Estimating in Building Construction

Doors and Windows 193

EXAMPLE 15-4 RESIDENTIAL DOORS

Determine the doors required for the residence in Appendix B. The
first place to start is with the door schedule (Figure 15.13). Just as
with the window schedule, this table should list all of the unique
types of doors. The task for the estimator is to find and count the
different types of doors.

15–6 Door Frames

The door frames are made of the same type of materials as
the doors. In commercial work, the two most common types
are steel and aluminum. The steel frames (also called door
bucks) are available in 14-, 16-, and 18-gauge steel and come
primed. Steel frames are available knocked down (KD), setup
and spot-welded (SUS), or setup and arc-welded (SUA).

Many different styles and shapes are available, and the instal-

lation of the frame in the wall varies considerably. Usually

steel frames are installed during the building ofthe surround-

ing construction. For this reason, it is important that the door

frames are ordered quickly; slow delivery will hinder the

progress of the job. Also, the frames must be anchored to the

surrounding construction.

FIGURE 15.14.Door Installation Productivity Rate. 

Labor Hours

Doors and Frames per Unit

Residential, Wood

Prehung 2.0 to 3.5

Pocket 1.0 to 2.5

Not prehung 3.0 to 5.0

Overhead 4.0 to 6.0

Heavy duty Add 20%

Commercial

Aluminum Entrance, per door 4.0 to 6.0

Wood 3.0 to 5.0

Metal, prefitted 1.0 to 2.5

FIGURE 15.15.Commercial Building Door Schedule. 

FIGURE 15.13.Residence Door Schedule.

1–3/06/8 panel door with glass sidelites

2–6/06/8 aluminum and glass sliding doors

5–2/86/8 hollow core (h.c.), wood, prefinished

2–3/06/8 solid core, wood, prefinished

3–2/46/8 hollow core, wood, prefinished

1–7/08/0 overhead garage door, 4-panel, aluminum

4–5/06/8 hollow core, bipass, prefinished

The labor costs are typically expressed as so many labor hours per

door. Figure 15.14 shows productivity rates for installing doors.

Labor Cost ($)48 hours$13.50 per hour$648

1 exterior door with sidelites at 6 labor hours6 labor hours

4 bipass doors at 3.0 labor hours per door12 labor hours

1 overhead door at 5 labor hours5 labor hours

2 prehung solid core at 2.5 labor hours per door5 labor hours

8 prehung hollow core at 2.0 labor hours per door16 labor hours

4 labor hours

2 aluminum and glass doors at 2.0 labor hours per door

EXAMPLE 15-5 COMMERCIAL BUILDING

The commercial building in Appendix A has a door schedule found
on sheet A9.1. This door schedule not only shows all of the doors
but also shows their location, fire rating, and required hardware.

Figure 15.15 is that schedule. If the drawings are that detailed, the

takeoff simply becomes an accuracy check.