Construction Dimensions

This section explains the dimension layouts that are included in the Construction Starter File.

They will help you to estimate construction costs in residential and light commercial buildings.

DIMENSIONS BASICS
       When to Use | Installing Dimensions

CONSTRUCTION DIMENSIONS
       Basic Dimensions | Foundations | Roof Dimensions | Structural
       Exteriors | Windows & Doors | Finish Dimensions | Room Dimensions

BASIC CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
       Cape Cods & A-Frames | Foundation Details | Multiple Units
       One of a Kind Items | Project Types | Small Quantities
       Tall Buildings | Using Rooms | Vertical Measurements

FOUNDATION TYPES
        Basement Walls | Daylight Basements | Grade Beams | Monolithic Slabs
        Partial Basements | Piers | Slab on Grade | Stem walls

EXTERIOR DETAILS
        Dormers | Exterior Wall Lengths | Gambrel Roofs | Garages
        Mansard Roofs | Roof Additions

INTERIOR DETAILS
        Cathedral Ceilings | Ceiling Heights | Floor Areas | Half Bathrooms
        Interior Walls | Knee Walls | Partly Finished Areas | Room Counts
        Room Walls | Sloped Ceilings | Soffits & Pass-throughs

DIMENSION BASICS
       Entering Dimensions | Using Calculated Dimensions | Entering Locations

RELATED TOPICS
       Assemblies | Cost Items | Calculated Dimensions | Dimensions | Estimates

When to Use Construction Dimensions

Use the construction dimensions if you need to do any of the following types of cost estimation:
  • New Construction estimates
  • Remodeling estimates
  • Insurance repair estimates
  • "Gut and rehab" estimates
  • Estimates for building additions
  • Estimates for room remodeling
You can use the construction dimensions for any of the following types of projects:
  • Estimating Residential projects
  • Estimating Light Commercial projects
  • Estimating Building repairs
  • Estimating Property maintenance
You can also use them for estimating just part of a project, if you are a subcontractor:
  • Estimating Framing work
  • Estimating Roofing work
  • Estimating Painting or siding work
  • Estimating Drywall and plaster work
  • Estimating Foundation and masonry work
  • Estimating Electrical work
  • Estimating Plumbing work

Installing Dimensions

If you start with the Construction Starter File, your company file will automatically include the layouts and calculators for construction estimating.

If you start with a new (empty) file or some other Starter File, you can import the construction dimensions.

Entering Dimensions

To enter estimate dimensions, follow these steps:
  1. Choose Estimates from the Income menu.
  2. Click the New button, or choose New Record from the Edit menu, or find an existing estimate.
  3. Enter an account, estimate name and other details for the Estimate.
  4. Click on the form type button at the bottom of the left side of the window, and choose one of the six dimension layouts.
HINT-- It's usually best to go through the dimension layouts in numerical order.  Dimensions on the higher-numbered layouts are calculated from dimensions on the previous layouts.

Basic Dimensions

The Basic Dimensions measurements work well whenever you do the same work on most or all of the rooms in a project.

Enter Basic Dimensions in any of the following cases:

  • When you are building an entirely new building.
  • When you are adding an addition to an existing building.
  • When you are gutting and rebuilding part or all of an existing structure.
  • When you are repainting the entire interior or exterior of an existing structure.
For repairs or remodeling work where you do different work on each room, enter them as Locations instead.

You can also enter Basic Dimensions for part of a project, and Locations for the rest.  In that case Goldenseal will add their totals together. That's a good approach to use in the following cases:

  • When you add an addition (Basic Dimensions), but also make some changes in the existing structure (Locations).
  • When you gut and rebuild part of an existing building (Basic Dimensions) but also make minor changes in other parts of the structure (Locations).
  • When you paint an entire structure (Basic Dimensions) and also do other work in some rooms (Locations).


Enter the following information for the project:

Project Type-- Choose the type of work you are doing on this project.
Widest Width-- Enter the widest building width perpendicular to the roof ridge (or else the shorter of the two dimensions). For an addition, only include measurements for the new part of the building.
Longest Length-- Enter the longest building length parallel to the roof ridge (or else the longer of the two dimensions).For an addition, only include measurements for the new part of the building.
NOTE-- If you are working on more than one building and want to combine them in one estimate, enter width and length for the largest building.  You'll need to adjust the area and wall lengths so they include the other buildings too.

Number of Stories-- Enter the total number of stories you are working on. Don't include unfinished attics or basements.  Consider a "stepped ranch" building (left) as just one story.  A "split level" building (right) is two stories.
Has Basement-- Turn on the checkbox if the project includes a full or partial basement.
NOTE-- The first five measurements affect nearly all calculated dimensions, so you may need to wait a few seconds for Goldenseal to calculate everything, after you change each number.

Gross Area-- Goldenseal calculates the gross floor area for each story of the project (based on a simple rectangle).  To change the value, click on the padlock to unlock it, and type in a different value.
Outside Walls-- Enter the total length of exterior walls for each story of the project. For an addition, include only the length of addition walls that contact the outdoors.
HINT-- Goldenseal calculates values for these quantities-- you can change the calculated value if it is not correct.
Inside Walls-- Enter the length of interior walls on each story of the project. For an addition, include the wall between the addition and the existing building if you are doing any work on it.
Party Walls-- Enter the length of any party walls (between two units in a multiple-unit project).
Ceiling Height-- Enter the average ceiling height for each story.

Number of Living Units-- Enter the number of living units.
Project Duration-- Enter the approximate number of working days that you'll be working on this project.
Distance to Project-- Enter the distance between the project and your office.
Volume of Building-- Goldenseal calculates the total volume of the project.
Number of Exterior Corners-- Enter the total number of exterior corners on the building.  Include both convex corners and concave corners.  For example, a rectangle has 4 corners, an 'ell' has 6 corners and a 'tee' has 8 corners.  If you are adding an addition, include only the corners on the addition.

Foundations

The Foundation layout lets you enter measurements for masonry and concrete foundations.

For help with specific types of foundations, click here.

Enter the following dimensions for footings and grade beams:

Total Length-- Enter the total length of footings or grade beams that you are building.
Depth-- Enter the depth of concrete.
Width-- Enter the width of concrete.
Total Volume-- Goldenseal calculates the total volume of concrete in cubic feet.

HINT-- If you are pouring a monolithic slab (middle picture), enter footings for the 'extra' concrete in thickened portions around the perimeter of the building.

