The cost of cleaning and pointing face brickwork will vary with the kind of brick to be cleaned, as it is easier to clean brick with a smooth surface than with a rough texture. An experienced man should clean 95 to 100 smooth brick or 75 to 80 rough brick per hour.
Waterproofing Foundation Walls
For one-half inch plaster coating, composed of one part Portland cement to two parts sand, 2 bags Portland cement and 4 cubic feet of sand will be required to cover one square, that is, 100 sq. ft. of wall surface, and it will require one-half hour of laborer's time for mixing. An experienced workman and helper should cover from 40 to 45 sq. ft. of surface per hour.
For a coating either of hot asphalt or of pitch, to be well applied with a heavy mop, approximately 200 pounds of material and a half day for two men will be required to cover 10 squares of wall surface. About one gallon of creosote sizing would be required per square, with only one-half to a quarter as much labor as for the waterproofing.
Handling of Materials
The storage space for all materials should be convenient to the building, and where the team can reach it so that rehandling may be avoided.
Face Brick
When face brick are delivered on the job, they should be immediately compared with the sample, previously selected, for color, size, and quality, to prevent any misunderstanding later when they are laid in the wall. If shipped by freight, they should be examined before being unloaded from the car. Face brick should be stacked in neat piles, laid either on edge, face up and protected with straw, or on their sides in such a way as to protect the faces. Laborers, in carrying face brick to the mason, should place them face up for the convenience of handling.
Common Brick and Tile
Except on large jobs, common brick are not usually stacked. They are dumped in a pile which makes it easier to wet them down thoroughly as explained later. Hollow tile should be stacked in neat piles to prevent undue breakage, each size and shape being piled separately.