Preliminaries, also known as "prelims," are a collection of estimated costs for preparatory work and materials for a construction project as well as ongoing costs. They are a section in the bills of quantities that groups together items that are necessary for the contractor to complete the works but will not actually become part of the works. Preliminaries cover costs associated with the wider construction project and are not tied to specific aspects of construction work. They are usually between 11% and 15% of the total cost of a construction project, although in some cases, they can be higher. Preliminaries can include any expected costs incurred before and throughout the project related to running and managing the construction site, such as site-specific expenditures, management and administrative costs, and site overheads. A construction preliminaries list is often extensive and includes costs for items within every aspect of a project. Some common items that are almost always included are office overheads, temporary works, telephone and electricity, and removal of rubbish. Preliminaries are important for getting a holistic view of the project and avoiding any nasty cost surprises for clients or the construction business later down the line.