Enter the following dimensions for basement and stem walls:

Height-- Enter the height of foundation walls above ground level.
Depth-- Enter the depth of foundation walls below ground level.
Length-- Enter the total length of foundation walls that you are building.
Thickness-- Enter the thickness of concrete foundation walls.  If you are building a masonry wall, enter zero.
Total Volume-- Goldenseal calculates the total volume of concrete in cubic feet.

Enter the following dimensions for piers and pilings:

Quantity-- Enter the number of piers or pilings that you are building.
Height-- Enter the height of piers or pilings above ground level.
Depth-- Enter the depth of piers or pilings below ground level.
Diameter-- Enter the average diameter of piers or pilings.
Total Volume-- Goldenseal calculates the total volume of concrete piers in cubic feet.

Enter the following dimensions for floor slabs:

Thickness-- Enter the thickness of each type of floor slab.
Area-- Enter the area of each type of floor slab.
Volume-- Goldenseal calculates the volume of each type of concrete slab.
Total Volume-- Goldenseal calculates the total volume of concrete slabs in cubic feet.
All Concrete-- Goldenseal calculates the total quantity of concrete for all foundation items, in cubic yards.

Roof Dimensions

The Roof Dimensions layout lets you enter measurements for roof framing and roofing materials.

Enter the following basic roof information:

Roof Type--  Choose the type of roof.
Horizontal Area under New Roofing-- Enter the total horizontal (plan) area under new roofing materials.
Horizontal Area under New Framing-- Enter the total horizontal (plan) area that gets new roof framing.
Main Roof Slope-- Enter the slope of the main roof, measured in inches rise per foot horizontal run.

Overhang at Eaves-- Enter the average roof overhang at the eaves (where water goes over).
Overhang at Rakes-- Enter the average roof overhang at the rakes (where water does not go over).
Parapet Height-- Enter the average height of any parapets, from roof surface to parapet top.

Enter the following information for gable ends:

Quantity-- The total number of gable ends.
Width-- The average width of each type of gable end from eaves to eaves.
Height-- The average height of each type of gable end, from eaves to peak.
Wall Area-- The total wall area within the triangle of a gable wall.

Enter the following information for dormers:

Dormer Type-- The type of each dormer roof (shed, gable or hip).
Quantity-- The number of dormers.
Roof Slope-- The average roof slope on dormers.
Height-- The average height of  dormers from roof to eaves.
Width-- The average width of the outside face of dormers.
Depth-- The average depth of dormers, at right angles to the width.
Wall Area-- The total side and end wall area for dormers.

Enter the following calculated roof measurements:

Hips-- The total length of hips (where roof surfaces come together in a sloping line).
Ridges-- The total length of ridges (where roof surfaces come together in a horizontal line).
Valleys-- The total length of valleys (where roof surfaces come together in a way that collects water).
Rakes-- The total length of rakes (where water does not flow over a roof termination).
Eaves-- The total length of eaves (where water flows over a roof termination).
Roofing Area-- The total area that receives a new or repaired roof surface.
Roofing Area in Squares-- The total roof area in squares (100 square feet).
Flashing Length-- The total length of flashing at junctions between roof and wall.
Parapet Length-- The total length of raised parapets.
Downspout Count-- The number of downspouts coming off the roof.

Structural

The Structural Dimensions layout lets you enter measurements for framing, demolition and room counts.

Enter the following structural measurements for roofs, ceilings, interior walls, exterior walls, party walls and floors:
Framing Length-- Enter the total lineal footage of walls of each type.
Framing Area-- Enter the total area for each type of framing.  For walls it's vertical area, for ceilings and floors it is horizontal area.
Framing Thickness-- Enter the average thickness of framing assemblies.
Sheathing Thickness-- Enter the average thickness of plywood or other sheathing materials.
Stud & Joist Spacing-- Enter the average spacing for studs, joists and rafters.
Structure Demolition-- Enter the total area of structural materials that you will demolish.
Surfaces Demolition-- Enter the total area of surfaces that you will demolish-- plaster, flooring materials etc.
Total Wallboard Demolition-- Enter the total area of wallboard on walls and ceilings that you will demolish.

Enter room counts for the following items:
Bathrooms-- Rooms with any kind of bathroom fixtures.
Bedrooms-- Rooms used for sleeping.
Kitchens-- Rooms with any kind of kitchen appliances.
Laundry Rooms-- Rooms with any kind of laundry appliances.
Other Rooms-- Rooms that don't fall into one of the other categories.
HINT-- In a non-residential project, enter everything as bathrooms and other rooms.

Exteriors

The Exterior Dimensions layout lets you enter measurements for garages, decks, porches, sheds, and some dimensions for the overall height of the building.

Enter the following measurements for garages, decks, porches and sheds:

Length-- Enter the length along one dimension.
Width-- Enter the width along the dimension perpendicular to the length.
Height-- Enter the height of the structure off the ground.
Perimeter-- Goldenseal calculates the total length around the structure. You can change this number.
Area-- Goldenseal calculates the total area of the structure.  You can change this number.
Garage Wall Area-- Enter the total horizontal wall area for garages.
Shed Wall Area-- Enter the total horizontal wall area for sheds or other exterior buildings.

Enter the following exterior measurements:

Highest Roof Point-- Enter the height from eaves to the highest roof point.
Top Story Ceiling to Eaves-- Enter the height difference between the top story ceiling and eaves.  This number is often zero or a negative number.
Bottom Floor to Top Story Ceiling-- Enter the total height from the bottom floor to the top floor ceiling.
Overall Building Height-- Enter the overall height of the building.
Height of 1st Floor off Ground-- Enter the average height of the first floor from ground level.
Yard Area-- Enter the area of yard treatment.
Lot Area-- Enter the total area of the lot.

Windows & Doors

The Windows, Doors and Trim layout lets you enter measurements for windows, doors and trim.

Enter the following measurements for windows, skylights and doors:
Quantity-- The number of doors or windows you are including or working on.
Average Height-- The average height for the doors or windows.
Average Width-- The average width for the doors or windows.
Total Area-- The total area of openings for doors or windows.
Number of Custom doors-- The number of doors that are not pre-hung.

