The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Estimating Frame And Brick Houses
Suggestions in Estimating Brickwork
As I have stated in a previous chapter, bricks vary in size, each great center setting the pace, as it were, for all the towns and villages around it, Boston setting the standard for the New England States, which make the bricks 73/4 x 33/4 x21/4 inches In the Central States the bricks ayerage about 81/4 x 4 x 21/4 inches, while in the Western States and some parts of Canada the standard sizes are 81/2 x 41/8 x 221/2 inches, and this size will make the walls measure in thickness about 9, 13, 18 and 22 inches for 1, 11/2, 2 and 21/2 bricks in thickness It is important, then, that the estimator should know the sizes of the bricks to be used in the works estimated upon before closing his estimate, for, as before stated, the size of the bricks used may have quite a bearing on the cost of brick work
As a rule there is no difference in price per M betw een the larger and smaller, or in the laying of same, for a bncklayer will lay in a wall as many of the large as he would of the smaller bricks in a day Bricks taken from the same kiln often vary in size, as those that are made hard by the greater action of fire shrink more than those that are not subjected to intense heat, but, of course the harder the brick the better it is The shrinkage in some cases will amount to 1/4 inch in the length of a brick, and this shrinkage should be provided for in the bulk estimate.
Pressed bricks are more uniform in size than common ones, and their measurement is usually 83/8x41/8x23/8 inches. The laying of pressed bricks is much more costly than the laying of common ones, and I have found that to properly lay pressed bricks and furnish colored mortar for same the cost of laying averages 1 cent for each brick, or $10 per 1000. This, however, does not include cut or gauged work, or the laying of ornamental terra cotta bricks, or belting courses or panels; only plain face work with cut or beaded joints. There is a tile brick (pressed) in the market called Roman brick, that measures 12 x 4 x 11/2 inches This style of brick is also termed Carthagenian, antique and tile brick, according to its color or other qualities. These bricks are used for ornamental work, and sometimes for building altogether. They make a very handsome wall if properly handled. They cost more than ordinary pressed bricks, and it costs from 10 to 25 per cent, more to lay them per thousand.
All the calculations made for cost of labor in this work are based on a nine-hour day's work. When the conditions are different allowance must be made, either by adding to the cost if the eight-hour system is in vogue, or deducting if the ten-hour system prevails. This will be a matter of simple calculation.
