The first item of the specification under this heading is "Examine and repair the defective stone coping to parapet."

This entails a visit to the roof. Several of the items that follow in the specification refer to the roof, all of which must of course be taken while there; where any parts of the coping are broken, new must replace them; where they are only loose they must be reset; take the length in either case; if new, enter in the description the kind of stone, width, and thickness, and describe what labour there is on it: 4. 12" X 2 2/1" rubd. on

------ fa. & 2 ed. & doub.

Td. Portd. copg.

2 1/2 jt. to old.

1 Take out old pce. of cop.

The description is rubbed on face and edges and double-throated Portland coping. The next entry is No. 2 half joints; this is one to each end. If the coping is thicker on one edge than the other, describe it as F.E., i.e., feather edge; if the coping only needs resetting, enter the number of feet.

4. Take off copg. and

------ reset.

If the coping is cramped, and any cramps are loose, take refixing in lead or cement as before.

The next item is "Examine and wedge, and point any loose lead flashings, and repair or replace any of the lead gutters, flashings, aprons, etc, found defective." These items on roof are very difficult to get at when estimating, as there is seldom any ladder or convenience of any kind to get about with, so that much has to be guessed at; you will have to note the loose flashings, and enter them in feet run: 7. W. & P. flash.

-----Note if any part of the soldering to lead work is defective, and take feet run of sold. jt, i.e., soldered joint; take any redressing required to gutter, where the lead has buckled up. The ceilings immediately under the roof will tell where there has been any leakage. This remark applies also to the next item of specification, "Take out any broken slates from roof and put in new blue Bangor Countess slates;" here the cracked slates have to be counted and new provided, and any that have slipped down must be refixed.

8 Refix 20 x 10 slates.

12 New do. and fix.

The sizes of slates mostly used are - Ladies 16 x 8, Countess 20 x 10, and Duchess 24 x 12, and they are cut these sizes (there are many others) in every quarry, and may be had grey, blue, red, and green, and in Portmadoc almost black; in all cases the colours are dull.

The description to the last entry of "No. 12 new do. and fix," is understood to include the taking out the old slates.

Next in the specification comes, "Rake out all pointing to chimneys and parapets, and point with a neat struck joint, gauging the mortar with Portland cement; make good any defective fillets to chimney pots, etc."

Take this pointing to chimney stacks, etc, by the foot super, entering (the dimension is of course only assumed) :9.

2. S. J. Pt. inc. R. out.

----This description is, struck joint point, including rake out; or you can enter R. & P. S. Jt.

If the chimneys are hard to get at, a scaffold must be allowed for, enter: 1 Allow for scaff.

For do.

Take the defective fillets round the pots, etc., by the foot run; if large, describe width; if there are any projecting courses, called sailing courses, or any moulded courses, and any of the fillets are broken or missing, take new in a similar manner, by the foot run.

The next item of specification is "Erect proper scaffold, and rake out the joints of front brickwork, clean down the brickwork and colour to match Malm facing, and point with a white tuck joint, making good any defective pointing round frames in reveals." The first thing to take is the scaffold: I Prov. scaff., erect & ta. down (55' by 27' 3").

Enter roughly the size, as shown, for reference; the poles will require to go down into the area; then measure the entire front (for pointing, etc.) and take the deductions from it, adding for the reveals to windows, or doors, where they are pointed ; having the height of each floor entered in your measuring book, where you have taken the paper, etc, you can add these together on waste. Do not forget the skirting is taken off height for measurement for paper, and the cornice, where there is one. Add these and add the thickness of floors, say they are 12 in. each (a very general average), and then any part above top ceiling line in parapet, etc.; or the courses of bricks may be counted, and by measuring 12 courses the average of 4 arrived at; this is generally about 12 in., then the division of the courses by 4 gives the number of feet in height; the width is of course easily taken; measure from the centre only of any party wall, but to the extreme angle of an external one to a corner house. Enter first the superficial dimension of pointing as: 55. R. & T. pt. inc.

27.3 colorg. b.wk.

-----Then take the deductions for windows, doors, or any cement or other dressings, entering the heading Ddct. ; then entering Add ; take the reveals from the dimensions of the deductions for windows and doors; supposing a window opening 7 ft. high by 4 ft. wide, then the reveal is twice 7 ft. and once 4 ft. added together.

Add.

19. Revl.

----- 7

7. 5

----19

5 inches is allowed for a half-brick reveal, sometimes even

6 inches; the first is the usual one.

Take the feet run of defective pointing round frames, in addition to the foregoing superficial dimension.

The next item of the specification is "Erect a scaffold to the back, clean down the brickwork, and point with a plain rule joint, or bastard tuck, not colouring the bricks as to the front.