Enter the following trim measurements:
Interior Ell Corners-- Enter the total number of room corners that stick out into the rooms.
Total Interior Corners-- Goldenseal calculates the total number of corners in all rooms.
Baseboard Length-- Goldenseal calculates the total length of baseboard.  You can change the number.
Baseboard Width-- Enter the average width of baseboard that you cut out of lumber stock.
Interior Trim Width-- Enter the average width of interior trim that you cut out of lumber stock.
Exterior Trim Width-- Enter the average width of exterior trim that you cut out of lumber stock.
Attic Floor Area-- Enter the total area of attics or other unfinished storage area.
Stairway Count-- Enter the total number of stairway you will build or repair.
Stairway Opening-- Enter the total floor area covered by stairways.
Number of Closets-- Enter the number of closets you are working on.
Closet Shelving-- Enter the total length of closet shelves.

Finish Dimensions

Finish Dimensions are basic quantities for finish work.  Goldenseal calculates most of these measurements from dimensions on previous layouts.

Enter the following gross finish dimensions:

Exterior Walls-- Enter the gross wall area exposed to the outdoors.
Interior Walls-- Enter the gross wall area of walls not exposed to the outdoors.  The area includes both sides.
Ceiling-- Enter the gross area of ceilings.
Wallboard-- Enter the gross area of all wallboard on walls and ceilings.
Finished Floors-- Enter the gross area of floors that receive some kind of finish.

Enter the following net finish dimensions:

Exterior Walls-- Enter the net exterior wall area (gross area minus the area of exterior doors and windows).
Interior Walls-- Enter the net interior wall area (gross area minus the area of interior doors).
Ceiling-- Enter the net area of ceilings (minus any floor cuts).
Wallboard-- Enter the net area of all wallboard on walls and ceilings.
Finished Floors-- Enter the net area of floors that receive some kind of finish (minus the area hidden by walls, or in stairway openings.

Enter the following paint measurements:

Ceilings-- The area of painting that you'll do on ceilings.
Interior Walls-- The area of painting that you'll do on interior walls.
Exterior Walls-- The area of painting that you'll do on exterior walls.
Floors-- The area of painting or other finishes that you'll do on floors.
Interior Trim-- The area of painting that you'll do on interior trim.
Exterior Trim-- The area of painting that you'll do on exterior trim.
NOTE-- Enter the area that will get any type of liquid applied finish.

Enter the following insulation measurements:

Ceiling-- The insulation area in ceilings.
Interior Walls-- The insulation area in interior walls (e.g. for soundproofing).
Exterior Walls-- The insulation area in exterior walls.
Floors-- The insulation area in floors.
Foundation Walls-- The insulation area on foundation walls.
Slabs-- The insulation area under slabs.

Room Dimensions

Goldenseal allows you to base project dimensions on individual rooms.

Enter room dimensions in any of the following cases:

  • For remodeling projects where you'll do different work in different rooms.
  • For an addition combined with work in existing rooms (enter the addition into basic dimensions and the other work as individual rooms).
  • For small projects that only consist of a room or two.
  • For very unusual construction that is difficult to handle with basic dimensions.
To enter room dimensions, follow these steps:
  1. Choose Estimates from the Income menu.
  2. Click the New button, or choose New Record from the Edit menu, or find an existing estimate.
  3. Enter an account, estimate name and other details for the Estimate.
  4. Choose Estimate Locations from the Options menu, and choose New Location from the submenu.
  5. Type in a name for the room.
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each room you'll be working on.
  7. Click on the form type button at the bottom of the left side of the window, and choose one of the rooms.

Enter the following basic room information:

Type of Work-- Choose the type of work that you'll do in this room.
Story-- Choose the location of this room in the building.
Room Type-- Choose the type of room this is.
Longest N-S Length-- Enter the longest length along the walls that run approximately North to South.
Longest E-W Length--  Enter the longest length along the walls that run approximately East to West.

Enter the following information for each of the four walls:

Length-- The wall length on each side.
Area-- The vertical area of wall on each side.
Framing Length-- The length of wall on each side that will be framed.
Wallboard Area-- The area of wallboard that will be installed on each side.
Paint Area-- The wall area that will be painted on each side.
HINT-- Goldenseal calculates values for these quantities-- you can change the calculated value if it is not correct.

Enter the following information for interior partitions:

Length-- Enter wall length of any partitions that are entirely within this room
Area-- The total wall area on both sides of the interior partition.
Framing Length-- The length of interior wall that gets new framing.
Wallboard Area-- The area of new wallboard (both sides).
Paint Area-- The area that gets new paint (both sides).
HINT-- Goldenseal calculates values for most of these quantities-- you can change the calculated value if it is not correct.

Enter the following information for the room ceiling:

Ceiling Height-- Enter the average ceiling height for the room.
Area-- The total ceiling area.
Framing Area-- The total ceiling area that gets new framing.
Wallboard Area-- The total ceiling area that gets new wallboard.
Paint Area-- The total ceiling area that gets new paint.
HINT-- Goldenseal calculates values for most of these quantities-- you can change the calculated value if it is not correct.

Enter the following information for the room floor:

Area-- The total floor area inside the room.
Framing Area-- The total floor area that gets new framing.
Floor Finish Area-- The total area that gets new flooring.
Paint Area-- The total area that gets new paint or clear finish.
HINT-- Goldenseal calculates values for these quantities-- you can change the calculated value if it is not correct.

Enter the following general information about the room:

Siding Area-- The exterior wall area that gets new siding materials.
Roofing Area-- The total room area that gets new roofing above it.
Ceiling Insulation Area-- The total ceiling area that gets new insulation.
Wall Insulation Area-- The total wall area that gets new insulation.
Floor Insulation Area-- The total floor area that gets new insulation.

After you enter room measurements, Goldenseal adds them to the calculated quantities that it displays in the Roof Dimensions, Structural Dimensions and Finish Dimensions layouts.

Cape Cods and A-Frames

Cape Cod buildings (sometimes known as "story-and-a-halfs") and A-frame buildings are unusual because the upper story is inside the roof framing, not beneath it.

To handle the reduction in siding area caused by the lower roof line, enter a negative number for the difference between the top floor ceiling height and the eaves, on the Exterior Dimensions form.

For a Cape Cod, measure from the average top floor ceiling height to where the siding ends under the eaves, and enter it as a negative number on the Exterior Dimensions card.

For an A-frame, measure down from the average top floor ceiling height to the bottom of the sloped roofs, and enter it as a negative number on the Exterior Dimensions card.

