ESTIMATING AND CALCULATING QUANTITIES (PART 1) (continued 2)
Reading edition
For circular or elliptical work, charge double price; for domes and groins, three prices. Enrichments of all kinds should be estimated at an agreed price.
71. Cost of Plastering.—The following analysis of the cost of plastering for 100 square yards, for both three-coat and two-coat work, will be of assistance in making estimates. These costs are exclusive of the lathing, which will be taken up later.
Cost of 100 Square Yards of Three-Coat Plastering
Scratch Coat
6 bushels of lime, at 25 cents per bushel $ 1.50
9 pounds of hair, at 4 cents per pound .36
¾ cubic yard of sand, at $1.50 per cubic yard 1.13
5 hours, plasterer’s time, at 50 cents per hour 2.50
5 hours, laborer’s time, at 25 cents per hour 1.25
Total $ 6.74
Brown Coat
6 bushels of lime, at 25 cents per bushel $ 1.50
3 pounds of hair, at 4 cents per pound .12
1 cubic yard of sand, at $1.50 per cubic yard 1.50
13 hours, plasterer’s time, at 50 cents per hour 6.50
6½ hours, laborer’s time, at 25 cents per hour 1.63
Total $11.25
Finishing Coat
3½ bushels of finishing lime, at 35 cents per bushel $ 1.23
½ barrel of plaster of Paris, at $1.75 per barrel .88
⅜ bushel of white sand, at 27 cents per bushel .10
18 hours, plasterer’s time, at 50 cents per hour 9.00
4½ hours, laborer’s time, at 25 cents per hour 1.13
Total $12.34
The total cost of 100 square yards of three-coat plaster, then, is $30.33, or about 31 cents per yard.
Cost of 100 Square Yards of Two-Coat Plastering
Brown Coat
8 bushels of lime, at 25 cents per bushel $ 2.00
16 pounds of hair, at 4 cents per pound .64
1¼ cubic yards of sand, at $1.50 per cubic yard 1.88
8 hours, plasterer’s time, at 50 cents per hour 4.00
8 hours, laborer’s time, at 25 cents per hour 2.00
Total $10.52
Finishing Coat
Same as given for three-coat work $12.34
The total cost of 100 square yards of two-coat plaster is therefore $22.86, or about 23 cents per square yard.
LATHING
72. Lathing is measured by the superficial, or square, yard, no openings under 7 superficial yards being deducted.
Plastering laths are about 1¾ inches wide, ¼ inch thick, and usually 4 feet long, the studding being generally placed 12 or 16 inches on centers, so that the ends of the laths may be nailed to them. The laths are usually set from ¼ to ⅜ inch apart, requiring about 1½, 1⁷/₁₆, or 1⅜ four-foot laths, respectively, to cover 1 square foot.
For a fair grade of work, a man will lay on an average about 15 bundles, or 1,500 laths, per day. The price usually paid for laying laths is 25 cents a bundle.
In the following analysis is given the cost of lathing 100 square yards of surface:
Cost of Lathing 100 Square Yards
14⁴/₁₀ bundles of laths, at 55 cents per bundle $ 7.92
9 pounds of threepenny nails, at $3.65 per hundred pounds .33
Putting on 14⁴/₁₀ bundles, at 25 cents per bundle 3.60
Total $11.85
The total cost of lathing 100 square yards is therefore $11.85, or about 12 cents per square yard.
JOINERY
73. Joinery includes all the interior and exterior finish put in place after the framing and covering are completed; as, for example, door and window frames, doors, baseboards, paneling, wainscoting, stairs, etc. Most of these materials are worked at the mill and are brought to the building ready to set in place.
74. Frames.—In taking off door and window frames, describe and state sizes. Measure architraves by the running foot, giving width and thickness, whether molded or plain, and state the number of plinth and corner blocks.
75. Sash.—For sash, state dimensions (giving the width first); thickness of the material, molded or plain; style of check-rail and sill finish; thickness of sash bar; whether plain, single or double-hung; and sizes (giving dimensions in inches) and number of lights. Use standard sizes as much as possible.
76. Doors.—In taking off doors, describe and state the sizes and thicknesses, whether the framing is stuck-molded, raised-molded, or plain; and number of panels, whether plain or raised. Use stock sizes wherever possible and suitable. For special work, where doors are to be veneered, state thickness of veneer, how cores are to be built, and the kind of wood to be used.
77. Blinds.—Describe size and thickness of blinds; whether paneled or slatted (fixed or movable), and whether molded or plain.
