Page 127 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 104

When stucco is exposed to water for long periods, the color coat flakes off and turns to powder. Remove
the source of the moisture. Then wire-brush the surface and apply a new color coat.

Estimating Procedure for Siding
When measuring quantities for siding jobs, it’s good practice to ignore wall openings (such as windows
and doors). Window and door openings result in only a modest saving of materials, but do increase the
installation cost. Each wall corner will also increase the labor costs. The figures in this chapter assume
a typical job consisting of six corners and 2,500 square feet of siding. Allow one additional installation
hour for each corner over six. The accessories needed for most siding jobs are a substantial part of the
costs: J-channel, starting strip, L-channel, undersill trim, corners, nails, and colored caulk to match the
siding. These figures also assume that you’ll be working with vinyl-siding-ready windows, or that you’ll
simply be trimming around existing doors and windows. If it will be necessary to cover windows with
aluminum trim bent on-site, add figures from the section Aluminum siding trim in this chapter.

On soffits, assume that 30 percent of the soffit will be vented. Trim on fascia and soffit jobs can include
utility trim, starter, cove molding, divider for miter cuts, frieze molding, reversible frieze, overhanging drip
edge, brick trim, matching nails and matching caulk.

The figures that follow assume that the work is done on the exterior of a one- or two-story dwelling.
Work at higher levels requires scaffolding. Add the cost of scaffold or lifting equipment and about 1/2
hour of extra time per 100 square feet of siding installed.

Masonry Fireplaces and Chimneys
Cracks in a masonry chimney will usually be the result of someone attaching an antenna or holiday
decorations at the roof level. Cracks can also be the result of settlement of the fireplace foundation. A
well-built chimney has a terra-cotta flue lining which keeps the chimney air-tight, even when the
masonry exterior develops cracks. If the chimney does not have a fireproof lining, cracks can be a fire
hazard. Chip out and replace any fractured brick. Seal all deep cracks and regrout (tuck point) the
masonry joints. The combustion chamber (firebox) in a fireplace will be lined with firebrick. With age and
frequent use, firebrick can spall and flake, leaving the common brick backing exposed to excessive
heat. Chip out and reset any deteriorated firebrick. House framing should neither support nor be
supported by the chimney. The fireplace and chimney should be supported on a separate foundation. If
the fireplace has developed stress fractures due to settling of either the foundation or the house,
demolition may be the only practical alternative.

Prefabricated metal fireplaces are a good choice for home improvement because they can be set on a
wood-frame floor without a separate foundation and without any masonry.