The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Estimating Frame And Brick Houses
Plastering
Generally the contractor sublets all the plastering and stucco cornice work that is to be done on any job he may have in hand, but that does not do away with the necessity of the contractor knowing how many yards of plastering for which he must provide, or feet of stucco cornice called for by the specification, and the prices of same. Usually plastering is done by the yard, and varies as to cost from 18 to 35 cents per yard, according to locality, cost of material and labor. As a rule, when materials are high labor is also high. Something also depends on the class of work. If three-coat work, the cost will be from 3 to 5 cents per yard more than if two-coat work. If the last coat is "hard finish''—that is, finished with plaster of Paris—it will cost from 2 to 10 cents per yard more than if finished in lime. It will take about 18 laths 11/4 inches wide and 4 feet long to cover 1 yard, and 1000 yards will require about 61/2 pounds of threepenny nails to fasten them on. The average cost of lathing, including all material for the purpose, after the walls are properly prepared, is at the rate of 3 cents, if the work is done in an ordinary building. In public buildings, churches, halls, and where much scaffolding is required, the cost, of course, will be much more. If wire or expanded metal lathing is used, which is sometimes the case, the cost will increase over the foregoing from 25 to 40 cents per yard.
In estimating the number of yards of plastering in any building, local usage regarding openings and untoward places will have to be considered. In some places openings are not deducted at all; in others half the openings are allowed to the plasterer; while in others all openings covering 7 yards and over are deducted, counting both sides of doorways, and all openings under 7 yards are claimed by the plasterer.
Returns of chimney breasts, pilasters and all strips less than 12 inches wide should be measured as 1 foot, and when the plastering is finished down to the wainscoting, or base, 6 inches should be added to the height of the walls.
Closets, raking ceilings, stair soffits and other similar work should have 50 per cent, added to the measurement. Circular or elliptical work should be doubled in price, and domes, groined ceilings and small oriels should be charged three prices.
"In stucco work, all moldings less than 1 foot in girt should be rated as 1 foot; over 1 foot to be taken as superficial. When work requires two molds to run the same cornice, add one fifth. For each internal angle or miter add 1 foot to length of cornice; and for each external angle add two feet. All small sections of cornice less than 12 inches long rate at 12 inches. For raking cornices, add one-half; circular or elliptical work, double price; domes, groins and similar work, three prices."