For the upper floor of Capes and A-frames (or for other loft areas that fit entirely under the roof framing), enter the length of any gable end walls and any knee walls as exterior walls on the Basic Dimensions or Rooms forms.

If there are no knee walls being built upstairs, and the room extends all the way to the junction of roof framing and floor framing, enter the gable end walls only, since no side walls exist.

When entering upstairs floor area for either type of project, include only the floor area that will actually be finished and walked upon. Storage area under the eaves should not be included in the basic floor areasÚ instead, enter it as attic space on the Windows, Doors & Trim form.
HINT-- If the area above the collar ties has a floor and is used for storage, also include that in the attic area.

Enter the area covered by collar ties under Ceiling Framing Quantity on the Structural Dimensions form. Also fill out thickness and spacing information there.

If you use balloon framing on a Cape Cod project, you may want to add an additional line item in Specifications to cover the extra labor and material for framing at the eaves.

Cathedral Ceilings

Cathedral ceilings and other raised ceilings are handled differently, depending on the layout of the building and the construction type.

Remodeling Project

If you enter rooms for the project, simply enter the ceiling height for each room. Goldenseal will properly compute all dimensions.
HINT-- Be sure that you enter new wall framing between two new rooms into only one of the room cards. Remember that a ¹cathedral® room may adjoin rooms both upstairs and down!

Entire Story Raised

If an entire story has high ceilings, there is no need to do anything special in Goldenseal. Simply enter the high ceiling on the Basic Dimensions form, and everything will be calculated properly.

One Area Raised by a Floor Cut Upstairs

If the project has two stories or more, and some rooms have a raised ceiling because there is no floor above them, it's also easy to handle. Follow these steps:
  1. Enter the lower floor walls and floor areas as normal. For the ceiling height, measure from the finished floor up to the ceiling in the parts that have rooms above them.
  2. For the upper story, enter the ceiling height, as measured from the finished floor to the ceiling above it.
  3. For the upper story, enter all walls that appear on the blueprint plans. This will include walls around upstairs rooms, plus the wall around the ¹cathedral® portion of the lower floor.
  4. For the upper story, enter the floor area that will actually have floor on it. Do not include the area that is open to the lower story.

One Area Raised, No Floor Cut Upstairs

On some projects, one or more rooms have a higher ceiling because the roof is higher, or because scissors trusses or open rafters are used instead of a standard triangular truss.  In

Ceiling Heights

If you enter a project as separate rooms, simply enter the average ceiling height for each room.  Goldenseal will calculate wall areas automatically and accurately.

When you enter ceiling heights into the Basic Dimensions form, enter the average ceiling height for each story that is part of the project.

  • For new construction, include the entire building.
  • For an addition, include the addition only.
  • For a gut/ rehab project, include those portions of the building that are being gutted and rehabilitated.
If the entire story has the same ceiling height, use that measurement.
If only a small part of the project has a lower ceiling height (for example, just hallways and bathrooms) ignore the height reduction, and use the ceiling height found in most of the project.
If ceiling heights vary between different parts of the project, use a weighted average.

To calculate a weighted average, follow these steps:

  1. Take an area that all has the same ceiling height.  Multiply area times ceiling height.
  2. Take the next area with a different ceiling height.  Multiply area times ceiling height.  Add that number to the previous total.
  3. Repeat the previous step for each floor area.
  4. When you are finished, divide the resulting number by the total area.
Treat areas under cathedral ceilings (where the upper floor has been removed to produce an area two stories high) as having a normal ceiling height on each story. Do not enter such areas as double height, since the excess wall area will be figured in when you enter walls in the upper story.

Dormers

A dormer is any smaller roof "cut through" and completely surrounded by the main roof.

It will consist of an outer wall, two triangular side walls, and a roof. If your project contains any new dormers, enter their quantity into the Dormers field. Otherwise enter a zero.

Also enter the following information about dormers:

  • Type of roof-- Choose a shed, gable or hip roof.
  • Slope-- Enter the slope used on the dormer roofs.
  • Height-- Enter the height of the dormers. Measure from the point where the siding stops under the dormer's eaves, down to the lowest point where the dormer meets the main roof.
  • Width-- Enter the width of the dormers, measured at right angles to the slope of the main roof.

Exterior Wall Lengths

When computing the length of exterior walls, start by measuring the total length of all walls that are exposed to the outdoors and that are being worked on, for each story of the project.
  • For new construction, enter the total length of all exterior walls.
  • For an addition, enter the total length of exterior walls in the addition only. Do not include the contact wall where the addition and the old building meet.
  • For a gut/rehab project, include the total length of all exterior walls that will be worked on in some formÚ whether they are getting new framing, new insulation, new wallboard or new trim.
When measuring the length of outside walls, measure right through doors and windows. Include the length of all exterior walls that show up on the plans, even if they are not full height.

Exclude porches, decks and sheds. Also exclude the garage, unless you are including it as part of the main building.

Floor Areas

When computing floor area, start by measuring the total gross area of the project that is within the outside surface of each exterior wall. Then make the following adjustments:
  • Exclude large floor openings, or upstairs areas that have no floor and that are merely part of a high-ceiling room beneath them.  Do not exclude small vents or hatchways cut into a floor. Do not exclude stairway openings on either story through which the stairways run, since they still have something underfoot.
  • Exclude courtyards or other areas not enclosed by the building.
  • Exclude porches, decks, and sheds.
  • Exclude any unfinished areas such as attics or crawl spaces. If the are useable for storage, include them in attic area instead.
  • Exclude utility areas that do not have a finished floor of some kind.
  • Exclude an attached garage, unless you are treating it as a room in the main building

Foundation Details

The Foundation Dimension allows you to enter any combination of footings, basement/stem walls, piers or pilings, and floor slabs, depending on what is needed in your foundations.

This section covers a few common types of foundations.

Stem Wall & Crawl Space

This type of construction rests a framed floor on a continuous foundation wall, which rests on a footing below frost line (or deep enough to prevent lateral movement in frost-free areas).

If the project is new construction, an addition or a gut/rehab, turn off the Basement choice on the Basic Dimensions layout. Enter measurements for the first floor (and any other floors) directly off the blueprints. You don't need to enter anything special about the crawl space itself.

If you enter rooms for the project, enter information about each room being worked onÚ you don't need to enter anything special about the crawl space itself.

