288 HOW TO MAKE A COUNTRY PLACE 



Throttling the Four Building Dragons. 



Four dragons that often bar the way of the amateur are 

 ( 1 ) ignorance, (2) impecuniosity, (3) duplicity, and (4) avarice; 

 but forewarned is forearmed, and they are easily recognized and 

 vanquished, however disguised by fair words, a bold front and specious 

 promises. Eliminate these, and the path that leads from the lifting of 

 the first shovel of earth to pulling the latch-string is one of delight. 

 A few disappointments are to be expected, but they are slight com- 

 pared with the pleasure of creating a sensible and livable dwelling. 



How to Build. 



A house to cost from $2,500 to $12,000 should be let under the 

 usual contract form, unless one prefers to follow the special contract 

 system advised for the building of a mansion or it can be let on a 

 strictly percentage basis. Close competition will pound the price to 

 a ten or fifteen per cent, profit to the contractor, which is little 

 enough for assuming the monetary responsibility in addition to an 

 employers' accident risk, but the owner must make sure that he is 

 not made personally liable by letter or act for costly delays and 

 extra expenses entailed in the process of building. Indeed, his 

 peace of mind usually hinges upon the carrying out to the letter of 

 the four following rules: 



1. Never give out a building contract without a bond 

 for its completion, and within a specified time, bona fide 

 strikes, unavoidable cyclones, floods, fire and earthquakes 

 excepted. 



2. It is an excellent incentive to the contractors for 

 the owner to promise a bonus on completion of their several 

 contracts within or ahead of schedule time if satisfied with 

 the result, or better still, a specified bonus as an offset to 

 a time-forfeiture-of-money clause which to be legal must 

 take the form of damage loss. The contract should stipulate 

 that a certain number of men are to be kept at work, and 

 at each Saturday payment the owner should hold back ten 

 or fifteen per cent, of both labor and material bills until the 

 work is completed. 



3. Never change the accepted plans and specifications 

 except in writing, having such changes immediately ratified 

 in writing by the contractor. Minor changes often entail 

 major. It will be mutually far more satisfactory, and 

 save quibbling, if not a quarrel, later to settle the amount 

 of the extra cost over signature if that is possible at the time 

 changes are decided upon. 



4. Payments for work done and material purchased 

 must be handled with business acumen ; carelessness in this 

 respect may result in the owner being obliged to pay 

 the same bill for labor and material twice. 