78. Baseboard and Beam Casings.—Measure the baseboard and beam casings by the running foot, stating width and thickness of stuff, and whether molded or plain. When a shoe is used for the base, so state; also, if a surbase is required, give particulars.
79. Wainscoting.—Measure wainscoting by the superficial foot. State kind of finish, whether paneled or plain, and style of molding and panels. Wainscoting cap and base, measure by the running foot.
80. Stairways.—Often stairways are taken by the contractor at so much per step, complete according to specifications. In measuring stairways, take off the amount of rough material in carriage timbers, and the planed lumber in treads, etc. Measure balustrades by the linear foot. Give description of newels. Measure spandrel and stairway paneling the same as wainscoting.
81. Inside Fixtures.—Kitchen dressers may be taken at a fixed price complete; or at a fixed rate per square foot; or as dressed lumber, drawers and doors being taken separately. Wardrobes, bookcases, mantels, and china closets should be treated separately, and a fixed price stated.
82. Porches, Etc.—Porches, exterior balustrades, balconies, porte cochèrs, etc. may be taken at a price per linear foot, or the actual quantity of material may be measured.
JOINERY DATA AND EXAMPLES OF ESTIMATING COSTS
83. Molding.—Molded work that goes through the mill is usually charged for by the square inch of section per foot in length. Thus, if the price is 1 cent per square inch of section per foot in length, a molding ⅞ in. × 4¾ in. and 12 feet long will cost 60 cents, because the section in the rough is 1 in. × 5 in., or 5 square inches. Therefore, 1 foot of this molding will cost 5 cents, and 12 feet will cost 60 cents. This method of charging for molding, however, is not altogether satisfactory, because it requires as much time to put a narrow piece of molding through the molding machine as it does a wide piece, and a wide piece, since it will have a larger sectional area, will bring a higher price.
A molding machine operates at different speeds, being run at a slow speed when cutting hard woods and at a high speed when cutting soft woods. A machine will turn out from 900 to 4,800 linear feet of molding of any width per hour, the 900 feet representing the amount of very hard wood run through the machine, and the 4,800 feet the amount of soft wood run through when the machine is speeded up to its full capacity. The average output of a machine, however, is about 3,000 feet per hour.
The cost of the machine with a man to operate it may be considered as 70 cents an hour on an average, the man getting 30 cents per hour and the machine being charged for at the rate of 40 cents per hour. Therefore, according to these figures, the cost of machining per linear foot is only ⁷⁰₃3₀₀₀, or .023 of 1 cent. It will thus be seen that the actual cost of putting molding through the machine, especially in large quantities, does not amount to much.
For this reason, especially in the eastern cities, it is cheaper to buy molding direct from the lumber mill than to buy the rough material and then run it through the mill at its destination. In nearly every instance the saving effected in putting the rough material through the machine at its destination is more than counterbalanced by the extra cost of freight rates due to the extra weight. For the same reason, in the eastern market today planed boards are really as cheap as rough ones, because the planed boards are lighter and thus cost less freight.
The cost of molding is governed almost entirely by the cost of the raw material, and is always reckoned from a base price of 1 cent per square inch of section 1 foot long. On this price a discount is given, depending on the kind of wood and the finish desired. At present an average discount for soft woods, such as white pine, spruce, cypress, etc., is about 35 per cent. Thus, the actual cost of pine molding 1 foot long and 1 square inch in cross-section is
1 - 35 = 65 of 1 cent.
100 100
No discount is given on hard woods in many of the large eastern cities at present—oak, birch, and the like being figured net. For walnut, mahogany, and other high-priced woods, a special price is set, depending on the market and the local prices.
84. Cost of Window Frames and Windows.—The following is approximately the cost of a window frame with two 28" × 28" lights, where all mill work is priced at ₆₅/₁₀₀ cent per square inch per foot:
Cost of Window Frame
Jambs at head, ⁵/₄" × 5" × 16' $ .65
Sill, 2" × 5" × 4' 0" .26
Sub-sill, ⁵/₄" × 6" × 2' 9" .14
Blind stop, 1" × 2" × 16' 0" .21
Parting stop, ½" × 1" × 16' 0" .11
Outside casing, ⁵/₄" × 5" × 12' 0" .49
Head casing, ⁵/₄" × 7" × 4' 0" .23
Rabbeted cap, ⁵/₄" × 4" × 4' 0" .13
Molding under cap, 1" × 3½" × 4' 6" .11
Sill nosing, ⁵/₄" × 4" × 4' 0" .13
Inside casing, including apron, 1" × 5" × 20' 0" .65
Back band, ⁵/₄" × ⁵/₄" × 16' 0" .17
Inside stops, ½" × 2" × 14' 0" .10
Four sash pulleys, at 3 cents per pulley .12
Making frame, 1 hour, at 40 cents per hour .40
Total $3.90
The cost of setting and casing such a window frame is about 70 cents. The total cost of the frame set in place is therefore $3.90 + .70 = $4.60.
