Short note: Material scheduling
Short answer
Material scheduling plans material quantities, availability dates and ordering times to avoid delays and excess stock. It links bill quantities to the schedule, adds wastage and lead time, and orders by latest date. Benefits include no idle labour, less storage loss and better cash flow.
Write a short note on material scheduling.
Material scheduling is the planning of what material is required, in what quantity, and when it must be available at site, so that the work is not delayed and money is not locked up in excess stock.
Steps
- Take the quantity of each material from the bill of quantities for every activity (quantity of work x material per unit).
- Link the quantities to the project schedule to get the material requirement period-wise (weekly or monthly).
- Add wastage (usually 3-5 %) and allow a buffer stock.
- Find the latest date of ordering = date of need - lead time (procurement, transport, testing) - safety margin.
- Plan storage, handling and payment.
- Monitor deliveries against the schedule and revise it when the work schedule changes.
Example (house project of 24 weeks)
| Material | Quantity | Needed from (week) | Lead time (weeks) | Order latest (week) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement | 600 bags | 3 (foundation) | 1 | 2 |
| Reinforcement steel | 8 t | 6 (plinth beam) | 3 | 3 |
| Bricks | 30,000 nos | 8 (walls) | 2 | 6 |
| Doors and windows | 24 sets | 19 (fixing) | 5 | 14 |
Benefits
- Material is available when needed, so no idle labour.
- Reduces storage cost, theft and damage.
- Gives cash-flow requirements and helps in bulk purchase.
- Important in Nepal where delivery to remote sites and monsoon roads can cause long lead times.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)