48. Weather Boarding, or Siding.—In measuring weather boarding, or siding, the superficial, or square, foot is usually employed. No deduction should be made for ordinary window or door openings, as these usually balance the waste in cutting and fitting. Careful attention must be given to the allowance for lap. If 6-inch, nominal width (actual width, 5⅝ inches), siding, laid with 1-inch lap, is used, add one-quarter to the actual area of the space to be covered, in order to obtain the number of square feet of siding required. If 4-inch stuff is used, add one-third to the actual area. When, as previously noted, no allowance is made for openings, the corner and baseboards need not be figured separately.
49. Cornices.—As a general rule, cornices are measured by the running foot, the molded and plain members being taken separately. A good method of figuring cornices is as follows: Measure the girth, or outline, and allow 1½ cents for each inch of girth, per linear foot. This price will pay for material and for setting, the cost of the mill work being estimated at 50 per cent.
50. Cost per Square Foot.—For all classes of materials that enter into the general framing and covering of a building, a close estimate may be made by analyzing the cost per square foot of surface; that is, the cost of labor and materials—studs and sheathing in walls, joists and flooring in floors, etc.—required for a definite area should be closely determined, and this cost divided by the area considered, will give the price per square foot. If the corresponding whole area is multiplied by the figure thus obtained, the result will, of course, be the cost of that portion of the work. While the usual custom is to adopt a uniform rate for the various grades of work, a careful analysis will show that roof sheathing, where the roof is much cut up, costs more in place than wall sheathing, owing to its position; also that the studs in walls and partitions cost more than floor joists, as they are lighter and require more handling.
The following example shows how to determine the cost per square foot of flooring and indicates the general method to be pursued in similar cases. The area used in the calculation is a square, or 100 square feet. The cost of labor is estimated at 40 per cent. of that of the materials, as it has been shown by experience that this allowance is a very close approximation to the actual cost of general carpenter work.
Cost of Finished Floor
per Square
| Joists, hemlock, 8 pieces, 3" × 10" × 10', | |
| 200 feet B. M., at $27 per M. | $ 5.40 |
| Bridging, hemlock, 7 sets, 2" × 3" × 1' 4", | |
| 9 feet B. M., at $27 per M. | .24 |
| Rough flooring, hemlock, ⅛ inch thick, laid diagonally, | |
| 100 ft. + 25 ft. + 10 ft., | |
| 135 feet B. M., at $25 per M. | 3.38 |
| Finished flooring, No. 2, white pine, ⅞ inch thick, | |
| 125 feet B. M., at $45 per M. | 5.63 |
| Nails, eightpenny (about) 3 pounds, | |
| at $2.50 per 100 pounds | .08 |
| Labor, 40 per cent. of cost of materials | 5.89 |
| Total cost for 100 square feet | $20.62 |
A similar method may be followed in estimating the cost of interior finish, paneling, doors, etc.
51. Work of a Carpenter per Day.—The quantity of material that a workman can put in place in a day is very uncertain, as it depends on the skill of the man and the ease or difficulty of the work, both being somewhat modified by circumstances. The figures given in [Table VI], while founded on information gained by many years of experience, are only intended to give an idea of the relative quantities and are not a standard to be adhered to in all cases. The estimates are based on an 8-hour day and wages at $3.20 per day. If the hours or pay are less or greater in various localities than the prices given, the results will be correspondingly diminished or increased.
TABLE VI
QUANTITIES OF MATERIAL PUT IN PLACE
PER DAY BY ONE MAN