In all cases, a preliminary examination should be made of the makes and grades of the commercial hardware available, and the amount that it is desired to expend on this item should be decided on. The process of selection is greatly facilitated by the elimination of articles outside of the grades selected. When the maker’s grade of goods has been decided on, the next step is to select in detail the articles, designs, and finishes to be used in each room, floor, or division of the building, making such notes of the decisions so reached as will be convenient in framing the hardware specification, or schedule. =144. Allowance for Finishing Hardware.=—Architects are constantly called on to prepare preliminary estimates on proposed buildings, to assist clients to determine whether they can afford to build. For this purpose, the architect possesses an approximate knowledge of the cost of excavation, masonry, woodwork, etc., so that the necessary expenditure may be computed with a fair degree of accuracy. Builders’ hardware, however, does not readily admit of accurate preliminary estimating, and in many cases the architect merely specifies the sum to be expended for finishing hardware, stating that selections are to be made by himself or his client later, as the work progresses. This system is found in many instances to be satisfactory to all—architect, client, and builder. The cost of the hardware usually bears a fairly constant ratio to the total cost of various types of buildings. The following figures, which are based on experience, indicate the range in this ratio under ordinary conditions. This schedule gives the ratio of cost of finishing hardware to the total cost of the building, land excluded. TYPE OF BUILDING PER CENT. Hotels, large 1.00 to 1.5 Hotels, small 1.50 to 2.0 Apartment houses 1.50 to 2.0 Office buildings 1.00 to 2.0 Office buildings, fireproof .50 to 1.5 Public buildings 1.50 to 2.0 Libraries .75 to 1.5 Hospitals .50 to 1.0 Residences, city 1.50 to 3.0 Residences, country 2.00 to 4.0