Mechanical and electrical drawings must be reviewed for pipe trenching or conduits that are in the basement or under slab-ongrade. This work is often overlooked since it is not shown in civil drawings. Most site work is shown on the civil drawings, which the contractor uses to determine the cut and fill quantities to bring the site to the new grade.

Requirements, Contract Forms, General Conditions and Specifications. These sections are further subdivided into 16 divisions.

A slope grade is specified by its pitch, or ratio of horizontal run (distance) to rise or fall (height). A slope of 6:3 indicates there is a 3-foot rise, or 3- foot drop, for every 6 feet of horizontal distance.

Working drawings must comply with all regulatory agency requirements and include all of the detail that the contractor will need to prepare an estimate.

Standard (wood strip) flooring is manufactured in various thicknesses and is nailed or installed with adhesives according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Parquet is generally installed with adhesives. Hardwood plank that is impregnated with acrylic and pre-finished laminate and hardwood veneer are installed with adhesives as well.

The conversion factor to change sq. ft. to sq. yds. is "9'. 124% = 138.6 = 139 sq. yds.

HVAC equipment can develop hazardous pressures or temperatures when the water level in a steam boiler drops below a predetermined level. Relief valves protect the system against excessive line pressure.

Insulation blankets and batts with protective water-resistant paper coverings are installed with the paper facing the interior of the building to keep dampness and moisture away from the wallboard and batting. Plastic sheeting forms a vapor barrier in place of the insulation paper. When unfaced blankets are used, the entire wall must be covered with plastic sheets.

Studs are used as the vertical components of the metal wall system, and the steel track is the horizontal component.
Regardless of the take-off method used, the contractor must separate walls of different stud widths, gauges, height, on-center spacing, etc.

This take-off consists of frame sections, cross braces, outriggers and planks. All of these comprise the actual size of the staging
unit. Many contractors have some scaffolding available. If more scaffolding is needed, the contractor may need to include rental
costs as well as the erecting, dismantling and moving around of the scaffold during construction, and lost productivity.

The grading permit application must describe the amount of earth to be moved, removed, or added, as shown on attached topographic plans indicating existing and proposed contour lines and drainage devices.

On smaller projects, a brief form may be used. On construction projects intended to be financed by a FHA loan, the Federal
Housing Administration Description of Materials is generally used. The typical specifications format for large projects is
established by the Construction Specification Institute (CSI format). The CSI format is intended to make finding information within a large project easier.

Fixtures are vented to keep water in the trap under atmospheric pressure. Each vent pipe is connected to a vent stack running through the roof, which vents gases generated by wastes.

The amount of steel, in tons, determines the cost of shop priming. Field touch-ups are based on labor hours, and must be listed as a separate item.

To express a decimal fraction as a common fraction, the number after the decimal point is written as the numerator of the common fraction, and the denominator is written as a 1 followed by as many zeros as there are digits to the right of the decimal point.

Pressure regulator valves limit water pressure preventing damage. Saddle valves are also installed on pipes, which have water under pressure. Water hammer arrestors absorb shock waves produced by sudden changes in water flow, float valves control water levels and capacity in tanks, globe valves control
flows of hot and cold water, oil and gas, T and P valves are safety relief valves that sense temperature buildups and open to release excess pressure thus preventing explosions, and strainers collect dirt and debris in a 20 mm mesh screen. Take-offs for each valve is listed according to type, manufacturer, model, size and application.

Raceways enclose and protect bare wires, while cable trays provide support for electric wires that have adequate insulation and do not require added protection. Open raceways only support the wires and are open to inspection and modifications. Conduits, underfloor ducts, wireways and surface metal raceways support insulated electric wire and provide protection. They may be metal, non-metallic, PVC or PE. Raceways are taken-off per LF. Fittings required to make turns and extensions are taken-off per each item

Determining pipe size requires pressure, head, elbows and demand to be calculated using EPA flow pressures and flow rates for fixtures.

Copper is a better conductor of current than aluminum. Larger diameter wire is required in order for aluminum to obtain equal conductivity as that of copper.

Pre-fabricated trusses, or gang-nailed trusses, are commonly used for ceiling assemblies spanning 16 ft. to 46 ft. Roof trusses are made with flat parallel chords in lengths of 50 ft. to 150 ft. Truss rafters are sized depending on the shape and span of the roof framing.

(4x3)+20 = 32

6 x 3 x 10%7 = 66.67 cu. yd.

Dimension lines are not broken when break lines are used. Center lines are alternating long and short lines indicating the center of an object. Extension or dimension lines indicate dimensions, extending from one main object line to the other with arrowheads on either end.

Timber piles are stripped tree trunks driven with the small end down into soft soils. Friction piles get their load-bearing capacity from friction between the sides of the pile and the earth.

Edge forms are constructed from typical rough-grade 2' x 4', 2' x 6' or V x 6' lumber, held together with metal or wood stakes. Edge forms are taken-off by LF.

Where the frost line is near the surface, and when there is not enough space for a full basement, crawl space foundations are constructed to provide access to plumbing and wiring.

The letter classification, for a structural steel piece, refers to its shape, except for angle shapes, in which case, the first 2 of 3
numbers represents the length of the angle legs in inches. The first of the two numbers of the piece designation refers to the actual or nominal depth in inches of the section. The second number refers to the weight per linear foot of the section in Ibs/SF.

The molding for the door sides must be 6'-H’ to allow for mitering. Two side casings can be made from one 14' - 0’ stock piece, or one can be made from an 8'-0' piece. Head casing moldings must allow for mitering and are 3'-2" wide. Two head casings can be made from one 8'-0" piece, or three can be made from one 10'-0' piece.

$1560.00/$7800.00 = 20 percent

Expansion joints are taken-off by LF, but should be listed separately by size and thickness. Control joints, provided by  tooling, saw cutting, and forming, involves take-off quantities by LF.