Quantum: definition and example
The money side of a claim: how much is owed, rather than whether it is owed.
By Jack Butler-Kettle · Updated
Guidance for England and Wales. Check the contract, amendments and facts that apply to your job.
What it means in practice
Quantum is the amount of a claim. It should be distinguished from entitlement, which asks whether a right to payment exists. A sound calculation explains quantities, rates, periods and adjustments, with records supporting each input and no duplicated amounts.
Keep assumptions visible and separate agreed from disputed figures. Final account recovery can help reconcile the valuation and the remaining balance.
Worked example
The facts
A subcontractor claims £4,000 for additional work priced from labour and materials.
What happens
It checks the calculation against time records, invoices and the applicable valuation rules.
It removes an item already included in an earlier agreed variation.
What this shows
Improving the calculation establishes a clearer amount, but does not independently prove the right to recover it.