On the Foundation Dimensions layout, enter footing dimensions into Footing/Grade Beams, and the stem wall dimensions into Stem/Basement Walls. You probably won't need to use any Piers & Pilings (unless using them for porches or decks) or Floor Slabs (unless you have exterior sidewalk slabs).

When you enter cost items into the estimate, you'll usually include footing, stem wall (either masonry or poured concrete), mud sill, and first floor framing. You may also need gravel, vapor barrier and/or a thin ¹rat proofing® slab on the ground in the crawl space, and crawl space ventilation. Insulation will probably be installed in the floor framing. Perimeter foundation insulation may also be included.

Full Basement

This type of foundation uses a full height foundation wall supporting the first floor framing, and resting on a footing.

If the project is new construction, an addition or a gut/rehab, turn on the Basement choice on the Basic Dimensions layout. Enter the dimensions for interior, exterior and party walls, and the basement ceiling height.

If you enter rooms for the project, enter the basement as one room (or as several rooms if there are interior partitions).

Enter footing dimensions into Footing/Grade Beams, basement wall dimensions into Stem/Basement Walls, and basement floor slab dimensions into Floor Slabs on the Foundation Dimensions layout. You probably won't need to use Piers & Pilings (unless you are using them for porches or decks).

When you enter cost items into the estimate, you'll usually include footing, basement wall (either masonry or poured concrete), basement floor slab (if one is used), mud sill, and first floor framing. You may also need gravel, drainage and/or vapor barrier under the basement slab. Insulation may be installed in the floor framing, outside the foundation wall, or in interior basement framing. A sump pump may also be needed.

Partial Basement

If the project consists of a basement under part of the structure and a crawl space under the remaining area, follow these steps:
  1. Turn on the Basement button on the Basic Dimensions form. For the basement, enter the length of outside walls and the floor area for the full basement.
  2. On the Foundation Dimensions form, enter the actual length of footings that will be used under the basement walls and the stem walls. You may need to unlock the length and increase it above the suggested quantity.
  3. Increase the length of basement/stem wall so it includes the length of the basement walls and the stem walls. Enter the depth below grade and the height above grade for the basement portion.
  4. Reduce the foundation wall area until it includes the actual horizontal wall area of foundation wall. If you have only one height of basement wall and one height of stem wall, it can be calculated by using the following formula:
Area = (Length of Stem Wall * Height of Stem Wall) + (Length of Basement Wall * Height of Basement Wall).
EXAMPLE-- If you have 120 lineal feet of 8' basement and 60 lineal feet of 4' stem wall, the total horizontal area will be (120 * 8) + (60 * 4), which is (960) + (240), or 1,200 square feet.

Daylight Basement

If building a basement that is partly above grade (with some of the basement exterior as wood frame rather than masonry), follow these steps:
  1. Enter the full basement on the Basic Dimensions form (or on one or more room form, if doing a remodeling project).
  2. Enter the length of all basement walls into the Basement/Stem Wall portion of the Foundation Dimensions form. Include all walls, even those that are framed-- so the stem wall underneath the framed walls will be included.
  3. If Foundation Wall Area is not locked, lock it so you can see the calculated amount of basement wall, measured horizontally. This is the amount of masonry wall you would have in a full basement.
  4. Unlock Foundation Wall Area, and reduce its area by the area of basement wall that is framed instead of masonry.
  5. Next, on the Structural Dimensions form, increase the length of Exterior Wall framing by the lineal footage of framing that is being done in the basement. This will make sure that the basement framing is included in the suggested quantities for exterior framing.  Also increase the exterior wall framing area.

Pole Foundation

This type of foundation supports the structure on treated wood poles or pilings imbedded in the ground.

On the Foundation Dimensions form you don't need Footings & Grade Beams, Basement & Stem Walls and Floor Slabs, unless you are using some of those structures in other parts of the building.

Enter information about the pilings or poles under Piers & Pilings.

When you enter cost items into the estimate, you will have no masonry materials at all, unless you are using them for something other than the foundation. Enter the poles themselves under Pilings on the Site Work card, or under Beams & Trusses on the Sill & Floor Framing card. You may also need to include other items such as anchor bolts, termite caps, and skirting or lattice to block off the crawl space.

Piers & Crawl Space

This type of foundation uses vertical concrete or masonry piers that support floor framing over a crawl space.

On the Foundation Dimensions form you don't need Footings & Grade Beams, Basement & Stem Walls and Floor Slabs, unless you are using some of those structures in other parts of the building.

Enter information about the piers under Piers & Pilings.

When you enter cost items into the estimate, enter the actual cost for the piers. You may also need other items such as anchor bolts, termite caps, and skirting or lattice to block off the crawl space.

Grade Beams & Pier

This type of foundation supports a structural grade beam on top of drilled piers or driven pilings. This foundation type may support either a concrete slab or a framed floor.

On the Foundation Dimensions form, enter the grade beam measurements into Footings & Grade Beams, and the piers into Piers & Pilings.

Slab on Grade-- Grade Beams

This foundation supports the walls with a grade beam or shallow footing which is poured separately. The slab can be supported by the beam, or it can butt up to it.

On the Foundation Dimensions form, enter the grade beam measurements into Footings & Grade Beams, and the slab measurements into Floor Slabs.

When you enter cost items into the estimate, choose a formed grade beam under Concrete Walls on the Concrete card, and a slab under Concrete Slabs. You may also need to include drainage, gravel, vapor barrier or foam insulation beneath the slab, and perimeter insulation.

Slab on Grade-- Stem Wall

This foundation is similar to the Slab & Grade Beam, only it has both a footing and a stem wall supporting the slab.

On the Foundation Dimensions form, enter the footing into Footings & Grade Beams, the stem wall into Basement & Stem Walls, and the slab into Floor Slabs.

When you enter cost items into the estimate, choose a footing under Concrete Walls on the Concrete card, a stem wall under Concrete Walls or under Masonry Walls on the Masonry card, and a slab under Concrete Slabs on the Concrete card. You may also need to include drainage, gravel, vapor barrier or foam insulation beneath the slab, and perimeter insulation.

Slab on Grade-- Monolithic

This foundation includes a slab and a grade beam/footing, both poured at the same time.

On the Foundation Dimensions form, enter into Footings & Grade Beams the measurements of the ¹extra® area where the slab is thickened. The slab itself is entered into Floor Slabs.
EXAMPLE: If you have a 4" slab that is thickened to 12" for a 2 foot band around the perimeter, enter the grade beam/footing as 8" thick and 24" wide.

