In the following short work I have endeavoured to show a clear and easy system for measuring repairs, and valuing them at a low rate of profit so as to compete with others.

Where specifications of repairs are given to several builders and decorators, it is simply impossible that such enormous variations as we often see in a list of tenders for this kind of work can occur from one cause alone; both the measurement and the pricing of the measurement must be a long way out with some of the competitors to account for the difference. Some small master painters, taking painting, go into a room and put down a lump sum for that room for distempering, stripping-off paper, cleaning paint, floors, windows, repairing glass, painting, etc.; they take no measurement, and their system is as near, no doubt, as cubing a building, and just as satisfactory; where they nearly all use the same method, it is just a matter of chance who gets it. No such method can make you feel sure of obtaining the work, or make you wonder if you lose it.

There is really so little to learn that every decorator should be able to measure a building from top to bottom with ease, and affix such prices to his estimate that if he does not succeed in obtaining the work he may at least feel sure that it would not pay him to do it at a lower rate.

I have first given a specification of work to be done to a residence in setting it in a perfect state of repair, and then taking each floor, beginning at the top, I have shown, first how to measure the several items, and then how to value them, as most estimators do, without abstracting the dimensions from the book. This is the quickest and cheapest way it can be done, and economy is necessary where so many have to be prepared at the builder's expense. It is a fair average to be lowest in one tender in twenty in ordinary contractor's work, embracing erecting new buildings, altering, decorating, etc, so that it may be calculated that the cost of nineteen estimates has to be added to the one successful one. In decorating, repairs, etc, a clever and careful estimator may considerably reduce this average if he has respectable men only to compete with. I have not drawn the specification in the manner often adopted of separating the trades, as I think it will appear clearer in the form given: Specification of sundry works required to be done at No. -, ---------------, for------------.

A. B., Architect. July, 1890.

Internally. - The materials in all cases to be of the best description.

Top Floor. - Wash, stop, clerecolle, and white the ceilings, strip the paper from walls, repair the defective plastering, and repaper the walls with paper of the value of Is. 6d. per piece exclusive of hanging.

Hack out all broken glass, and reglaze with new of the same quality as it is glazed with now.

Carefully wash the paint, rubbing down any parts requiring it, and afterwards bringing them forward with an extra coat; paint the whole of the work that is now painted, including chimney-pieces, two good coats of oil finished "stone colour."

Paint the rim locks one coat of Japan black.

Repair the panels of door to back room, put new beads to windows of large front room, and new sash fastener.

Repair the floors where necessary, and put new lock to door of back room.

Take off all brasswork, relacquer, and refix it.

Put new back to stove of left-hand front room, and new stone shelf to chimney-piece in place of the one broken, make good after, and paint it four times in good oil colour.

Put 31/2 in. by I in. deal beaded rail in the cupboards of two front rooms, and provide and fix four japanned double hat and coat hooks, the rail to be painted with four good coats of oil colour.

Third Floor. - Wash, stop, clerecolle, and white the ceilings and cornices, and finish the cornices in two tints to choice.

All defective cracks must be cut out and made good with plaster of Paris.

Strip the walls, repair them where necessary, and repaper with paper of the value of 2s. per piece exclusive of hanging or preparing walls.

Hack out the broken glass and reglaze with new of similar description to that now in.

Carefully wash the paint and rub down any parts requiring it, bring them forward with an extra coat of paint, and then paint with three coats of good oil colour finished in two tints to choice.

Repair the floors, filling up any joint exceeding 1/16 of an inch with wood slips well glued on both faces, driven in tight and planed level after.

Relacquer brass work, repair locks, put new spindle to lock of back small room, with china and gold knobs on both sides.

Second Floor. - Wash, stop, clerecolle, and white the ceilings, cornices, and centre flowers, and finish the cornice and centre flowers in two tints.

Strip the walls, repair the plastering where necessary, and repaper with paper of the value of 2s. 6d. per piece exclusive of hanging or preparing walls, that to bath-room to be sized and twice varnished; put borders to the two principal bedrooms of this floor of the value of 2 1/2d. per yard, and corners 6d. each, both prices being exclusive of hanging; each side of these rooms to have the borders returned vertically down the angles so as to form a panel.

Hack out the broken glass, and reglaze with glass similar to that broken; cut away for, and fix in, each of the two best bed-room windows, as directed, a circular hit-and-miss glass ventilator.

Carefully wash the paint, rub down, etc, as before, and paint with three good coats of oil colour where before painted, finishing in three tints, and putting small gold moulding in the inner side of panels of two principal bedrooms and round the ceiling and top of skirtings.

Repair the broken hearth in. small back room, clean the marble chimney-pieces, and refix the loose parts of jamb of the one in small back room with plaster of Paris.