What is third party bill review in Bangladesh?

Third party bill review in Bangladesh means an engineering firm that is independent of both owner and contractor checks a construction bill. It confirms that the quantities claimed were actually built, that rates match the contract, that variations were authorised, and that deductions such as advances and retention have been applied, before the owner releases payment.

What does bill assessment in Bangladesh involve on site?

Bill assessment in Bangladesh involves measuring the completed work on site and comparing it with the bill. Engineers measure items such as earthwork, concrete, brickwork, plaster and steel, check reinforcement records and pour registers, inspect whether the work is complete and acceptable, and note items claimed but not yet done or done below specification.

Why use a bill verification audit firm in Bangladesh instead of my own staff?

A bill verification audit firm in Bangladesh brings engineers who measure and price construction work routinely, and it has no working relationship with the contractor to protect. That independence makes the findings easier to defend in negotiation, gives lenders and boards confidence, and reduces the risk of overpayment through errors or inflated claims.

Can you review a final bill after the project is complete?

Yes. A final account review reconciles all interim payments, approved variations, price adjustments and deductions with the as-built quantities. Where work is covered up, we rely on records such as measurement books, pour registers, photographs and test reports, and where needed we carry out checks on the finished structure or a measured survey.

Do you review bills for electrical and fire protection works?

Yes. Besides civil and structural work, we review bills for electrical installations, substations, cable laying, fire detection, hydrant and sprinkler systems, and steel structures. Quantities such as cable lengths, pipe runs and equipment counts are checked against drawings and on site, and specifications are compared with what was supplied.

Can you check our factory's electricity bill?

Yes. Our electrical engineers check the tariff category, meter readings and multiplying factors, sanctioned load and maximum demand, power factor penalties, VAT and other charges against the regulator's tariff and your meter data. Errors are quantified month by month, and we provide the evidence you need to raise them with the utility and request a correction.

How much does a third-party bill review cost?

The fee depends on the value and number of bills, the type of work, how many site visits and measurements are needed, the quality of the existing records and whether the review is a one-off or continues for every interim bill. We agree the scope after reviewing the contract documents and send a written quotation.

Third-Party Bill Review in Bangladesh

Third-party bill review in Bangladesh is an independent engineering check of a bill before it is paid. For construction contracts, engineers verify quantities against drawings, the BOQ and the site, and certify the amount due. For electricity, utility and supplier bills, they check tariff category, meter readings, demand and power factor charges, VAT and contract rates.

Last updated: 7 October 2026Part of: Engineering services

Third-party bill review in Bangladesh protects owners from paying for work that was not built, energy that was not consumed, or goods and services priced above the agreed rate. TOTO POWER Engineering is an engineering consultancy operating since 2011 and enlisted with the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE). Our civil, structural and electrical engineers review two kinds of bill for factories, commercial buildings and residential projects: construction and contractor bills, which are checked against the contract and measured on site, and recurring electricity, utility and supplier bills, which are checked against tariffs, meter data and purchase contracts.

Engineer measuring site work during third-party bill review in Bangladesh

What is a third-party construction bill review?

On most construction contracts in Bangladesh, the contractor submits running (interim) bills as work progresses and a final bill at the end. Each bill claims quantities of work multiplied by rates from the bill of quantities (BOQ), plus any variations, minus deductions such as mobilisation advance recovery, retention, materials supplied by the owner, and taxes. A third-party bill review is an independent engineering check of every part of that claim.

The review is technical rather than purely financial. An accountant can confirm that the arithmetic is right; an engineer can confirm that the volume of concrete claimed for a slab was really poured, that the reinforcement matches the bar bending schedule, and that a claimed variation was in fact extra work rather than part of the original scope. For a wider overview, see our guide to how bill verification works.

Electricity, utility and supplier bill verification

The second part of the service deals with bills that arrive every month rather than once per project. For factories, the electricity bill is often the largest recurring overhead, and small errors repeat month after month until someone checks them. Because our reviewers are electrical engineers, they can read the bill against the connection, the metering and the plant's actual load pattern, not just the arithmetic.

What we check on electricity and utility bills

Tariff category. Whether the connection is billed under the tariff that matches its voltage level and type of use, as set by the regulator's published tariff.
Meter readings and multiplying factors. Whether billed units match the meter, whether the CT/PT ratio used in the calculation is correct, and whether any estimated readings were later corrected.
Demand charges. Whether the sanctioned load and recorded maximum demand used for billing are correct, and whether the sanctioned load still suits the plant.
Power factor charges. Whether a low power factor penalty has been applied, whether it is justified by the metered data, and whether power factor correction equipment is working.
Taxes and other charges. VAT, meter rent, late fees and adjustments, and any charges that appear twice across several accounts or meters.
Gas and water bills. Consumption, tariff and arithmetic checks against meter data and usage records.