When you enter cost items into the estimate, choose a monolithic footing under Concrete Walls on the Concrete card, and a slab under Concrete Slabs. You may also need to include drainage, gravel, vapor barrier or foam insulation beneath the slab, and perimeter insulation.

Multi-Story with Slab

In a two story building with a floor slab downstairs and a framed floor upstairs, enter the slab and foundation normally, as described in one of the preceding sections.

When you enter floor framing quantities, use the second floor area as a quantity, rather than the full floor framing area.

Gambrel Roofs

A gambrel roof is similar to a gable roof, but it has two or more different slopes.  This is the traditional "barn roof".

To handle a gambrel roof, follow these steps:

  1. On the roof dimensions layout, enter Gable as the roof type.
  2. For the roof slope, use the average roof slope.  Take the elevation difference from eaves to the ridge peak (in inches), and divide it by the horizontal distance from eaves to ridge.
  3. Unlock the roof area, and add some extra area to compensate for the extra slope.  Take the total length of roof perpendicular to the ridge, and multiply it by the length of the ridge.
  4. You probably will also need to add a little to the area of the gable ends.
  5. You may need to add additional labor or materials for the extra framing, for flashing at the slope change, and for any extra scaffolding needed on the steep slope.

Garages

Garages may be considered as part of the main structure, or entered in Exterior Dimensions as a separate entity.

Handling a Garage as a Room

Treat the garage as a part of the main building in either of the following cases:
  • It is completely built into the main building (e.g. with a room above it).
  • It is built almost like a regular finished room (e.g. with wallboard, insulation and interior trim).
To handle the garage as a room in the main structure, follow these steps:
  1. Do not enter any dimensions for the garage in Exterior Dimensions.
  2. Treat the garage as just another room when you enter Basic Dimensions or rooms.
  3. Subtract the garage dimensions from any work that will not be done there (for example, finished flooring).

Handling a Garage as a Separate Structure

Treat the garage as a separate entity in any of these cases:
  • It is completely detached from the main building, or is attached to the main building by only one wall.
  • It is built very differently from the main building.
  • You are building just a garage as an addition.
If the garage is treated as a separate entity, follow these steps:
  1. Enter dimensions for the garage in Exterior Dimensions. Do not include the contact wall between garage and main structure as a part of the perimeter.
  2. When you enter items into the estimate, include unit costs for the garage work.

Half Bathrooms

Enter "half" baths as full bathrooms, either on the Basic Dimensions form, or in a Room form.

When you enter line items into the estimate breakdown table, use the actual fixture counts that are involved in the project. You will have fewer than the suggested number for some fixtures, since Goldenseal bases the suggested quantity on the number of bathrooms.

Interior Walls

Enter the total length of any walls being worked on that are not exposed to the outside, for each story of the project.
HINT-- Because the layout of interior walls varies so much between different projects, Goldenseal does not suggest a quantity for interior walls.
  • For new construction, enter the total length of all interior walls.
  • For an addition, enter the total length of all new interior walls in the addition. At the contact wall between the addition and the old building, include only the length (if any) that is getting completely new framing with new surfaces on both sides.
  • For a gut/rehab project, include the total length of all interior walls that will be worked on-- whether they are getting new framing, new wallboard or new trim.
When measuring the length of inside walls, measure right through doors, but skip any openings that will not be filled with a door. Include the length of all interior walls that show up on the plans, even if they are not full height.
Exclude porches, decks and sheds. Exclude party walls (walls on the exterior that aren't exposed to the outdoors). Exclude the garage, unless it is included as part of the main building.

Knee Walls

Knee walls don't extend all the way to the ceiling. They should be entered into Basic Dimensions or the Room forms just as if they were full height walls, since they still require baseboard, and usually take just as long to frame as full height walls.

If you have a large number of knee walls, you may want to reduce the quantity for Interior Wall Area on the Finish Dimensions layout, to account for the missing wall area caused by the shorter walls.

When you enter line item costs into the estimate breakdown table, use one of the knee wall line items-- although small quantities of knee walls are usually safe to treat as regular walls, since the additional labor they require tends to cancel out the reduced material cost.

Mansard Roofs

A mansard roof is similar to a hip roof, but it has two or more different slopes.  Usually there is a low pitch on the main part of the roof, and a very steep pitch near the eaves.

To handle a mansard roof, follow these steps:

  1. On the roof dimensions layout, enter Hip as the roof type.
  2. For the roof slope, use the slope of the upper portion of the roof.
  3. Unlock the roof area, and add the extra area on the steep part of the roof (multiply the height of the steep portion times the perimeter of the building).
  4. You may need to add additional labor or materials for the extra framing, for flashing at the slope change, and for the extra scaffolding needed for the steep slope.

Multiple Unit Projects

Goldenseal can handle multi-family residential projects, or multi-unit commercial work.

If you have multiple units in one building, you don't have to do much that's special. Simply choose the type of construction you are doing on the Basic Dimensions layout, enter measurements for the building just like any other project, and enter the number of living units (or businesses) into the Number of Units field.

There are several ways you can approach projects that contain more than one building.  How you do it depends on how you'd like to manage the project:

  • One Estimate-- To enter multiple units into a single project estimate, enter the total measurements for all buildings into the Basic Dimensions layout.  You'll need to measure or calculate some quantities yourself, since the calculations in Goldenseal assume that it's all one building.  Once you've entered wall lengths and floor areas, all of the remaining calculations will be correct except for few roof measurements like hip, eaves and ridges lengths.
  • Adjusted Estimate-- If you have multiple buildings that are all the same, you can enter measurements for just one building, and then multiply all the quantities in the breakdown table by the number of units.
  • Multiple Estimates-- If you don't mind tracking each building separately, just create a separate estimate for each building, and then create a separate project for each building.
  • Using Allowances-- For projects that you do for your own use, you can enter costs for each type of building into an Allowance, and then combine them in an estimate.

Town Houses

When estimating town houses or other side-by-side units, be sure to enter the lineal feet and square feet of party walls into the Basic Dimensions card, and the amount of party wall framing on the Structural Dimensions card.

When you enter cost items for the estimate, remember that town houses will usually have some kind of special treatment, such as masonry fill or fire-rated wallboard, on the party walls. You may also need parapets or other fireproofing details on the roofs.