The cost of the frame per square foot of light is therefore
$4.60 × 144 = 43 cents
2 × 28 × 28
85. The cost of an ordinary window with two 28" × 28" lights may be estimated as follows:
Cost of Sash in Place
Cost of two sash, ⁶/₄, double-hung, glazed
with single-thick American glass $2.10
Sash weights, 30 pounds, at 2 cents per pound .60
Cord, 22½ feet, at 1 cent per foot .23
Two sash lifts, at 5 cents each .10
Sash lock .15
Setting and hanging sash .35
Total $3.53
If double American instead of single American glass is used, the cost just given should be increased by $1.
If the sash is glazed with single American glass, the cost per square foot of light will be
$3.53 × 144 = 33 cents.
2 × 28 × 28
Therefore, the total cost of window and frame in place is 43 + 33 = 76 cents per square foot. If the sash is glazed with double American glass, the cost per square foot of light will be
$4.53 × 144 = 42 cents.
2 × 28 × 28
Therefore, in this case the total cost of window and frame will be 43 + 42 = 85 cents per square foot.
For curved sash in curved walls, the cost is about twice as much as that of straight work.
86. Cost of Door Frames and Doors.—The following estimate represents the cost of an ordinary door frame. All molded work is put in the estimate at 1 cent per square inch of section per foot of length less 35-per-cent. discount, which is the same thing as ⁶⁵/₁₀₀ cent per square inch of section per foot.
Cost of a 2' 8" × 6' 8" Door Frame in Place
17 linear feet of ⁵/₄" × 6" rabbeted jambs $ .83
36 linear feet of 1" × 5" casing 1.17
36 linear feet of 1" × 2" back band .47
Dadoing and smoothing jambs and casing,
1 hour, at 40 cents per hour .40
Nails .05
Setting up jambs and casing,,
3 hours at 40 cents per hour 1.20
Total $4.12
The area of the door is 2 ft. 8 in. × 6 ft. 8 in. = 17.78 square feet. Therefore, the cost of the preceding door frame per square foot of door is $4.12 ÷ 17.78 = 23 cents.
87. The following estimate gives the cost of a door of moderate price. The size of this door is 2 ft. 8 in. × 6 ft. 8 in. × ⁶/₄ in. It has four panels, is made of No. 1 pine, and is finished with solid ogee molding.
Cost of Door in Place
Price of door $2.75
Setting door, putting on hinges and lock,
2 hours, at 40 cents per hour .80
1 pair of 4" × 4" japanned-steel butts .16
1 mortise lock, brass-face knobs and escutcheons .70
Total $4.41
If the door is provided with stuck molding instead of solid molding, it will cost about 50 cents more.
The area of the door is 2 ft. 8 in. × 6 ft. 8 in. = 17.78 square feet. The cost per square foot is therefore $4.41 ÷ 17.78 = 25 cents. The total cost of door and frame per square foot of door is therefore 25 + 23 = 48 cents.
88. The door just described has no transom. A transom 2 ft. 8 in. × 16 in., complete, will cost about $1. The area of such a transom is 2 ft. 8 in. × 16 in. = 3⁵/₉ square feet. The cost per square foot is therefore $1 ÷ 3⁵/₉ = 28 cents.
The prices just given are for solid pine doors. Veneered hardwood doors are usually made to order. When the contractor bids on a house, the architect as a rule has not yet detailed the veneered doors; therefore, the contractor is more or less uncertain as to what will be required and usually puts in a price that he thinks will cover the cost. In the eastern part of the United States, for a veneered door, with ¼-inch veneers built of staved-up cores, a price of from 35 to 50 cents per square foot will be found adequate. This price does not of course include the frame.
