27. The following figures show the approximate cost of cut bluestone for various uses:
| Flagstone, 5-inch, size 8' × 10', edges and top | ||
| bush-hammered, per sq. ft., face measure | $ .75 | |
| Flagstone, 4-inch, size 5' × 5', select stock, | ||
| edges clean cut, natural top, per sq. ft. | .45 | |
| Door sills, | 8" × 12", clean cut, per lin. ft. | 1.35 |
| Window sills, | 5" × 12", clean cut, per lin. ft. | .80 |
| Window sills, | 4" × 8", clean cut, per lin. ft. | .45 |
| Window sills, | 5" × 8", clean cut, per lin. ft. | .60 |
| Lintels, | 4" × 10", clean cut, per lin. ft. | .65 |
| Lintels, | 8" × 12", clean cut, per lin. ft. | 1.25 |
| Steps, sawed stock, | 7" × 14", per lin. ft. | 1.10 |
| Water-table, | 8" × 12", clean cut, per lin. ft. | 1.25 |
| Coping, | 4" × 21", clean cut, per lin. ft. | 1.20 |
| Coping, | 4" × 21", rock-face edges and top, | |
| per lin. ft. | .50 | |
| Coping, | 3" × 15", rock-face edges and top, | |
| per lin. ft. | .35 | |
| Coping, | 3" × 18", rock-face edges and top, | |
| per lin. ft. | .40 | |
| Platform, | 6 inches thick, per sq. ft. | .50 |
To the preceding prices of cut stone must be added the cost of setting, which for water-tables, steps, etc. will be about 10 cents per linear foot; and for window sills, etc., about 5 cents per linear foot. In addition, about 10 cents per cubic foot for fitting, and about 5 cents per cubic foot for trimming the joints after the pieces are set in place, should be allowed.
28. In a day of 8 hours, a stone cutter can cut about 4 square feet of granite, about 6 square feet of bluestone, or about 8 square feet of Ohio sandstone or limestone. These figures are for 6-cut, patent-hammered work. For rock-face ashlar (beds worked about 3 inches from face, the rest pitched), a workman can dress from 15 to 25 square feet of random ashlar per day; and from 18 to 20 square feet of coursed ashlar. In dressing laminated stone, from two to three times more work can be done in a day on the natural surface than on the edge of layers. In figuring cut stone, ample allowance should be made for waste, which, on an average, will be 15 per cent.
ADDITIONAL METHOD OF
ESTIMATING ASHLAR
29. The following method of estimating the cost of cut stone is employed by many practical stone men. It is based on the fact that most ashlar walls have about the same number of sills, belt courses, lintels, water-tables, etc. in proportion to their volume, and therefore all the stonework, both the ashlar proper and the other cut stone, may be lumped together at one price per cubic foot. For estimating purposes, stone may be divided into two classes: soft stone, such as the sandstones, and hard stone, such as the granites.
30. Soft Stone.—Indiana limestone may be taken as an example of soft stone. In the Eastern Pennsylvania district, where the stone cutters’ wage rate is 50 cents per hour, the cost of this kind of stone is about as follows:
| Rough blocks, per cubic foot | $ .75 |
| Sawing, jointing, cutting, rubbing, waste in stock | 1.50 |
| Total | $2.25 |
If the work is tooled, which is preferable for this material, 20 cents per cubic foot should be added. Thus the value in the yard, but ready to set, for an ashlar front, including water-table, sills, lintels, belt courses, all ordinary moldings, and plain cornices, is $2.45 per cubic foot.
Consoles, dentils, panelings, and similar ornamental work, mantels, and interior work have no fixed prices, but must be governed by the estimator’s knowledge of time required to cut any particular kind, sometimes reaching $5 per cubic foot. If moldings are deeply undercut, an extra price will have to be charged.