This section is from the book "Modern Buildings, Their Planning, Construction And Equipment Vol2", by G. A. T. Middleton. Also available from Amazon: Modern Buildings.
The following is a list of the usual abbreviations adopted on the Dimension and Abstract sheets:-
A.b. . as before. b.s. . both sides.
Ct. . . Cement.
Circ. . Circular.
Co. . Course.
Ddt. . Deduct.
Diam. . diameter. E.O. . Extra only. F.E. . Fitted ends. incl. . including. irreg. . irregular lab. . labour. M. . . Mortar. mi. . . mitre. mo. . moulded. m.g. . make good. narr. wi. narrow widths. o.s. . one side. purp. made purpose made. P.C. . Prime cost. ro. . . rough. semi. . semicircular. segm. . segmental. sht. lens. short lengths. sm.quan. small quantities. 2ce . . twice. 3ce . . three times. 4ce . . four times. wrot. . wrought.
R. F. & R.
Return, fill in, and ram.
Ar. . . Arch.
B. . . Brick.
B. & P. Bed and point. Co. . Course.
C. & P. Cut and pin, or
Core and parget. chy . chimney. D.P.Co. Damp proof course. F.C. . Fair cutting, foots . footings. relvg ar. relieving arch. R.C. . Rough cutting. R.W.P. Rake out wedge and point.
B. & J. Bed and joint.
Circ. F. Circular face.
Mo. F. Moulded face.
P.F. . Plain face.
P.S. . Portland stone.
R.S. . Rough sunk face.
S.F. . Sunk face. Y.S. . York stone. S.W.T. Sunk weathered and throated.
Archve. Architrave, bd.fl. . bead flush, centg. . centering. chfd. . chamfered. D.C.F. deal cased frames. D.H. . Double hung. F.E. . Featheredged,or not. mi. & retd. ends. J notched, mitred, and returned ends.
Fitted ends. frd . . frames. H.B.S. Herring-bone strutting.
O.S.W.
& Chk T. sills.
Oak sunk weathered, and checkthroated sills.
o.g. . ogee.
rebtd . rebated.
sq. . . square, wrot. . wrought.
W.B. . Woodbrick. X tonga Cross-tongued.
C.I. . Cast iron. galvd . galvanised, h.n.&w. head, nut, and washer. R.S.J. Rolled steel joist. R.W.P. Rain - water pipe. W.I. Wrot. iron.
C.C.N. Close copper nailing. H.P. . High pressure, jt. . . joint. S.D. . Screw down sold. . soldered.
ct . . cement, distem. distemper.
L.&P. | Painter | ||
L.P. & S. | Lath plaster and set. | two oils. | |
L.P.F& S. | Lath plaster float and set. | four oils. | |
limewh. | |||
P.C. | Portlandcement. | K.S.P. | Knot,stop,prime. |
R. . . | Render. | Var. . | Varnish. |
R.&S. | Render and set. | ||
R. F. & S. | Render float and set. | ||
wh. . | whiten. | B.P.P. | British polished plate. |
weathg | weathering. |
Exceedingly valuable as these are, especially in the matter of saving time, to the experienced quantity surveyor, the beginner should adopt them gradually and with caution. It is better to work slowly than to run the risk of a mistake. Probably, also, though the above abbreviations are customary, no two surveyors use them all, or if so, in the same sense necessarily; while the extremely practised man will originate others, which he will himself understand with ease, and use them freely. There is, in fact, no fixed rule in the matter beyond that the use of abbreviations is customary, and those in the above list, being in common use, are generally understood.
 
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