89. There is now on the market a ready-made, veneered birch door known as the Korelock door. In using these doors, it is always cheaper to make the door frame of the correct size to take stock-size doors. The price of these doors is quite reasonable. For a 2' 8" × 6' 8" × ⁶/₄" door, with six cross-panels, the price is $2.80 for ⅛-inch veneer; if the door is ⁷/₄ instead of ⁶/₄ inch, the price is $3.25. This price of course includes no hardware or frame. A 2' 8" × 6' 8" × ⁶/₄" two-panel door costs $3.30, and if ⁷/₄ inch, it costs $3.75. A 2' 8" × 6' 8" × 1⅜", half-glass door, with plain glass, costs $5.55; with art or lace glass, the price is $6.20. This price includes the glass. If the door is 1¾ inches thick instead of 1⅜ inches, 65 cents should be added to the two prices just stated.
A fair workman can hang, trim, and put hardware, including mortise lock, on about four ordinary doors per day. For veneered doors, or those requiring extra care, not more than two can be put in place in a day by one man.
90. Cost of Baseboards, Rails, and Moldings.—The cost of material and fitting in place of baseboards may be estimated at 1³/₁₀ cents per square inch of section per linear foot. This price is for pine; if hardwood is used, the price will be 2 cents. The same rule also applies to chair rails, cap rails, and natural-finish picture moldings.
91. Cost of Paneling and Wainscoting.—Paneling may be estimated at 20 cents per square foot for ⅞-inch pine; if over ⅞ inch, add simply for extra material. If the paneling is of hardwood and veneered, add 50 per cent. to the price of pine.
Plain wainscoting may be estimated at 9 cents per square foot, the cap being figured separately by the linear foot.
92. Cost of Stairs.—The cost per step for an ordinary stairway, constructed according to the following specifications, is about $3.55. For a better class of work, about one-quarter should be added to this price. Length of steps, 3 feet; tread, Georgia pine; riser, white pine; open string, white pine; nosing and cove; dovetail balusters, square or turned; rail 2½ in. × 3 in.; 6-inch start newel, cherry; two 4-inch square angle newels, with trimmed caps and pendants; simple easements, furred underneath for plastering; treads and risers tongued together, housed into wall strings, wedged, glued, and blocked.
The material of such a stairway will cost about $1.84 per step. This rate includes landing fascia and balustrade to finish on upper floor. The labor on the same, mill work and setting in place, is about $1.71 per step. For example, for a stairs having 17 steps and landing balustrade (including return, about 14 feet), the entire cost will be 17 × $3.55 = $60.35, of which $31.28 will represent the cost of dressed lumber, including turned balusters and newels and worked rail, and $29.07 will represent the cost of labor in housing strings, cutting, mitering, and dovetailing steps, working easements, fitting and bolting rail, and erecting stairway in building.
93. Cost of Verandas.—For small dwellings, it has been found by experience that a veranda built according to the following specifications will cost about $3.75 per linear foot: Width, 5 feet; posts, turned, set 6 or 8 feet on centers; floor timbers, 2 in. × 6 in.; flooring, ⅞-inch white pine, sound grade; rafters, 2 in. × 4 in., dressed; purlins, 2 in. × 4 in., set 2 feet on centers; roof sheathing, ⅞-inch white pine; box frieze and angle mold; angle and face brackets; steps; no balustrade.
To include balustrade with 2-inch turned balusters, add about 60 cents per linear foot.
For a veranda built according to the following specifications, the cost will be about $6.75 per linear foot: Width, 8 feet; columns, 9-inch, turned; box pedestals; box cornice and gutter; level ceiling; roof timbers, 2 in. × 6 in.; roof covered with matched boards; tin, a good grade; floor timbers, 2 in. × 8 in.; floor, 1¼-inch white pine, second grade, with white-lead joints; no balustrade.
Including balustrade, with 2½-inch turned balusters, rail, and base to suit, add 80 cents per linear foot.
Where a portion of the veranda is segmental or semicircular, a close approximation to the cost will be had if the circumference of the circular part is measured, and a rate fixed at twice that for straight work of the same length. This applies to veranda framing, roofing, casing, and balustrades.
STRUCTURAL STEEL
94. The price of structural steel varies continually as the steel market fluctuates. The cost of erecting steel also varies continually and depends on the difficulties to be overcome. Heavy steel work costs less per pound than light roof trusses and domes, because less shop work is required in proportion to the weight. For average prices in the eastern part of the United States, heavy steel may be taken at 3³/₁₀ cents per pound. Roof trusses, due to extra framing, will cost about 3⁸/₁₀ cents per pound, and light, complicated dome work will cost 6½ cents per pound. These prices are for steel delivered and painted. To erect steel costs anywhere from ½ to 2 cents per pound, depending on local conditions.
