Labor Example

Labor calculations are made based on four different categories of actual work.

  1. Metal Fabrication Labor

  2. Metal Installation Labor

  3. Entrance Installation Labor

  4. Glazing Labor

Preface

The methods used for calculating all of the above categories of labor are a derivative of those recommended by the National Glass Association and the Flat Glass Marketing Association.

It is important for you, the user of the GDS Storefront Estimating System, to understand the underlying assumptions that apply to these labor-estimating methods before customizing the values to suit your specific needs.

The GDS Labor Module uses 6 different types of framing systems and 3 different types of glazing methods.

Category
System Type
Glazing Method
A
Flush Shear Block

B
Flush Screw Spline

C
Core or Similar

D
Can - Stick

E
Pressure Wall & Structural
3
F
Seamless Window

The Category must be set up in the Framing System Master Maintenance Menu. We ship the GDS System without Categories assigned so that you can tailor the framing system to the Category that you want.

The Glazing Method (the number 1,2, or 3) is set in the Master Maintenance Menu under the Maintain Labor Default Master Menu. These glazing defaults are set according the basic estimates derived from the National Glass Association. The number of a particular Glazing Method is preset for the above system types, but can be changed to another number. These numbers correspond to Table 2 below (the Glazing Method Table) in relationship to the number of men and time required for a particular Glazing Method number. It should be noted that these hour/man values in the Glazing Method Table are an estimations and can be modified with a text editor if you are familiar with the system (more on this later in the example).

The Panel Method is used for calculating framing system labor. The program’s formulas account for panels up to 10’ high for its calculations. If you create an estimate with panels higher than 10’ you will need to manually enter additional labor to the Extra Height Add in the Other Additions section of the Edit Labor window for each elevation.

The GDS System has default man hours set for each Category of framing system. You will want to review these figures and modify them to suit your specific needs. Note: Before changing these values you should read the section on the Labor Estimating Assumptions in the example below. It will be easier to modify the hours knowing what type of work these hours consist of.

To best illustrate how the labor system works, an example of a Flush Glazed System will be used.

Framing System Type Used.

Category
System Type
Glazing Method
B
Flush Screw Spline

In the Maintain Labor Default Master menu the Flush Screw and Flush Shear Block Types are listed separately under the Flush Glazed system.

Any additions or subtractions can be made in the Other Additions section of the Edit Labor Window for each elevation. Note: A negative number can be entered in the hours column to subtract labor from a job.

Note: The values in this example are the default values that you will find in the Edit Labor Master windows.

Elevation A Labor Calculation Example:

Opening Dimensions = 15ft wide x 100in tall

Panels = 4 equal panels of 33-3/8in

Doors = 1 single door package

Glass = 1in Insulated

Hourly Labor Rate = $25.00

  1. Metal Fabrication Labor

Assumptions for flush glazed systems.

A. Verticals run through

B. Tubes are 2in x 6in or less

C. mh (Man Hours)

Fabrication Includes:

A. Cutting metal

B. Drilling holes

C. Assembly

Does Not Include:

A. Installing gaskets

B. End damming

Possible deductions

Multiple openings of the same size. i.e. This same elevation repeated 4 times.

Fabrication labor for Elevation A - .67mh x 4 panels = 2.68mh (Based on .67mh per panel, 16 joints at approximately 10min per joint = 160min)

Note: The man-hour time of .67 is set in the Maintain Labor Defaults section of the Master Maintenance Menu. Each Edit Labor Master window in the Labor Defaults section represents a Framing System Type, i.e. Flush Glazed.

  1. Metal Installation Labor

Assumptions for flush glazed systems.

A. Typical opening not to exceed 12ft (10ft for glass and 2ft for bulkhead)

B. Two-man crew

C. Single opening

D. All fabrication complete

E. Masonry sill and jambs with steel lintel

F. Ground floor

G. Two fasteners per head/sill/jamb member

H. Field verified openings

I. Perimeter caulking not included

J. Doors calculated in Entrance Labor Section

K. Split panels not included

Possible Additions

A. Horizontals (.25mh per horizontal, automatically calculated by software)

B. Steel reinforcing

C. Split panels

D. Extended mullions

E. Overall height above 12ft

F. Flashing

G. Adverse change in perimeter conditions

Possible Deductions

A. Multiple openings

B. Advantages change in perimeter conditions

Installation Labor for Elevation A

  1. st Panel = 2mh Note: Two man hours are calculated for the first panel to allow for fasting to the wall as well as the time for fastening of the opposite wall (4 joints at 15min each and 2 wall jambs at 30min each).

Panels 2, 3, 4 = 3mh (1mh per panel)

Total Installation Labor = 5mh

3. Door/Entrance Labor

Assumptions for Entrance Labor

A. Door and frame are a complete package with standard hardware

B. Opening size less than or equal to 10ft 3in

C. 4ft to 8ft door size

D. 1/4in glass

E. Two man crew

F. Concrete sill and steel lintel

G. Installation includes glass and glazing assembly

Possible Additions

There are dozens of possible additions for door packages. The major categories of these parts are listed below.

