A gabion rate is built per cubic metre from the MoRTH Standard Data Book: mesh, boulders and labour, then overheads and profit. Here is the build-up, how to turn a supplier’s price per box into the Data Book’s rate per square metre, and a free Excel template that does the sums.
Download the rate analysis (Excel)
Two sheets: the item 16.14 analysis with the Data Book quantities filled in and the overheads set by a project-size drop-down, and a converter from price per box to price per m² for every standard size. Enter your own rates in the yellow cells — there are no prices in it.
The MoRTH Standard Data Book for Analysis of Rates (2019) prices gabions in Chapter 16 (river training and protection works). Item 16.14 (specification clause 2503) is the one to use for double-twisted hexagonal mesh gabion boxes: mesh type 10×12, 3.00 mm galvanized mesh wire, diaphragms every metre, 2.20 mm lacing wire supplied at 3% of the box weight, filled with boulders whose least dimension is 200 mm. The output analysed is one 2 × 1 × 1 m box, i.e. 2 m³.
| Input (MoRTH SDB 2019, item 16.14) | Unit | Quantity for 2 m³ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Gabion boxes, DT mesh 10x12, 3.00 mm galvanized wire (incl. 2.20 mm lacing wire) | sqm | 11.000 |
| a | Stone boulders, least dimension 200 mm | cum | 2.000 |
| b | Mate | day | 0.106 |
| b | Mason (plain stone work), 2nd class | day | 0.665 |
| b | Mazdoor | day | 1.995 |
| c | Overheads on (a + b) | % | 15 / 12 / 10 |
| d | Contractor’s profit on (a + b + c) | % | 10 |
| Rate per m³ = (a + b + c + d) ÷ 2 |
The Data Book gives only the quantities; the rates for material and labour come from the Schedule of Rates your state or department has notified. Item 16.12 (4 mm wire crates in rolls, 7 × 3 × 0.6 m) is an older crate type — tenders specifying IS 16014 boxes follow 16.14.
The Data Book counts the gabion as square metres of mesh, but boxes are quoted per piece (or per kg). Divide the price of a box by its mesh area — base and lid, two sides, two ends and the diaphragms. A 2 × 1 × 1 m box has 11 m², which is exactly the Data Book’s figure.
| Box L × W × H (m) | Volume (m³) | Diaphragms | Mesh area (m²) | m² of mesh per m³ | Weight, GI 3.00 mm (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 × 1 × 1 | 1.50 | 0 | 8 | 5.3 | 13.9 |
| 2 × 1 × 1 | 2.00 | 1 | 11 | 5.5 | 18.9 |
| 3 × 1 × 1 | 3.00 | 2 | 16 | 5.3 | 27.0 |
| 4 × 1 × 1 | 4.00 | 3 | 21 | 5.2 | 35.1 |
| 2 × 1 × 0.5 | 1.00 | 1 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 13.4 |
| 3 × 1 × 0.5 | 1.50 | 2 | 11 | 7.3 | 19.2 |
| 4 × 1 × 0.5 | 2.00 | 3 | 14.5 | 7.2 | 24.9 |
| 2 × 1 × 0.3 | 0.60 | 1 | 6.1 | 10.2 | 11.2 |
| 3 × 1 × 0.3 | 0.90 | 2 | 9 | 10.0 | 16.0 |
| 4 × 1 × 0.3 | 1.20 | 3 | 11.9 | 9.9 | 20.8 |
Lower boxes use more mesh per cubic metre, so a 0.5 m or 0.3 m high box costs more per m³ of wall than the 1 m box the Data Book analyses — worth checking when the drawing uses low units. Weights per size, in GI 2.70 mm, 3.00 mm and PVC, are on gabion box sizes and weights.
Need a delivered price per box for your site? Send us the BOQ and location — we quote per box with the weight, so it drops straight into line (a).
Item 16.14 in Chapter 16 (river training and protection works) of the 2019 Data Book, under specification clause 2503: double-twisted hexagonal mesh boxes, mesh 10×12, 3.00 mm wire, analysed per 2 m³.
For 2 × 1 × 1 m boxes, 11 m² per 2 m³ — 5.5 m² per m³, including the diaphragm. Lower boxes need more: 7.5 m² per m³ for a 2 × 1 × 0.5 m box and about 10 m² per m³ for 0.3 m high units.
Per 2 m³: 0.106 mate-days, 0.665 mason-days (plain stone work, 2nd class) and 1.995 mazdoor-days.
For road works, overheads of 15%, 12% or 10% on materials and labour depending on whether the project’s civil cost is up to Rs 200 crore, Rs 200–500 crore or above; then 10% contractor’s profit on the total. GST is extra.
No. The Data Book works on cost excluding GST. Gabions are billed at 18% GST.
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