HEATING AND VENTILATING SYSTEM
95. Heating and ventilating work should be estimated as indicated in the following paragraphs:
Estimate all pipes and fittings the same as for plumbing. Sum up all standard radiators, and the price per square foot of radiation. Figure special radiators separately.
Itemize all valves, air vents, hangers, etc.
Estimate on pipe coverings by linear foot.
Estimate sheet-metal, indirect-radiator casings in pounds.
Estimate sheet-metal flues and smoke pipes by the linear foot; but estimate elbows and dampers separately.
Estimate register boxes, registers, and borders separately.
Make separate items of expansion tanks, hot-water damper regulators, and furnace regulators.
Figure heaters, steam boilers, and furnaces from manufacturers’ catalogs.
In estimating on heating by furnace, the average cost of labor is about one-third that of materials. For steam and hot-water heating, the ratio is about one-fifth.
The cost of a hot-air installation is approximately 6 per cent. of the cost of the building; for steam heating, 8 per cent.; and for hot-water heating, 10 per cent.
PLUMBING AND GAS-FITTING
PLUMBING
96. An approximate figure for the cost of plumbing is 10 per cent. of the cost of the building. This figure is for good materials and labor, and of course is subject to considerable variation. The cost of labor alone will average about one-fourth the cost of the materials.
97. Drainage System.—In making estimates for the drainage system, measure all horizontal pipes from the plans and all vertical pipes from the sectional drawings.
Commence at the sewer outlet and measure the main-sewer line forwards into the building; then measure the horizontal branches.
Measure the vertical, soil, waste, and vent stacks to their terminations above the roof, and waste-pipe branches to the fixtures on the several floors.
Itemize the several pipes in the different kinds and classes.
Estimate all earthen pipe by the linear foot, allowing for Portland cement in the joints.
Estimate all cast-iron pipe by the linear foot, allowing for each joint ¾ pound of lead for every inch in diameter of the pipe.
Estimate wrought pipe by the linear foot, inclusive of couplings.
Estimate brass, copper, and lead pipe by the pound.
Estimate all traps, bends, branches, increasers, reducers, and other fittings separately, except such special brass fixtures, traps, and connections as are included in the cost of the fixtures. Do not figure lead bends that are smaller than 2 inches.
Estimate on brass ferrule connections at all points where lead pipe joins iron pipe.
Estimate on all solder joints (wiped), allowing 1 pound of solder for every inch inside diameter of the pipe.
98. Water-Supply System.—For water supplied from street mains, allow for permits, corporation tapping, and curb box.
Measure the service pipe from street main to cellar, and allow for a stop and waste cock inside the cellar wall.
Measure all horizontal distributing pipes from the plan views of the building and all vertical distributing pipes from the sectional drawings.
Measure all branches for the several fixtures on the different floors, to the lawn hydrants, etc.
Itemize the different kinds and classes of pipes.
Estimate lead, brass, and copper water pipes by the pound, and wrought water pipe by the linear foot.
Itemize all stop-cocks, pipe supports, straps, hangers, etc. separately.
Estimate all water-pipe fittings less than 1½ inches by the pound.
Figure on brass solder-nipple connections in all places where lead pipes join iron pipes.
Estimate on kitchen boiler, sediment cock, and range connections; also on faucets for all fixtures other than those which are included in the costs of the fixtures.
Estimate on garden hydrants and lawn sprinklers, and allow a stop and waste cock in cellar for each.
99. Well Supply.—For water supplied from a well, figure on double-action force pump in kitchen or laundry if the well is not deeper than 26 feet below the pump; for a deep well, estimate on a pumping engine or a windmill.
Measure lead tank linings in square feet, and estimate by the pound, allowing 1 pound of solder for every 2 feet of seams.
Allow 2 feet of lead pipe to connect iron pipes to house tank, and for stop-cocks close to tank.
Provide for telltale and overflow pipes for tank.
Estimate copper tanks in square feet and by the pound.
If there are iron, slate, glass, or cedar tanks, figure them separately.
100. Fixtures.—Estimate each fixture separately, and include traps, faucets, waste, vent, and water connections to walls or floors. When the sewer is long and has but little fall, figure on using a grease trap for the kitchen sink.
GAS-FITTING
101. Cost.—The cost of the gas-fitting may be approximately figured as about 3 per cent. of the cost of the building. The cost of labor alone varies from about one-fourth to one-seventh of the cost of materials. The better the grade of fixtures, the lower will be the ratio, provided there is no excessive ornamentation requiring much time to put in place, as the cost of the labor is about the same for cheap fixtures as for more costly ones.