Stacked Multiple Units

When estimating ¹stacked® multiple units, don't enter any party walls, unless the building itself touches other buildings on its sides. On each floor, include both the living unit(s) on that floor, plus any common areas such as stairways, utility areas and halls.

When you enter cost items for the estimate, you may need to add fire-rated wallboard or other treatments on the ceilings between units, in halls and stairways, and on walls between living units and common spaces. You may also need to include multiple mailboxes and other items shared in common by all the units.

One of a Kind Items

Almost every project has something that is out of the ordinary. Some seem to be nothing but weird items! There are several ways to handle weird and tough details, depending on how likely you are to see them again.

Enter them On the Fly

For items that you probably won't ever use again, use the Unallocated choices to type in a number.

To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Compute (or guess) the labor cost for the item.  You can estimate how many hours it will take, and then multiply that by the wage rate that applies.
  2. In the estimate breakdown table, add a new line item (click in the bottom row and hit the Return key).
  3. Enter Labor Unallocated into the Cost Area column.
  4. Type a brief description of the work into the Cost Item column.
  5. Type in the unit size, unit cost, and number of units (which often will just be one).
  6. Compute the material cost for the item.
  7. In the estimate breakdown table, add a new line item.
  8. Enter Material Unallocated into the Cost Area Column.
  9. Type a brief description of the work into the Cost Item column.
  10. Type in the unit size, unit cost, and number of units (which often will just be one).

Enter a Cost Addition

In some cases you can use a regular Cost Item or Assembly that is close to the unusual item, and then use the Unallocated choices to enter just the difference in cost.

For example, to enter framing costs for a curved wall:

  1. In the estimate breakdown table, enter the Assembly for the wall framing that you'll use.
  2. Follow the steps from the previous section, but use only the additional labor that you'll need to handle the curve.  If you need any additional materials, also enter them as a Material Unallocated line item.

New Unit Cost

For an item that you may use again someday, create a new Cost Item or Assembly so you can include it in future projects.

The unit cost can be for a full item, or for an ¹add on® cost that you'll attach to a more basic type of construction, just when you need it.

Partly Finished Areas

In some projects, some walls or floors may only be partially finished.

If you enter rooms for the project, the room forms will allow you to specify exactly what work is to be done on each surface.

On other type of projects, you'll have to adjust some dimensions and unit cost quantities to account for the missing work.

For example, to handle a utility room with framing and wallboard installed, but with no taped finish, paint or trim, follow these steps:

  1. Include the walls and floor area of the room in the measurements you entered into the Basic Dimensions form.
  2. Leave the calculated quantities intact on the Structural Dimensions form, since the room will be framed.
  3. On the Finish Dimensions form, leave the wall and wallboard areas intact. Adjust the paint areas downwards by the amount of wall and ceiling areas that is in the utility room, since there will be no paint on those surfaces.
  4. When you enter cost items into the breakdown table, use the full area of the project for wallboard hanging, but reduce the calculated quantity for wallboard taping.
Follow a similar procedure for unfinished floors, unpainted or uninsulated walls, ceilings or floors, and other partly finished areas.

Project Types

Enter one of the following project types in the Basic Dimensions layout:

New Construction-- For a building which is entirely new.
Addition-- For a new area of building which is attached to an existing building.
Gut Rehab-- For an existing building whose interior surfaces will be removed and replaced.
Repairs-- For miscellaneous repairs to an existing building.
Repaint Exterior-- For a repainting of exterior walls.
Repaint Interior-- For a repainting of interior walls.
HINT-- If you are doing more than one type of work on a building, enter the Project Type for the main portion of the work, and enter the remaining portions as rooms.

Roof Additions

Goldenseal computes roof areas that will cover all floor areas being worked on. It does not include the extra roofing or roof framing needed for roof "saddles" when you abut an addition to an existing building.

You'll need to add the extra area over the existing building to the roof area on the Roof Dimensions layout, and the roof framing area on the Structural Dimensions layout.

There may also be additional work you'll need to add to the estimate. Check for extra framing and flashing details at the junctions of the new and old roofs, extra costs due to temporary roof covers while the roofing is off, additional siding beneath shed roofs, and structural reinforcement of existing framing or trusses.

Room Counts

Treat any of the following as one room:
  • Each regular room, including a full or "half" bathroom.
  • Each hallway.
  • Each room in a finished basement.
  • An attached garage, if it is being considered as a room.
Do not include any of the following as a separate room:
  • Closets.
  • Crawl spaces, unfinished attics, unfinished basement rooms, or other unfinished utility areas.
  • Courtyards or other open areas.
  • Decks or porches.
  • Detached garages, or an attached garage being treated as a separate structure.

Room Walls

Usually you can just enter measurements for four walls, on four sides of a room.  For a non-rectangular room, you can divide the walls into four sections any way you'd like.

You can adjust wall measurements in any of the following cases:

  • More than four walls-- Allocate the room's walls however you like, and enter the length of walls on each "side" into the appropriate field.
  • Different work on each surface-- If different walls get different treatments, you can group them any way you'd like to match the work that you'll do to them.
  • Work on part of a surface-- If you are only working on part of a wall, adjust the size of the wall so it includes only the portion actually being worked on. Similarly, if working on just part of the floor or part of the ceiling, enter just the square footage actually being worked on.
For interior partitions, enter any walls which are entirely within the room.  Some examples:
  • Closet Wall-- Include closets as part of the room to which they are attached, unless you have some good reason to treat the closet as a separate room. Enter the length of the wall between the room and the closet into Partition Length. Measure right through the doorway.
  • Interior Dividers-- If there is a partial "divider" wall inside the room, include its length in Partition Length. Include the wall even if it is a partial height knee wall.
  • Combining Several Rooms-- for more about combining rooms, click here.

Sloped Ceilings

When calculating basic construction areas, Goldenseal assumes that all ceilings are horizontal. If you enter sloped ceilings correctly, the calculated areas will be extremely close to reality.

If most of the ceiling is flat but a few parts of the ceiling are lower, use the height of the flat part for the ceiling height. The calculated wallboard area may be slightly too high, but it usually won't be too far off to be a problem.

If most or all of the ceiling is sloped, use the average ceiling height.  Usually that is halfway between the low point of the roof and the high point.

