National Framing & Finish Carpentry Estimator with CDROM [Paperback]

I have been using the 2004 edition of the repair and remodeling estimator from this publisher for over 2 years, and it has been fantastic. Seeing that most of my work is finish carpentry, I decided to buy this version for 2007 because it is titled "National Framing & Finish Carpentry Estimator." My first clue should have been that we are 1/2 way through 2007 and there were no reviews yet. My second clue should have been that Amazon's price was nearly 1/2 off. My third and final clue should have been that I was able to get a new condition copy in the Z shops for 75% off. So now for my problem with the book. It does not provide numbers for estimating. Especially not for finish carpentry. It is just aweful. The repair and remodeling book has man hrs, labor, material, equipment, and overhead/profit calculations for almost everything imaginable. If you can measure 120 LF of base molding and can identify what kind, that book will tell you how long it should take, material costs, labor costs, and overhead and profit (providing you can do basic math). I assumed that since the description said that this book was jam packed with everything you need for estimating framing and finish carpentry, that it would actually be more detailed than the repair and remodeling book for different types of moldings. WRONG. It had one calculation for trimwork LF. And even then only labor and equipment. It did not recognize the difference in the amount of time required for crown verses base molding. Unbelievable!!! Instead the pages were filled with basic instruction for how to install different finish items, and read like a book. Who has time to read the entire section on interior doors to find the time calcs for hollow core pre-hung doors. Lame!!! The only thing that could be worse than the fact that the little info provided was in paragraph rather than table format, is that the numbers from page to page were not even in agreement. On one page, it said to allow 1.2 hours to install a pair of bifold doors. Then two pages over, in another paragraph, it reads that bifolds over 3' should take 1 hour and those under 3' should take .75 hrs. So in other words should a pair of 18" bifolds should take 1.2 hrs or .75 + .75= 1.5 hrs? Or are they saying that that is one 3' door, and therefor should only take 1 hr? It just does not add up. When you see how quickly they breeze over the finish carpentry, and how no calculations are provided for such common items as crown, let alone break it down by size of material, it appears that someone's son or son-in-law got to do this version, and had absolutely no clue about construction (at least about finish carpentry). This purchase was extremely dissapointing. I am still trying to figure out how you have an estimating book that lacks Overhead and Profit guidelines, and material costs, and probably never will get an answer. I just wish I could send this book back for a refund. Save your money and do not buy this book.

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