BRICKWORK
34. Brickwork is generally estimated by the thousand bricks laid in the wall, but measurements by the cubic yard and the perch are also used. The following data will be useful in calculating the number of bricks in a wall. For each superficial, or square, foot of wall 4 inches (the width of one brick) in thickness, allow 7½ bricks; for a 9-inch (the width of two bricks) wall, count 15 bricks; for a 13-inch (the width of three bricks) wall, allow 22½ bricks; and so on, estimating 7½ bricks for each additional 4 inches in thickness of the wall. The preceding figures are for bricks about 8½ in. × 4 in. × 2¼ in. in size. If smaller bricks are used, the thickness of the walls will be decreased proportionately.
If brickwork is estimated by the cubic yard, allow 500 bricks to a yard. This figure is based on the use of bricks of the size just given and mortar joints not over ⅜ inch thick. If the joints are ⅛ inch thick, as in face brickwork, 1 cubic yard will require about 575 bricks. In making calculations of the number of bricks required, an allowance of, say, 5 per cent. should be made for waste in breakage, etc.
The practice in regard to deductions for openings is not uniform throughout the United States, but, usually, small openings are counted solid, as the cost of the extra labor and the waste in working around these places balances that of the brickwork saved. All large openings, 100 square feet or over in area, should be deducted. When openings are measured solid, it is not customary to allow extra compensation for arches, pilasters, corbels, etc.
Rubbed and ornamental brickwork should be measured separately, and charged for at a special rate.
DATA ON BRICKWORK
35. The following estimates on the cost of brickwork are very carefully compiled, and will be found trustworthy. It should be understood that the prices will vary with the cost of materials and labor; the proportions, however, will be constant. The figures are based on kiln, or actual, count; that is, with deductions for openings. When the work is measured with no deductions for openings, the cost per thousand may be assumed as about 15 per cent. less than the prices given, which are exclusive of scaffolding, hoisting, and builder’s profit. The scaffolding will cost, according to conditions of the structure and site, from 5 to 7 per cent. of the prices given.
Cost of Common Brickwork
per Thousand Bricks
Cost of Straight, Pressed Brickwork,
per Thousand Bricks
| Using Lime-Putty Mortar | |
| 1,000 pressed bricks, cost from $20 to $40 (average) | $30.00 |
| 1½ bushels of lime | .38 |
| ¼ cubic yard of fine sand | .38 |
| Bricklayer, 27 hours, at 60 cents per hour | 16.20 |
| Laborer, 27 hours, at 25 cents per hour | 6.75 |
| Total | $53.71 |
ESTIMATING BRICKWORK
36. The following figures and method of estimating brickwork were supplied by an estimator of a large eastern contractor. The prices given include office expense and builder’s profit. The wages per hour on which these figures are based are: Bricklayers, 65 cents; hod carriers, 25 cents; and common laborers, 18 cents.
Following are mentioned four distinct classes of brick buildings, and in [Table IV] are given the labor prices per thousand brick for the various stories of buildings of these classes.
1. Absolutely plain factory buildings.
2. Factory or office buildings broken up with a few pilasters and other projections; stretcher-brick facing, neatly cleaned down and pointed.
3. Office buildings of fairly ornamental type, well broken up with pilasters, projecting courses, etc., with pressed-brick facing.
4. Highly ornamental brick buildings, molded cornices, pilasters, raised quoins, sunk molded panels, and numerous flat and segmental arches.
TABLE IV
LABOR PRICES PER THOUSAND BRICK FOR
FOUR CLASSES OF BRICK BUILDINGS
| Part of Building | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | Class 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basement | $ 7.50 | $ 7.50 | $ 8.50 | $ 9.50 |
| First floor | 8.00 | 9.00 | 10.50 | 13.50 |
| Second floor | 8.50 | 10.00 | 11.00 | 14.00 |
| Third floor | 9.00 | 10.50 | 11.50 | 14.50 |
| Fourth floor | 9.50 | 11.00 | 12.00 | 15.00 |
| Fifth floor | 10.00 | 11.50 | 12.50 | 15.50 |
| Sixth floor | 11.00 | 12.00 | 13.00 | 16.00 |
The prices in the table include the cost of mortar. If the cost of brick at building is added, the result will be the total cost of brickwork exclusive of scaffolding. The average price of total brick labor in buildings of class 1 is $8.50; of class 2, $9.50; of class 3, $11.50; and of class 4, $14.