Measure this in the same manner as described for the front, the description, of course, differing as specified. Enter the scaffold again, that to the front may of course be used for the back, but there is the getting it through or round, erecting it, and taking it down. Enter the description of the pointing, etc, to the back as "W. and pt. wi. pla. ru. jt.," i.e., wash and point with plain rule joint

Next comes, "Point round the frames where necessary, and make good any damage, after removal of scaffold."

Take the pointing round frames as before, by the foot run, taking the dimension from the deduction; many old houses have the reveals of windows at back rendered in cement; there is of course no pointing to reveal to take then; a one brick or 9-inch reveal is taken as 9 inches wide, a one and a half brick or 13 1/2 inch reveal, as 14 inch, a two brick as 18 inch, though should either really measure more you would be entitled to it. The make good damage should be included in an item which will follow on in "General."

The next item in specification is "Repair or replace any broken or defective iron gutter, or rain-water pipe." The gutter and rain-water pipes must be examined, and new taken for any defective part; measure them both by the foot run, and take the extra painting on them with it. In the specification further on, the external work is described to have three coats of paint, so that one oil must be included with the new gutter and rain-water pipe if any are required; the gutters and rain-water pipes being taken for painting three oils right through, i. e. over the part new as well; no provision will be needed for ladders, etc, as these can be done from the scaffold erected for the pointing; if any angles outlets, or stop-ends are required to gutter, number them; the same with heads, bends, or shoes to the pipe, giving their size in the description:6. 5" o.g. gutt. & 1 O.

---1 Ang.

4. 4" R.W.P. & 1 O.

----The descriptions are, 5-inch ogee gutter and one oil; one angle; 4-inch rain-water pipe and one oil.

The next item is, "Take up the broken paving in front and back areas, and provide and lay 2 1/2" tooled York paving in mortar, and neatly jointed with the same."

This must be measured in the same manner as shown for paving in scullery; if the whole is not required, but only in parts, mention it in the description, as it will of course be worth much more to take up stones here and there, and cut new ones just to fit the place.

4. 2 1/2 T. Yk. pav. in M., inc. 2. takg. up old (single sto.) ------ (Bk. area).

3 2.6

-----2. Do.

2.3

-----1 Ho. for R.W.P.

This last entry is presuming there is a hole cut to allow the rain-water pipe to pass through the paving.

Next comes, "Provide a new 6-in. square bell-trap, and fix in front area." This must of course be entered as a number; if the old stone is broken a new must be taken, and the hole cut and rebated for the trap.

1 Ho. cut thro' 2 1/2" and reb. for trap.

The next item of specification is, "Wash and paint all external work that is now painted three coats in good oil colour, the woodwork to front entrance to be finished dark green and to have four coats, carefully pumiced down at each coat, and twice varnished after with the best carriage varnish."

Measure this painting in a similar manner to that inside, number the frames, number the squares, super the sills or other dressings that are painted, the doors, etc.; take the rain-water pipe, gutter, cement reveals, iron railings, etc, by the foot run; the railings, if only plain square or round, by the foot run of bar, taking the perpendicular length of each bar, and then the horizontal rails; enter the length of bar and times by the number of bars.

8.26/ 4.6 1 1/4 sqr. I. bar, 3 O.

-----2/ 13. 2 X 1/2 rail.

------2/ 4.3 do.

------The entry is 26 times (and add 8) 4.6 of 1 1/4 in. square iron bar, 3 oils; the second entry is presuming there is a top and bottom rail, the 13 ft. being the dimension of front, and the 4.3 of the return in door entrance. If two entrances come together, all work must be taken up to the centre of party wall. Where the railing is an ornamental one, take the length and give the height in description.

2/ 17.3 3 O. on ornl. iron rail------- ing 4.6 high.

Where there are any stone or cement dressings it is usual to take the girt; if you are not able to get to them you must guess at it (where the actual girth or girt of the work is taken it must be divided by 9, not 8).

The cellars are not mentioned in the specification, but the painting to them must be included with the other external painting; limewhiting, not being mentioned, should not be taken; when measured it should be as a "super," arches and sides together, and brought into square yards for pricing.

The external painting should be kept by itself generally, as it would have to be done from ladders; most of it could be done in this case from the scaffold erected for pointing.

No limewhiting is mentioned for the front area, therefore it is not necessary to include it; it would be measured in the same manner as that to cellars. When the lime-whiting is in a very bad condition it is usual to give it three coats.

The servants' w.c. at back would have to be taken as far as the description in specification applies to it; the pan cleaned, the woodwork painted, the walls and ceilings distempered (unless the walls are papered).

This ends the "External."