102. Estimate piping the same as for plumbing.
Allow for meter, permits, tapping gas main, etc.
Figure each gas fixture separately set up in place. The owner usually makes a selection of fixtures from the manufacturer’s catalog. Allow for shields, fireguards, etc. in places where there is danger of fire.
Figure gas grates, gas stoves, gas heaters, etc. separately. Where the gas pressure is very high or unsteady, allow for a pressure regulator.
PAINTING AND PAPERING
PAINTING
103. Painting is measured by the superficial yard, girting every part of the work that is covered by paint, and allowing additions to the actual surface to compensate for the difficulty of covering deep quirks of moldings, for carved and enriched surfaces, etc. Ordinary door and window openings are usually measured solid, to compensate for the extra time taken in working around them, “cutting in” the window sash, etc. Porch and stair balustrades, iron railings, and work having numerous thin strips, are also counted solid, for a similar reason. Allowance is frequently made for the distance from the ground that the work is to be done, as in cornices, balconies, dormers, etc., and also for the difficulty of access.
Charges are usually made for each coat of paint put on, at a certain price per superficial yard and per coat.
Graining and marbling (imitations of wood and stone) and varnishing are rated at different prices from plain work.
Capitals and columns and other ornamental work that is difficult to measure should be enumerated, and a clear description of the amount of work on them should be given.
DATA ON PAINTING
104. Quantities.—One pound of pure lead-and-oil paint will cover from 2¾ to 3¼ square yards of wood for the first coat, and from 4½ to 6 square yards for each additional coat; on brickwork, it will cover about 1½ and 2 square yards, respectively. Colored paint will cover about one-third more surface than white paint.
Using prepared or ready-mixed paint, 1 gallon will cover from 250 to 300 square feet of wooden surface, two coats; for covering metallic surfaces, 1 gallon will be sufficient for from 300 to 400 square feet, one coat. The weight per gallon of pure mixed paints varies considerably, but, on an average, may be taken at about 16 pounds.
Prepared shingle stains will cover about 200 square feet of surface per gallon if applied with a brush; or, this quantity will be sufficient for dipping about 500 shingles. Rough-sawed shingles will require about 50 per cent. more stain than smooth ones.
One pound of cold-water paint, for the first coat, will cover from 50 to 75 square feet of wood, according to the surface condition, and about 40 square feet of brick and stone.
One gallon of liquid pigment filler, hard-oil finish, or varnish will generally cover from 350 to 450 square feet of surface for the first coat, according to the nature of the wood and the finish, and from 450 to 550 square feet for the second and subsequent coats. One pound of paste wooden filler will cover about 40 square feet.
One gallon of varnish weighs from 8 to 9 pounds; turpentine, about 7 pounds; and boiled or raw linseed oil, about 7¾ pounds.
For puttying, about 5 pounds of putty will be sufficient for 100 square yards of interior and exterior work.
For sizing, about ½ pound of glue is used to 1 gallon of water.
For mixing paints, the figures given in Table XIV represent the average proportions of materials required for each 100 pounds of lead.
TABLE XIV
QUANTITIES OF MATERIALS
Coat Lead Pounds Raw Oil Gallons Japan Drier Gallon Turpentine Gallons
Priming 100 7 ½ —
Second 100 4 — 2
Third 100 6½-7 — ½
The drier is omitted in the second and succeeding coats, unless the work is to be dried very rapidly, as it is considered to be injurious to the durability of the paint.
On outside work, boiled oil is generally used in about the proportion of 1 gallon to 2 gallons of raw oil.
105. Care in Painting.—In painting woodwork, putty should not be used until after the first coat of paint or varnish has been applied. There are two reasons for this. In the first place, if putty is used on dry wood, the wood is liable to absorb the oil from the putty and leave it in a dry and crumbly condition. Then, also, the oil from the putty soaking into the wood will stain the wood dark, and this stain may be seen through varnish. For this latter reason, putty should be put in cracks and holes with a putty knife and not with the fingers, as otherwise the oil from the putty will get over the fingers and thus be transferred to the woodwork, where it will show as a dark stain if the wood is varnished.
Due care should also be taken in painting woodwork that has knots in it, as otherwise the turpentine in the knot will be sure to discolor the paint in course of time. To avoid this, the knots should be coated, or killed, with a coat of shellac before the first coat of paint is applied. The shellac prevents the turpentine in the knot from soaking through and discoloring the paint.
