Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/988

960 when it is so easy to obtain money on first and second mortgages. There are other designs which may be built at the same price, or even less, and perhaps are more desirable than the one illustrated herewith, but this plan is used as an example of what can be done when economy is the rule of the day and the owner will consult with the planing millman, the mason contractor, the electrician, the painter, the plumber and the heating contractor instead of leaving everything to the architect, who in many cases, although fully able to draw beautiful pictures and artistic plans, is totally unfamiliar with building conditions at the time the house is to be erected and in all probabilities could not tell you what the sizes of stock materials are.

For instance, it is a common occurrence for architects to lay out a building which will call for a stud of such a length that perhaps a foot and a half will have to be cut from each one. Practically all lumber, both dimension and boards, come in even feet such as 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, with a different price on nearly every length so that a plan calling for an 18-ft. 6-in. stud for instance, would require the owner to pay the long price for a 20-f t. stud and then pay a carpenter 50 cents to 70 cents an hour to cut it down to size. The most economical sizes to use are from 12 to 16 ft.

Also in the matter of electric light outlets and plumbing the owner can generally save money by consulting the man who will do the actual work unless he is positive that he has an architect who is perfectly capable of cutting out all the surplus expense without spoiling the effect of the finished house. Now the builder is being run by the architect who wants to try out some theory at someone else's expense. He incorporates this theory and that idea into the builder's plan, tells the builder that the house can be put up for so much money and collects his fee. Along comes Mr. Millman to put in his figure for the lumber and millwork. He sees this, that and the other thing in the specifications and a plan with a lot of knick-knacks on it and immediately shoots his price up to cover items that are indefinite or questionable. It is not up to him to make suggestions to the owner or he will get in bad with the architect, and the owner is liable to get provoked because he has not asked for any advice. The owner becomes discouraged and drops the matter until a friend whispers in his ear. He digs up the old plan, calls on Mr. Millman and asks where the expense could be cut. He is shown a few items which will reduce the cost several hundred dollars and with a new courage, he goes after the other contractors until he is surprised to find that he has not only kept the cost below his estimate, but has, in many cases, greatly improved the arrangement and appearance of his house. The opinion and advice of the man who is to do the work is far more desirable than that of some cub architect.