Supplier invoices and contracted rates

Invoices from suppliers and service providers are checked against the purchase order or service agreement: unit prices, discounts, quantities delivered, payment terms, taxes and any extra charges that were never agreed. Where a service has ended but billing continues, we flag it. Discrepancies are quantified and documented so that the owner can raise them with the utility or supplier and, where justified, seek a refund or credit for past overpayments. If a bill reveals wasteful consumption rather than a billing error, an energy audit is the logical next step.

Who needs bill assessment in Bangladesh?

Factory owners building or extending industrial premises, where contracts are large and the owner's team is focused on production.
Landowners and developers paying contractors in stages for apartment and commercial buildings.
Banks and financial institutions that release loan instalments against certified progress.
Organisations and institutions whose boards or auditors require independent evidence before payments are approved.
Factories and commercial buildings with large electricity bills that want to confirm tariff, demand and power factor charges are correct.
Owners in a payment dispute who need a neutral, documented measurement of the work actually done.

What do we check in a contractor's construction bill?

Quantities against drawings

Each claimed quantity is recalculated from the approved drawings and compared with the bill. Common problems include double-counting at junctions, using gross instead of net dimensions, and claiming items that are already included in another rate.

Quantities on site

Engineers visit the site to measure completed work and confirm that it exists, is complete and meets the specification. Work that is covered up is verified through measurement books, pour records, photographs and inspection checklists. For large earthwork or land development, quantities can be checked with a digital survey of levels before and after.

Rates and contract terms

Rates are compared with the BOQ, the contract conditions and any agreed price adjustment clauses. We check that the correct item and unit are used, and that new rates for non-BOQ items are justified.

Variations and deductions

Each variation is traced to a written instruction and priced in line with the contract. We also confirm that advances, retention, owner-supplied materials, penalties and statutory deductions have been applied correctly.

Quality of the work billed

Paying for defective work makes it harder to get it corrected. Where our engineers see defects, we recommend that the item be held until it is put right, and we can link the review with QA/QC inspections.

Survey used for quantity verification in bill assessment in Bangladesh

How is a third-party bill review carried out?

The steps below are for construction bills. Utility and supplier reviews follow the same logic: collect the bills, contracts, tariffs and meter records; check every line; quantify each discrepancy with evidence; and report the findings with recommended corrective action and support for any refund claim.

Document review. We study the contract, BOQ, specifications, approved drawings, variation orders and earlier certified bills.
Desk check of the bill. Every line is checked for item, unit, rate and arithmetic, and quantities are recalculated from the drawings.
Site verification. Engineers measure the work on site, sample concealed items through records, and note incomplete or defective work.
Variation assessment. Claimed variations are checked for authority, scope and price.
Reconciliation. We prepare a line-by-line comparison of claimed and verified amounts, with a reason for every difference.
Discussion with the contractor. If the owner wishes, we review the differences with the contractor so that agreed items are settled quickly.
Certification. We issue a report recommending the amount payable for the interim or final bill.

Interim bills and final bills compared

Item	Interim (running) bill	Final bill
Purpose	Payment for work done in a period	Settles the whole contract value
Quantities	Cumulative work to date, less earlier bills	Full as-built quantities
Variations	Approved variations completed so far	All variations agreed and closed
Deductions	Advance recovery and retention for the period	Final reconciliation, retention release terms
Main risk	Paying ahead of actual progress	Missing over-measurement accumulated over the project

What you receive

A checked copy of the bill with a line-by-line comparison
Site measurement sheets and photographs
A schedule of disallowed, reduced or held items with reasons
An assessment of claimed variations
A list of defects or incomplete work observed during verification
A signed certificate or report recommending the amount payable
For utility and supplier bills: a discrepancy schedule with the financial impact of each error and supporting evidence for discussions or refund claims

Which standards and documents apply?

A bill review is governed first by the contract itself: its conditions, BOQ, specification, drawings and the method of measurement it names. Technical acceptance of work is judged against the specification and the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) 2020. Where the contract does not define a method of measurement, we agree a consistent approach with both parties before measuring.

What does a bill verification audit firm in Bangladesh charge?

Fees depend on the scope rather than a fixed rate. The main factors are the number and value of bills, the type and complexity of work, the number of site visits, the state of the contractor's records and whether the engagement covers a single bill or the whole project. For utility and supplier bills, the main factors are the number of accounts or meters, how many months are reviewed and how complete the records are. We review your contract documents and send a written quotation before starting.

Why choose TOTO POWER Engineering?

Our engineers design, build, test and supervise construction, so they know how work is actually measured and where claims tend to be inflated. Bill review fits naturally with our construction supervision service: the same engineers who inspect the work before each pour can verify the quantities in each bill. We act only for the party that appoints us and keep all contract and pricing information confidential.