106. Cost of Painting.—The cost of applying paint on general interior and exterior work will average about twice the cost of the materials, while for very plain work, done in one color, the cost may be taken at about 1½ times that of the materials. For stippling, the cost will be about the same as for two coats of paint. For varnishing, the cost of labor will be about 1½ times the price of the varnish.
The following figures represent fair average prices, for various classes of work, and have been adopted by the Builders’ Exchange of a large eastern city:
Cost Per Square Yard Cents
Interior Work
1 coat of paint, including shellacking knots 10
2 coats of paint, including puttying 20
3 coats of paint, including puttying 25 to 30
1 coat of shellac 15
Walls, 1 coat of size, 2 coats of paint 20
Walls, 1 coat of size, 3 coats of paint, stippled 30
Hardwood Finish
1 coat of paste filler, 1 coat of varnish 25
1 coat of paste filler, 2 coats of varnish 40
1 coat of paste filler, 3 coats of varnish 50
1 coat of paste filler, 3 coats of varnish,
rubbed down to dull finish 60 to 75
Finish on Soft Woods
1 coat of liquid filler, 1 coat of varnish 20
1 coat of liquid filler, 2 coats of varnish 30
1 coat of liquid filler, 3 coats of varnish, rubbed 50
Floors: filling, shellacking, varnishing,
or waxing, 2 coats (or 4 coats in all) 40
Tinting Walls (Cold-Water Paint)
Tinting, 50 yards or less, including sizing 12
Tinting, 50 yards or more, including sizing 10
107. In staining hardwoods with open grain, such as oak, chestnut, ash, etc., it is customary, when a varnished surface is required, to stain the paste filler with oil colors so as to secure the desired tint and then finish with three or four coats of varnish. The staining adds about 5 cents per square yard to the cost of varnishing.
When it is desired to color the silver grain, or medullary rays, revealed in quarter-sawed material, the usual plan is first to stain the material with an oil or an aniline stain that permanently affects only the silver grain. Afterwards, the paste filler colored to the desired tint is applied, and this, on entering and closing the open grain, buries the first stain, but does not cover that over the medullary rays. This, as in the previous method of staining, adds about 5 cents a square yard to the cost of varnishing.
Another method of treating oak, chestnut, and ash is to stain the wood to the desired shade with an oil stain of the proper tint. This stain is applied with cheesecloth to an even surface, and, after puttying, one coat of flat varnish is applied. This process costs about 25 cents per square yard.
For silver-gray effects, the addition of aluminum bronze to the oil stain will give a pleasing effect. This costs about 28 cents per square yard.
When it is desired to have the open grain show a white effect, the usual method is to use a paste filler with zinc white added and then a coat of flat varnish. This costs about 30 cents per square yard.
Oak, chestnut, and ash maybe colored by fuming (to give the effect of age) with the vapors of ammonia released in a closed box. This effect is also produced by several patented processes. It costs about 30 cents per square yard.
Exterior Painting
Cost Per Square Yard Cents
Woodwork
1 coat of paint 10
2 coats of paint, including puttying 18
3 coats of paint, including puttying 25 to 30
Common and Pressed Brickwork
1 coat of paint 15
2 coats of paint 25
3 coats of paint 35
Penciling and lining joints on painted brickwork 05
Penciling joints on pressed, unpainted brickwork 10
Sanding
2 coats of paint, 1 coat of sand 28
3 coats of paint, 1 coat of sand 35
Miscellaneous Cost
Dipping shingles, per 1,000 $3.00
Additional coat, per 1,000 shingles .50
Brush-coating shingles, per square yard .15
Blinds, per square foot, 1 coat, painted on both sides .04
Additional coat for blinds, per square foot .04
Iron fence, per square foot, 1 coat, painted on both sides .04
Tin roof, per square yard, 1 coat .05
Additional coat for tin roof, per square yard .04
Note.—For painting sand-lime bricks, double the prices given for common and pressed brickwork.
PAPERING
108. Papering is usually figured per roll, put on the wall. The paper is generally 18 inches wide, and is in 8-yard rolls; double rolls are 16 yards. On account of waste in matching, etc., it is difficult to estimate very closely the number of rolls required, but an approximate result may be obtained as follows: Divide the perimeter of the room by 1½ (the width of paper in feet); the result will be the number of strips. Find the number of strips that can be cut from a roll, and divide the first result by the second; the quotient will be the number of rolls required. No openings less than 20 square feet in area should be deducted, in order to compensate for cutting and fitting at such places. About 15 per cent. should be added to the area to allow for waste. The border, whether wide or narrow, is generally figured as one roll of paper.
