Prior to placement, forms should be clean and all forms, falsework, reinforcing steel and embedded items must have
been completed (and inspected). Construction joints and dowels should be sandblasted and treated to remove laitance. Batch plant and hauling should be approved and scheduled to ensure quality and the correct mix upon delivery.

The schematic drawings are conceptual and are the first representation of the owner’s needs, spatial requirements and how the building will ultimately function.

Main lines are heavy, unbroken lines that show the main outlines of the wall, floor, elevation, detail, or section. Hidden or invisible
lines are light, dashed lines that indicate the outlines of an object hidden or obstructed from immediate view.

Class ABC fire extinguishers are multipurpose dry chemical extinguishers, which cover the possibility of the three basic types of fires.

Batt or roll insulation, rigid insulation, loose fill insulation, and polyethylene vapor barriers are taken-off by SF.

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.

A standard interior door is 6'-8" high, 2'-0" to 3'-0" wide and typically 1-3/8" thick, with 1-3/4" thick, softwood frames.

The specified intervals are as noted in the contract specifications or code. Materials used for joining copper water pipe are solder, flux and gas, which are difficult to estimate. Using industry standard charts estimating "pounds of soft solder required to make 100 joints," the contractor may arrive at a fairly accurate amount for each.

Soil stability determines the angle of repose. The more cohesive the soil, the steeper the angle of repose. Non-cohesive soils
such as sand and gravel, require more shallow slopes and may further require shoring, or a trench box, to mitigate a potential
cave-in. OSHA has specific requirements for trenches and slope ratios based on soil stability type, trench depth and duration of openness.

Bricks come in numerous types and sizes. Sizes are nominal, not actual. The difference between actual and nominal is made up
by the thickness of the mortar. Most are modular in design, and generally a multiple of 4".

Concrete is taken off by the CF, converted to CY. For estimating and purchasing purposes, 1 CY = 27 CF.

Most HVAC manufacturers make these modular units, which may be assembled vertically or horizontally. Commercial ducts are regulated and classified in one of 2 groups determined by flamespread and smoke developed or spread.

General conditions are rules and regulations on which the contract is based. The content addresses 14 basic articles found
in AIA201: General Provisions, Owner, Contractor, Administration of the Contract, Subcontractors, Construction by Owner/Separate Contractors; Changes in Work, Time, Payments and Completion: Protections of Persons and Property, Insurance and Bonds, Uncovering and Correction of Work, Miscellaneous Provisions, and Terminations or Suspension of Contract.

Generally ceiling panels are installed first and may be single or double nailed. Single-nailed ceilings are usually spaced approx. 7 in. O.C. Screws are spaced 12" on the ceiling.

Vertical control joints are provided for expansion and contraction support for the wall. They require compressible pre-molded joint
filler. Control joints vary by thickness and are taken-off by the vertical linear foot (VLF).

Net area = perimeter x  height - wall openings = 2060; Sheet area = 4 x 9 = 36; Number of sheets = 206 0/38 = 57.22 = 58

Example: For a 1000 SF masonry wall, ties spaced 2'-0" O.C. each way; 1 tie is required every 4 SF of wall; 1000 SF = 250  ties; 4 SF per tie.

A story pole is a straight piece of wood with the desired height marked on that is used to mark the trimmer stud at each window with the required height. In most cases, designers desire that the window heads be lined up with the door head jamb, which is usually 6'-8" (2.03 m) above the floor.

Perforated pipe is used to dewater it is usually found around exterior basement wails and at the bottom of foundations, approx.
2 ft. out from the foundation wall. As with all pipe installation, take-off is by LF for pipe. Excavation and backfill are paid for by
the CY.

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.

Tolerances for a story height is 3/4" or 1/2" in 40 feet or more. Wall thickness tolerance must be within 1/4" plus or minus 1/2" of the dimensions shown on the plans.

Recommended slack at each outlet is 8". However when estimating a wire-run, an additional 20 percent should be added to the length to account for wire not running in a straight line. Ail wires and conductors are taken-off per LF. All fittings, devices and boxes are taken-off per each item.

Low-lift grout ensures cells are filled solid down to the previously poured lift. However, additional costs are incurred due to the
delay created in erecting the wall. High-lift grout is placed in cells upon completion of the top course of masonry work. Highlift grouting is a continuous process unlike low-lift grouting. The vertical reinforcing is placed after the wall is completed. Weep holes must be made at the base of the wall.

Construction details on plan drawings may also be scaled at 1" =1'-0". Elevation plans are scaled at 1/4: = 1"-0". Plot plans are
scaled at either 1/16" = 1'10" or 1/8" = 1'-0’. Site plans are scaled at 1/32" = 1'-0".

The quantity for take-off is the computation of the SF area. A standard waste factor of 3-5 percent should be added.

Various types of risk and allocation of responsibility are contained in contract clauses. An exculpatory clause should be inserted as well, intended to shift the responsibility, for example, from the designer's errors and omissions to the contractor. Allocations of risk denote who is lawfully responsible and liable for violations under the law in connection to the work. Responsibilities are  the contractor's, however some may be shared with the owner, such as acts of God and weather extremes, etc.

When drywall is taken-off by the whole system, all components are included and quantified as SF. When individual drywall components are taken off, drywall is taken-off by the SF of surface area to be covered, with quantities separated according to the type and thickness, and may be extended to the number of specific size sheets required. Multiple layers of fire-rated assemblies should be listed in the take-off according to their position in the assembly. Taping, finishing, joint compound and texturing are taken-off by the SF of coverage. Reinforcing tape and trim are taken-off by LF.

Board feet is the equivalent of a piece of wood measuring 1 -foot wide, 1-foot long, and 1-inch thick. For calculation purposes,
lumber measuring less than 1" thick, is counted as the full inch. The board's width in inches, must be converted to feet. Board feet = (T x W x L) n = (1 ft. x 1°/12 ft. x 18 ft.) 62 = 930; Where: T = nominal thickness; W = nominal width; L = length in feet of the individual piece; n = number of pieces.

Hand grading is taken-off by the SF or SY. Machine grading is taken-off by the SF and converted to a larger unit such as SY or acres.

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.