37. The following miscellaneous brick prices, including labor and mortar, but not brick, are from the same source as the prices given in the preceding article, and are based on the same condition, the prices being in bricks per thousand:
| For heavy basement walls and similar masses | |
| of brickwork | $ 7.00 |
| For 18-inch brick walls not over two or three | |
| stories high, in hard brick with struck joints | 8.00 |
| Same as above, but for 13-inch walls | 9.00 |
| For 18-inch brick walls, as above, but faced | |
| on one side with pressed brick | 12.00 |
| For 18-inch brick walls, as above, but faced on | |
| both sides with pressed brick | 16.50 |
| For 13-inch brick walls, as above, but faced | |
| one side with pressed brick | 14.00 |
| For 13-inch brick walls, as above, but faced | |
| both sides with pressed brick | 14.00 |
| Add to above, if of English or Flemish | |
| bond, on entire cost of wall | .50 |
| If work is broken up into light piers, requiring | |
| a lot of plumbing, add to cost of wall as above | 1.50 |
| If a large number of segmental arches must | |
| be turned, add to total cost of wall | 1.00 |
In addition to the preceding schedule two useful rules to remember are: For pressed-brick segmental arches, add for labor 1½ times the cost of bricks; for pressed-brick arches requiring radial brick, add for labor twice the cost of straight, pressed brick. As radial brick are shipped to the building in barrels and have to be unpacked and laid out on the full-sized diagram on the floor, it will be found that the rate given is not excessive.
For brick vault arches, the cost of labor, exclusive of mortar, will be about $5 per thousand brick. If pointed underneath, 7 cents per square foot will have to be added. If the centers are left in place until the mortar has set, it will be necessary to rake out the joints and wet them before pointing. This will cost about 10 cents per square foot.
TERRA-COTTA WORK
38. Terra-Cotta Floor Arches.—The cost of terra-cotta floor arches varies somewhat with the span and with the difficulties encountered in putting up and removing the centering. If the building consists of a number of stories, the centering that is used on one floor may be reused on a floor several stories higher up, in this way decreasing the outlay for centerings. For ordinary spans, the following analysis of the cost of a 12-inch arch, exclusive of the cost of the terra cotta itself, will be found quite accurate, provided the centering is put up by experienced laborers. The price given is per square foot of arch.
| Cents | |
| Centering | 3 |
| Hoisting and laying | 3½ |
| Mortar | ½ |
| Total | 7 |
This price is for work showing a flat ceiling. If the ceiling is much broken up by girders, the price, exclusive of the terra cotta itself, will be about 8 cents per square foot.
As a price per square foot, including the cost of terra cotta, setting, and mortar, the following figures may be taken. These, however, do not include the cost of plastering, or of any concrete fill above the terra cotta.
| Cents | |
| 10-inch arches | 23 |
| 12-inch arches | 25 |
| 15-inch arches | 29 |
39. Terra-Cotta Partitions.—In office buildings, terra-cotta partitions are usually erected on top of a floor in order to divide the space into such rooms as will suit the tenants. This work is generally done after the building is otherwise completed. An analysis of the cost of such partitions is given in [Table V].
TABLE V
COST OF TERRA-COTTA PARTITIONS
| Thickness Inches | Cost of Setting per Square Foot, Including Mortar Cents | Cost of Terra Cotta per Square Foot Cents | Total Cost per Square Foot Cents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| 6 | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| 10 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
The cost of placing 8-inch, terra-cotta backing to brickwork is 6 cents per square foot.
TILING
40. Although not always of a brick or terra-cotta nature, it will be found more convenient to consider all tiling together and at the same time that the cost of brickwork is taken up.
Only very general figures can be given on the cost of tiling, as this cost depends considerably on the design to be carried out. The cost per square foot of various styles of tile laid in place is as follows:
MACKITE
41. Mackite is a fireproofing material used for partitions in very much the same way as terra cotta. As this material is put in place by bricklayers, its cost will be taken up here.
Where there are many openings, two bricklayers and one laborer can set 240 square feet of mackite in 8 hours; in a straight wall, without openings, these same men can set about 400 square feet. The market price for 2" × 12" × 30" blocks is 6 cents per square foot; for blocks 3 inches thick, it is 8 cents per square foot. The average price for both material and labor for 2-inch mackite is 10 cents per square foot; for 3-inch material it is about 12 cents per square foot.