If you have a sloped ceiling that is fairly steep, its ceiling area will increase. To account for this, you may want to add to the total ceiling area on the Miscellaneous Dimensions card. The area of a ceiling will increase by the following amounts for different slopes:
 
Slope (in. per ft)
Degrees
Area Increase
1
5
0.3%
2
10
1.4%
3
14
3.1%
4
19
5.4%
6
27
11.8%
8
34
20.2%
10
40
30.2%
12
45
41.4%
14
50
53.7%
16
54
66.7%
18
57
80.3%
24
64
123.6%

When working with a sloped ceiling, you may want to add slightly to the cost of hanging wallboard on the ceiling. If you need to frame one of the end walls with a sloping top plate, add some time for the additional framing labor.

Small Quantities

Unit prices work well for ¹normal® quantities, but they are often too low when used to estimate very small quantities of work. You can't hang one square foot of wallboard in one-thousandth the time it takes to hang 1,000 square feet!

Enter them On the Fly

If you are using a very small quantity of something, you can enter it as an Unallocated line item, with a rough estimate of what it will cost.

To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Compute (or guess) the labor cost for the item.  You can estimate how many hours it will take, and then multiply that by the wage rate that applies.
  2. In the estimate breakdown table, add a new line item (click in the bottom row and hit the Return key).
  3. Enter Labor Unallocated into the Cost Area column.
  4. Type a brief description of the work into the Cost Item column.
  5. Type in the unit size, unit cost, and number of units.
  6. Compute the material cost for the item.
  7. In the estimate breakdown table, add a new line item.
  8. Enter Material Unallocated into the Cost Area Column.
  9. Type a brief description of the work into the Cost Item column.
  10. Type in the unit size, unit cost, and number of units.

Enter a Cost Addition

For small quantities you can also use the regular Cost Item or Assembly for the item, and then enter Unallocated lines to enter the additional labor for the small quantity.  You can also enter any additional material costs, if  there will be more waste.

New Unit Costs

If you often need to install small quantities of some common items, create a new Assembly for a minimum quantity. You can use a Flat Rate Item in the assembly to cover the start-up time, or minimum materials that you need.

Soffits and Pass-Throughs

Soffits above cabinets or around air ducts or other utilities should not affect any dimensions in Goldenseal, except perhaps the number of interior corners. Remember to include their framing labor when you enter cost items into the estimate breakdown table.

Pass-throughs and other small openings in the wall do reduce the amount of wallboard slightly, but generally it is not worth the trouble to adjust interior wall area for them. When you enter cost items into the estimate breakdown table, include the framing labor for wall openings, and any trim details that they require.

Tall Buildings

In a project with more than 3 upper stories, Goldenseal considers all additional floors to be duplicates of the third story.

In many 4 and 5 story "stacked" projects, the bottom floor and top floor have a different layout, and middle stories are all the same. If that is the case, enter the top floor floor plan into the second story on the Basic Dimensions layouts, and the floor plan for the middle floors into the third & up story.

Using Rooms

Use the Estimate Locations command to enter individual rooms into Goldenseal. Normally a room will include one open volume of space within the building, with or without attached closets or other utility spaces.

In some cases you may want to define a room as a slightly different space to handle unusual conditions, or to make the estimating process easier.

Closets

Usually you'll include closets as a part of the room into which they connect (with a partition wall between them). If a closet gets very different treatment from the attached room, enter it as an independent room.
HINT-- Sometimes it's easier to include a closet as part of a room to which it's not attached-- for example, if that makes both rooms rectangular and easier to measure.

Splitting Rooms

A large room that gets drastically different treatments in different parts of the room can be split into two different rooms, to make it easier to specify what is being done to each surface. Sometimes it is also convenient to split a long hallway or other large room into more than one portion.

To split a room:

  1. Enter part of the room on one room card. Since there is no wall one the side that connects to the remainder of the wall, don't give it any framing, wallboard, or other construction items.
  2. Enter the remainder of the room on a different room card.  Since there is no wall one the side that connects to the remainder of the wall, don't give it any framing, wallboard, or other construction items.

Combining Rooms

To cut down on the number of rooms in larger projects, you can consolidate two or more rooms into a single room.
WARNING-- Only combine rooms if they have similar ceiling heights, and if they are being worked on in a similar way.

To combine one or more rooms:

  1. Create a room card for the group of rooms.
  2. Enter the overall dimensions of the group of rooms into the wall, floor and ceiling dimensions.
  3. Enter the length of all walls between the rooms into Partition Walls.

Adding to an Existing Room

If you are enlarging an existing room with brand new construction, handle it as two different rooms by following these steps:
  1. Put the old portion of the room into one roomÚ it will be considered an existing room.
  2. Put the new portion of the room into a separate roomÚ it will be considered a new room.
  3. Enter any demolition into the Structural Dimensions layout.
HINT-- Enter only three walls for the new room and existing room, since the fourth wall is 'open' between them.

Vertical Measurements

The Exterior Dimensions layout includes several vertical measurements for the project. If you have floor plans with section or elevation drawings, you should be able to find these measurements directly.

Highest Roof Point

This is the distance from the highest point of the roof down to the elevation of the top floor ceiling.

If this quantity is locked, it will be ¹suggested® based on roof geometry from the Roof Dimensions layout. If you unlock this quantity, enter the measurement from the average top floor ceiling elevation to the highest point of a shed roof, to the ridge of a gable, gambrel or arch roof, or to the center of a hip, mansard or dome roof. On a complex roof, pick the highest point and measure to that.

Top Floor Ceiling to Eaves

This dimension is used to adjust the amount of siding, stucco or other exterior finish, depending on how the project is framed near the top. To calculate it, first measure the elevation difference between the top floor ceiling and top of the exterior wall, just under the eaves.

When the building is built with roof trusses resting on the top plate of the wall framing in the highest story, the exterior wall finish will end at the same height as the ceilings, and the elevation difference will be zero.

If the building has a ¹raised® ceiling attached to the underside of the roof framing such as in a Cape Cod or A-Frame, the eaves are lower than the top floor ceiling height, so enter a negative number.

If the building has a parapet wall, the additional siding covering the parapet and roof framing beneath it is already included in the siding area calculations, so enter a zero.

Height of First Floor off Ground

This is the distance from the average first floor elevation down to the average ground level. If the first floor is higher than the ground, it is a positive number. If the first floor is exactly at grade, it is zero. If the first floor is below ground level, it is a negative number.