68. Hardware. - The following is a list of the articles of hardware needed upon a house: -

Doors

Bolts.

Butts.

Cupboard catches

Hinges.

Mortise locks.

Rim locks.

Stops.

Windows

Blind trimmings. Sash cord. Sash fasts. Sash lifts. Sash weights. Special glass. Transom lifts. Transom locks.

Miscellaneous

Anchors.

Bolts.

Drawer pulls.

Hooks and eyes.

Nails, spikes, screws, etc.

Ornamental iron work.

Plates.

Rail bolts.

Rods.

Washers.

Upon ordinary work, the hardware will cost from 3 per cent to 5 per cent of the cost of the house, and 20 per cent of their cost will pay for putting on the trimmings.

69. Painting. - The following figures are about the average for the whole country, but the builder should be sure that they are safe for his locality, before he uses them as the basis of an estimate.

One gallon of paint will cover 200 sq. ft. of new wood, two coats, and 300 sq. ft. of metal roof, one coat.

It is usually safe to estimate that the labor of putting on paint will cost about 1 1/2 times the cost of the paint upon plain work; and upon difficult work, or work in two or more colors, twice the cost of the paint should be allowed for the labor. The labor for varnished work should be estimated as costing about 1 1/2 times the material.

Interior work will cost about 20 per sq. yd. for two-coat, and 25 for three-coat work. A plastered wall sized and covered with three coats of paint will cost about 20 per sq. yd.; stippled, about 30 Hardwood finishing will cost about 40per sq. yd. for filling and two coats of varnish.

Painting generally will cost from 12 to 16 per cent of the cost of the house, but upon rough buildings and cheap work it is sometimes reduced to 6 or 8 per cent.

It costs 25 per double roll to hang common wall paper.

In measuring for areas of painting, make no allowance for openings, as the difference in the work, the under edges of the siding, curves of moldings, etc., will make the measurement just.

A painter can legally claim the privilege of measuring the height of a building by a tape measure, carefully fitting it into all the angles and curves of the siding, water-table, and moldings of the cornice, as all of these surfaces have to be covered with paint.

70. Heating and plumbing. - We will not go into the detail of heating and plumbing, as in every case there are so many different methods of accomplishing results that any data which could be furnished here would be of little value. So we will simply state that a hot-air system will cost from 5 per cent to 8 per cent of the cost of the house, steam heat from 6 per cent to 10 per cent, hot water from 8 per cent to 12 per cent, plumbing about the same, and if the house is to be piped for gas, from 2 per cent to 4 per cent will pay for the piping without the fixtures.

71. Summarizing the estimates. - After the quantities and dimensions of the different sizes, kinds, and grades of material have been calculated and their totals ascertained, the information should be filed away. This unpriced list should be sufficiently accurate, in regard to the quantities and dimensions, to be used in ordering much of the bill stuff, and of the cheaper lumber and other materials which can be ordered by quantity, and be cut afterward. If the figuring has been too close, there may not be enough of the rough material for use as temporary bracing, scaffolding, etc.

The totals of the above quantities and sizes should be arranged by the methods indicated in the following outline, which mentions only enough of the items to suggest the method to be followed; the prices should be carried out, and added to ascertain the total cost of the material.

To this should be added from 5 per cent to 25 per cent each for incidentals and profit. This should be enough, in the judgment of the contractor, to provide a safe margin for all reasonable contingencies, and at the same time to allow him a fair chance of being awarded the contract.

72. Stock bill. - After the estimating has been finished, the student should make out the stock list, which should include in detail the quantities and sizes of every item to be used in the construction of the building, which is not included with sufficient accuracy in the approximation list.

In making this bill, the student should follow closely the instructions and lists of items as included in Topics 61 to 69. Each item should be carefully considered and checked to insure that none are missed or figured twice. Each item to be listed should be specified and estimated generally to the nearest stock dimensions, when framing material and other supplies, which will have to be cut to exact dimensions upon the work, are being considered. The following bill should be ample to suggest the method generally followed in making out the stock list for a building; it includes only items which the carpenter uses, since the masonwork, painting, etc., are usually sublet, the subcontractors making out their own stock lists. The list is only suggestive, and is not to be followed in selecting items, as it is intentionally incomplete, it being assumed that the student will work in accord with the suggestions previously made.

JOHN DOE & SONS

Contractors and Builders