The cost of paper is extremely variable, ranging from 15 cents to $6 per roll; the average cost is probably 25 to 50 cents per roll, for ordinary houses. Paper hanging costs from 10 cents to $1 per roll, according to quality, with strips butted.
GLAZING
109. Glazing was formerly included in the painter’s contract, but as it is now customary and more convenient to oil or paint and glaze the sash at the mill when they are made, the glazing is included in the joinery specifications, and is not considered as a separate subdivision of estimating work.
In measuring glass, take the dimensions between rabbets each way when the panes are rectangular; if irregular or circular in form, take the extreme dimensions, and consider the panes rectangular. It costs about 1½ cents per square foot of light to glaze a window. This price includes the cost of putty.
Polished plate glass is used extensively for store-front windows and also for glazing window sash in fine work. There are three qualities: French plate, and two grades of American plate, which may be obtained in various sizes up to 8 feet wide and 14 feet long. The cost of plate glass is estimated by the aid of a price list that gives the cost of the various sizes. This list is furnished by dealers and remains the same from year to year; it is known as the standard list. The fluctuations are provided for by means of a discount, which is the same for all sizes of glass.
TABLE XV
PANES OF WINDOW GLASS PER BOX
Size Inches Panes in Box Size Inches Panes in Box Size Inches Panes in Box Size Inches Panes in Box
6 × 8 150 16 × 22 21 22 × 28 12 26 × 58 5
7 × 9 115 16 × 24 15 22 × 30 11 28 × 28 9
8 × 10 90 16 × 34 13 22 × 32 10 28 × 30 9
8 × 12 75 16 × 38 12 22 × 34 10 28 × 42 6
9 × 11 73 16 × 44 10 22 × 36 9 28 × 52 5
9 × 12 67 18 × 20 20 22 × 38 9 30 × 30 8
9 × 13 62 18 × 22 18 22 × 48 7 30 × 40 6
10 × 12 60 18 × 24 17 22 × 52 6 30 × 50 5
10 × 14 52 18 × 26 16 24 × 24 12 30 × 54 4
10 × 16 45 18 × 32 13 24 × 26 12 32 × 32 7
10 × 18 40 18 × 36 11 24 × 28 11 32 × 36 6
12 × 14 43 18 × 42 10 24 × 30 10 32 × 48 5
12 × 16 38 18 × 52 8 24 × 32 10 32 × 52 4
12 × 18 34 20 × 20 18 24 × 34 9 32 × 58 4
12 × 20 30 20 × 22 16 24 × 36 9 32 × 62 4
12 × 22 27 20 × 24 15 24 × 38 8 34 × 34 6
12 × 24 25 20 × 26 14 24 × 40 8 34 × 36 6
14 × 16 32 20 × 28 13 24 × 42 7 34 × 46 5
14 × 18 29 20 × 30 12 24 × 44 7 34 × 50 4
14 × 20 26 20 × 34 11 24 × 46 7 34 × 56 4
14 × 22 24 20 × 36 10 24 × 52 6 36 × 36 6
14 × 24 22 20 × 38 10 24 × 60 5 36 × 44 5
14 × 26 20 20 × 40 9 26 × 26 11 36 × 48 4
14 × 36 14 20 × 52 7 26 × 28 10 36 × 54 4
14 × 40 13 22 × 22 15 26 × 32 9 36 × 58 3
16 × 18 25 22 × 24 14 26 × 44 6 36 × 64 3
16 × 20 23 22 × 26 13 26 × 52 5 40 × 60 3
When stained or art glass is used, the specifications generally limit the cost, as the glass is made according to the architect’s designs or to approved designs submitted by manufacturers. The price depends more on the amount of lead or copper used than on the cost of the glass itself, and therefore no very close estimate can be made. The following figures are only approximate:
Cost Per Square Foot
Clear glass $1 to $3
Opalescent glass $1 to $3
Plate glass $2 to $4
Cathedral glass $3 to $5
Favrille glass About $8
Ordinary window, or sheet, glass is sold by the box, which contains, as nearly as possible, 50 square feet, whatever the size of the glass may be. There are two qualities of ordinary glass, known as single and double thick, the former being about ¹/₁₆ inch thick, and the latter nearly ⅛ inch. Single-thick glass should never be used in panes over 24 in. × 24 in. in size. Table XV gives the number of panes of window glass in one box of 50 square feet.