Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 697.

OF MEASUREMENT OF MASON WORK.

AN ACT to provide Uniform Rules for the Measurement of Masonwork.

WHEREAS great confusion has occurred in the past by reason of the different methods of measuring mason work, and because of the lack of some uniform system frequent contentions and disputes have arisen, which a settled and uniform standard would have prevented;

AND WHEREAS said uniform standard has worked satisfactorily and beneficially wherever adopted and enforced, and it is the purpose of the legislature to provide such a uniform system for this State; now therefore

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

SECTION I. That hereafter the following shall be the rules for the measurement of masonwork in this State:

The units of measurement shall be as follows:

1. For excavation, the cubic yard.

For concrete foundation, the cubic yard.

For concrete floors, the superficial foot.

For dimension stone footings, the superficial foot.

For dimension stone bridge masonry, the cubic foot.

For dimension stone surface dressing, the superficial foot, extra price.

For rubble work, the perch of twenty-four and three-quarters cubic foot.

For rubble work surface dressing, the superficial foot, extra price.

For brick work, the thousand brick.

For plastering plain surfaces, the superficial yard.

For plastering cornices, the running and superficial foot.

2. A perch of stone shall contain, when measured in the wall, twenty-four and three-quarters cubic feet; when measured in square piles on the ground, twenty-seven cubic feet.

When measured in boats, thirty cubic feet.

When measured in cars, thirty-one and one-half cubic feet.

All stone to be measured in the wall when practicable.

Any mason work contracted for, in which the contractor agrees to furnish both materials and labor at a stated sum per perch, shall be measured and computed according to the following rules governing the measurement of mason work, i. e., mason measure shall be the basis of settlement.

3. Excavation:

All excavation to be measured and computed by the actual amount of material displaced. No allowance for rehandling. Walls to be measured by the lineal foot in depth;

4. Concrete.

Foundation, measure actual contents. Floor, measure actual surface laid, except that no deduction be made for open tile drains.

5. Dimension stone:

Footings to be measured each course separately. No deductions for drain or other openings under walls two feet, or less, in width.

Bridge masonry, compute actual cubic contents.

Surface dressing of all kinds extra.

6. Rubble work:

Footings to be measured by actual cubic contents.

Note. Footings are all such foundation courses not exceeding sixteen inches in height as are wider than the body of wall above.

7. Walls:

Compute actual contents and for each angle or corner of ninety degrees in a vertical wall, add two cubic feet for each foot in height of the wall, if the wall is battered add two and one half cubic feet for each foot in height.

For each angle of more or less than ninety degrees in any wall, add two feet in length of wall.

8. Partition walls:

Intersections of walls, measure actual contents of the walls and add one cubic foot for each foot in height for each angle made by the faces of the intersecting walls.

9. Circular walls:

For round walls, for length of walls, take one and one-fourth times the girt measure.

10. Pilasters and projections:

All projections, such as chimney breasts, piers connected with walls and pilasters, to be measured actual cubic contents and add thereto one cubic foot for each intersection of the sides of such projection with the wall, and two cubic feet for each outer corner for each foot in height. If such projections are battered on the outer face, add two and one-half cubic feet instead of two cubic feet for each outer corner for each foot in height.

11. Piers.

Square or polygon piers, to be measured actual cubic contents; if vertical, two cubic feet to be added for each corner for each foot in height. If battered, add instead two and one-half cubic feet for each corner for each foot in height.

12. Round Piers, add three feet to the measured diameter of the pier, and compute the contents, with this sum used as the diameter, the height to be taken as measured.

13. Stepped piers or piers with vertical offsets.

Stepped piers or piers diminishing from the bottom by offsets shall be computed by the above rule No. 10. And also add the stun of the areas of the level surface of the several steps (excepting the top of the pier) multiply by one foot in height.

Provided however that all such parts of independent piers as are six inches or more below the surface of the ground are to be computed actual contents, and one cubic foot added for each foot in height or depth.

14. Recesses and slots:

All recesses and slots to be measured solid, and in addition thereto allow one cubic foot for each foot in height.

15. Arches:

Stone arches are classed as cut stone work.

16. Openings:

Deduct contents of windows, doors and other openings, measuring from top of sill to spring of arch, and add three cubic feet for each jamb for every foot in height of opening. No deduction to be made for cut stone trimmings and lintels.

17. Jambs:

For any jamb, caused by differences in heights in parts of the same wall, or in adjacent walls, except in junctions of partition walls, add two cubic feet for each foot in height.

18. Change in height of walls after having been leveled:

Compute the additional amount of masonry and add thereto one foot in height of wall.

19. Gables.

Gables to be computed one and one-half times the actual contents.

20. Beam filling:

For beam filling, on level walls, add one foot in height of wall; on gable add one foot in height of wall by the extreme width of gable at its base.

21. Minimum height and thickness of wall:

No wall to be computed at less than eighteen inches in thickness, nor one foot in height.

22. Brickwork:

Compute the actual number of bricks laid.

When in the wall and practicable, the number of bricks to be estimated by actual count; when not practicable to so count them the following rule to be taken as a basis for estimating the number, viz:

Every superficial foot of "one-half brick (four and one-half inches) wall" to be estimated at six and one-half bricks; of one brick (nine inches) wall at thirteen bricks, etc. Increase the number of bricks by six and one-half bricks for every additional half brick in thickness of wall.

23. Measurement of party walls:

Party walls to be measured according to the above rules, and joist holes to be charged at the rate of fifteen cents each.

24. Plastering and lathing:

To be measured by the superficial yard from floor to ceiling for walls, and from wall to wall of ceiling.

25. Corners, beads, etc.:

All corners, angles, beads, quinks, rule joints and mouldings to be measured by the lineal foot on their longest extension.

Add one foot for each stop or mitre.

26. Cornices:

Length of cornices to be measured on walls. Plain cornices, of two feet girt, or less, to be measured on walls by the lineal foot.

Plain cornices exceeding two feet girt to be measured by the superficial foot.

Add one lineal foot by girt for each stop of mitre.

Enriched cornices (cast work) by the lineal foot for each enrichment.

27. Arches, corbels, etc.:

Arches, corbels, brackets, rings, centre pieces, pilasters, capitals, vases, resettes, basses, pendants and niches, by the piece.

28. Openings:

Openings in plastering to be measured between grounds.

No deduction to be made for opening of nine feet or less.

For openings of more than nine feet square, deduct contents of openings.

Passed at Dover, April 17, 1893.