Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/135

 COTTAGE DWELLINGS IN VARIOUS STYLES. Ill Design XXXII.— .^ Cottage Dwelling with Two Sitting Rooms, in a mixed style, where Timber, Brick, and Slate are the materials used for the Walls and Roof. 231. Accommodation. This is a very commodious, convenient, and handsome dwelling exhibiting every thing requisite for a cottager, whether a gardener, a bailiff, or a small farmer. It contains three floors ;— for cellars, for living-rooms, and for bed-rooms. The cellar, or basement story, (see the plate forming page 117), contains a store-cellar, a; beer- cellar, b; coal-cellar, c; salting-room, d; and staircase, e. These are lighted by windows having sunk areas, /. The ground plan of the living-room floor (also in page 117) shews the principal entrance and staircase, g ; a sitting-room, h ; another sitting-room, i ; a stair- case, with a closet under it, * ; a kitchen, I ; a wash-house, in ; a pantry, n ; and a store room, o. This floor is surrounded by a terrace, part of which is covered by an extension ot the roof of the kitchen and wash-house, as may be seen by inspecting the plates in pages 113 and 114. The chamber floor contains a bed-room, p ; staircase and landing, q ; closet, r; bed-room, s ; closet, t ; closet from the passage, u; passage, v ; family bed-room, w; and nursery, or infant children's bed-room, x. 232. Construction. The walls are to be of brick ; the roof covered with slates ; the chimney shafts of cement, or artificial stone ; and the balconies, brackets, posts, and gallery railings, of oak timber. The details of construction are given in the plate, forming page 118, in which fig. 1 is the open truncated pediment in front of the house ; and shows the ends of the ceiling joists, a; the purlins, h ; the covering of the pediments, c, c ; the wall plate, d; and the bracket, e. Fig. 2 is a section at the eaves of the roof over the kitchen; in which is seen the rafter,/; the wall plate, g ; the brackets, h, h ; and the cross section of the post, i. Fig. 3 is the chimney top, in which is seen the chimney shaft, k. Fig. 4 is a cross section, or plan, of the chimney, in which one half, I, represents the plan of the base ; and the other half, m, the plan of the top. Fig. 5 represents the balcony, in which is shewn the corbel, n, which supports the bracket, e ; also the bracket, o, which supports the balcony ; and the wall of the house, p. Fig. 6 shows the gable brackets to support the roof, in which is seen the gable wall of the house, q ; and the section of the rafters, r, r. Fig. 7 shows the elevation of the lower part of the post ; in which is seen a balluster, s, with a section of the upper and under rails. Fig. 8 shows the end elevation of the flower balcony ; in which is seen the bracket, f, and the section of the wall, u. Fig. 9 shows the front elevation of the flower balcony. Fig. 10 is the section at the eaves of the front wall of the house ; in which is seen the rafter, v ; the section of the wall, w ; and the bracket, x. Fig. 11 is the section of the plaster cornice of the sitting rooms, &c. Fig. 12 shows the section of the grounds (ground work, or foundation plan) for forming the architraves round the doors, windows, &c. ; in which is seen the ground, y ; and the jamb lining, %. 233. Particulars, or Specification and Estimate. The contributor of this very elegant and judicious Design, has sent with it a no less copious and complete specification and estimate. We consider the former, together with its accompanying explanations of technical terms, of the greatest value to the young architect, and the amateur. To the general reader, they will show the manner in which business is done among architects and builders, and their employers in England. A Design being once agreed on, details similar to those in the following specification, are first made out by the architect ; and then the builder, who contracts for the work (either at the estimate made by the architect, or at one made by himself, after having had the plans and specification some days in his possession for that purpose), signs this particular, or specification ; and also an agreement made out, according to certain legal forms. This agreement binds him to execute the work, under a certain penalty, according to the specification, and to the satisfaction of the architect, or of a surveyor (for a surveyor, as clerk of the works, is often employed in addition to the architect). Security for the execution of the work is also sometimes required of the builder ; in which case, the guarantee also signs the agreement, or a bond for the amount of the penalty. The particular, or specification sent by our contributor, Mr. Richard Varden, as a fair specimen of the usual style, bears the following title : — " Particulars of the several works to be done in building a cottage residence, according to the annexed plans, elevations, sections, and details, and the conditions subjoined." The work is classed according to the trades employed to execute it ; and we shall give the specification, for each trade, in a separate paragraph. We may observe here, that the specifications and estimates of architects, surveyors, and builders, are frequently composed in a sort of professional, or abbreviated style, which, independently of its technical terms, is unintelligible to general readers from want of care in its grammatical construction The terms are unavoidable ; but the employers . of professional men should insist on at least readable language. Another point which we