A. Single Threshold

B. Pair Threshold

C. Closers

D. Non standard hinges

E. Panic devices

F. Perimeter caulking

G. Lock indicators

H. Hold opens

I. Push-pulls

J. Non standard locks

K. Electric strikes

L. Crash bars

Any additions can be added to a given elevation. If you don’t see an item that suits your needs you can add a new item and the man hours that apply to it. Remember, these entries can be either positive or negative amounts.

Entrance Installation Labor

  1. Single door package with transom = 5mh

  1. Single threshold = .5mh (manually entered in Other Additions section of Edit Labor window for this elevation)

Total Entrance Installation Labor = 5.5mh

4. Glazing Labor

Possible Additions

A. Extra Lift

B. 1/4in Adapter

Glazing labor is calculated using the Glass Rack Method. Refer to Table 1 below for the Default Rack Schedule used by the GDS System. This schedule uses United Inches (width + height) for any given lite, and will help determine the number of men required to handle a particular size of glass.

Table 1 - Default Rack Schedule

Default Rack Schedule Assumption
A. Glass up to 5/16in thick

Additions (automatic by program)
A. 3/8in glass 33% is added
B. 1/2in glass 50% is added
C. Greater than 1/2in glass 100% is added
D. Insulated units 50% is added
Men Required
United Inches

Up to 100

Over 100 to 139

Over 139 to 159

Over 159 to 179

Over 179 to 219

Over 219 to 239

Over 239 to 259

Over 259 to 279

Over 279 to 299

Over 299

Table 2 - Glazing Method Table

Number of Men
Method 1 Hours
Method 2 Hours
Method 3 Hours

.55
.50
.67

  1. 10
  1. 00
  1. 33

  1. 66
  1. 50
  • 00
    • 4
    		2.20
    		2.00
    		2.67
    5
    		2.75
    		2.50
    1. 33
    6
    		3.33
    		3.00
    1. 00
    7
    		3.83
    		3.50
    		4.67
    8
    		4.40
    		4.00
    1. 33
    9
    		5.00
    		4.50
    1. 00
    10
    		5.50
    		5.00
    		6.67

    The GDS System uses a four step process with each lite of glass to determine the man hours required for installation.

    Step 1. United Inches are calculated by adding the Glass Width + Glass Height for a given lite.

    Step 2. The Rack Schedule is checked for the bracket of United Inches to determine the number of men required.

    (Table 1 above)

    Step 3. The Glazing Method is identified from the Labor Master for this type of system.

    Step 4. Given the number of men and the Glazing Method, the program finds the man hours for the installing a given lite.

    This process is repeated for each lite of glass, accumulating the total hours required for the job.

    Glazing Labor for Elevation A

    1. st Lite

    Rounded Size 34 + 97 = 131 United Inches

    Rack Schedule bracket = 100-139 United Inches, 2 Men

    50% added to number of men for insulated glass = 3 Men (Automatically calculated by software)

    Glazing Method 1 used for 3 Men (3 x .55) = 1.66mh

    Lites 2 - 4 = 4.98mh (3 x 1.66)

    Transom Lite

    Rounded Size 37 + 11 = 48 United Inches

    Rack Schedule bracket = Up to 100 United Inches, 1 Man

    50% added to number of men for insulated glass = 1.5 Men (Automatically calculated by software)

    Glazing Method 1 used for 1.5 Men (1.5 x .55) = .83mh

    Perimeter Caulking = 1mh (Manually added to Labor Edit window)

    Glazing Subtotal

    4 Equal Lites = 6.6mh

    1. Transom Lite = .83mh

    Perimeter Caulking = 1mh

    ---------

    Total Glazing = 8.43mh

    Note: It is not possible to change the computer-generated portion of the Glazing Labor Window when processing labor for each elevation. If you wish to change the Rack Schedule data, you may do so with a Text Editor. You will find the following two files in one of the Vendor sub-directories in the EST directory. For example: C:\EST\VEND1 contains the files for the first Vendor in the Vendor Selection window.

    LRACKMST.MST - This file contains the Rack Master data, which includes the United Inch brackets and the number of men required for each type of glass. A portion of this file is shown below.

    "Rack Master"

    "Up to 5/16"

    "United","100","1"

    "United","139","2 "

    "United","159","3"

    "United","179","4"

    "United","219"…

    MTLMETH.MST - This file contains the three glazing methods found in the Glazing Method Table. There are ten lines per method each containing the hours for that number of men. A portion of this file is shown below.

    "Metal Method (used for glazing only)"

    "method 1 Flush-Can-Stick-Seamless"

    ".55"

    "1.10"

    "1.66"

    "2.20"

    "2.75"

    "3.33…

    Please Note: Only make changes to these two files if you are familiar and comfortable with the GDS software and text editors. It is always a good idea to make backup copies before modifying system files.

    Total Labor for Elevation A


    		Calculation
    		Subtotal
    		Total $
    Fabrication
    1. 68mh x $25
    		67.00

    Installation
    		5mh x $25
    		125.50




    		192.00
    Entrances
    		5.5mh x $25

    		137.50
    Glazing
    		8.43mh x $25

    		210.75
    Total


    		540.25

    Please Note: Labor Estimating is intended only to be an approximation. You should only use it as a crosscheck against other methods that you are familiar with.

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