SLEEPING PORCH, CONSERVATORY, AVIARY 295 



Safeguarding Against Building Errors. 



A substitute for this plan, if one does not wish to assume the 

 care and responsibility of handling each individual contractor, is to 

 get all the contracts lined up, then let the entire job to a capable 

 builder and pay him a fixed sum to turn your house over to you 

 within a specified time. Ostensibly, the builder is the man to whom 

 the sub-contractors look for their pay, and he can handle them better 

 than you can, for you may never build another house, while the 

 builder will require services of this kind as long as he is in business. 

 In reality, you stand back of him. A curious realm, this of build- 

 ing, and many of its members are no different from those who 

 manipulate the stock market or corner cotton, wheat and oats. 

 Delay for Inspection. 



Assuming that the former plan has been adopted and the exterior 

 is about completed, let us halt to consider carefully the exact condi- 

 tions before plastering. In this analysis stop all important work for 

 a week at least, and bring all the talent and expert advice you can 

 to bear upon any required changes, for these must be made if you 

 are to have a satisfactory house, and can be tried out by the strips 

 of wood hereinafter described. Should not this door opening be 

 moved a trifle? Are the windows in the morning room too high 

 or in the bathroom too low? Is the kitchen light enough? Should 

 this or that partition come down? Would not double doors between 

 these two bedrooms be a great advantage in case of illness, giving 

 extra sunlight, companionship, care and air? That door is too close 

 to the fireplace, and we forgot a toy closet in the playroom ; a south- 

 west window in the nursery will make it cooler for the children ; 

 one window in this room is unsafely low; by moving that stair open- 

 ing forward or back a foot we can build a platform, thus avoiding 

 a window as well as a winder, hence an easier and safer climb, and 

 the window arrangement on the north as seen from the outside is 

 abominable. 

 Sleeping Porch, Conservatory, and Aviary. 



Leading from that south room we can construct a sleeping 

 porch; and sometime build on the balance of the veranda roof space 

 that joy of the housewife, a second story conservatory and aviary big 

 enough to swing a hammock 'mid plants, singing birds, and 'winter 

 sunshine. This closet is large enough for an outside window; had 

 we not better cove that ceiling? By wainscoting the hall we can 

 save a finishing coat of plaster and obtain a better effect in fact, 

 at this stage of the building changes and improvements frequently 

 save, as well as cost, and crotchets of comfort can often be indulged 

 at slight expense. 



Essential changes that make a house just right should always be 

 made, as one generally builds but one home. "Almost right" stays 

 with us to the end, clouding an otherwise satisfactory conception. 



