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Estimating Frame And Brick Houses
Day's Work In Outside Painting.
A day's work in painting outside a two-story frame building is 100 yards—including knotting—for priming coat, and 80 yards for either second or third coat, which, of course, includes " puttying " up and doing whatever sandpapering may be required. The work in all cases is supposed to be done without being obliged to build scaffolding. An ordinary door, including casings, will on both sides make from 8 to 10 yards of painting, or say 5 yards to each door without jambs or casings. The style of finish on architrave will regulate to a large extent the surface measure of jambs and trimmings, as it must be understood that the painter is entitled to pay for all quirks, edges and undulations in moldings. For instance, his measurements are made with a tape line held against the wall on one side of the doorway, and the line is then pressed into all the quirks, beads, bends, rebates and moldings, and is continued round the jamb to the opposite side of the doorway until the wall is again reached. This measurement, which gives the surface of the jamb and casings, is multiplied by the hight of the doorway to top of casings, and the result is then multiplied by two, which gives both sides of the doorway. To this must be added the surface measurement of the top trimming, which is the sectional measurement as obtained with the tape line multiplied by the exact opening of the doorway.
We have been a little particular on this point, as in our experience we have had several disputes to settle on this question of measuring the surface of door and window trimmings, when the painter has claimed the right to exact pay for the doorway measured from the floor to top of casings, and also for width of doorway over all, which was manifestly wrong, as that system would give him the surface measurement of the corner blocking twice, which in deep finish would mean often 11/2 yards extra to one doorway, and many dollars when many doors were employed.
An ordinary window, casings included, has about 31/2 yards of surface to cover on the inside; this, of course, includes cutting in sashes.
When graining is done, a good day's work for one man is 50 yards, and it will require another man one day to " rub in," so that in estimating it is the better way to allow 25 yards of graining as one day's work.
Measuring Outside Work.
In measuring up outside work use a tape line, bending it around every molding, as explained in the measurement of doorways. Commence directly under the shingles, lapping the line in the crown mold, fillet, fascia, planceer, bed mold, and all other members, and bending it over the edges of the siding or clapboards as you come down the building, then over the cap of water table until the foundation is reached, if painted so low down. This will give the hight of building, which must be multiplied by the length of the side, which is obtained in like manner by the use of the tape line.
