296 HOW TO MAKE A COUNTRY PLACE 



Show me a man who tells you his house was built exactly as the 

 original plan called for, and I will show you a man dissatisfied for 

 life. 



Study your house from garret to cellar, then re-study it, like 

 your college valedictory, again and again, and see how startled you 

 are at finding some glaring error that has escaped architect, builder, 

 and all criticizing friends. One of my first houses was passed upon 

 by the purchaser as absolutely satisfactory, when one day he dis- 

 covered that to reach the front door the maid must trail across the 

 dining room. I at once built a one story palm corridor which 

 obviated the difficulty and vastly improved the house, but if I had 

 stopped work long enough when the rooms were studded to consider 

 possible improvements, this glaring defect would have been discovered 

 and remedied before the house was plastered. When you are con- 

 fident that everything is right, and after straightening and leveling 

 all studding and floor beams, plaster, and when this is done stop 

 work a week for finals. Forethought should have dictated months 

 ago that which will have much to do with the beauty of your house, 

 i. e., the kind of wood to be used for trim, and its treatment, for 

 this will control wall and ceiling decoration, as well as furnishings 

 if unfortunate delays have occurred give your closest thought to trim 

 selection, "better late than never" holds especially good in house 

 building. Plaster effects molded in ceiling should be decided upon 

 in detail, as they are more economically placed when the house is being 

 plastered. Final touches can be settled after the house is trimmed. 



In trim and stairs, material and workmanship you will find a 

 wide range both in thoroughness of mill work and expense. I once 

 cut the cost of trim for a large house in half and both quality of 

 work and execution were excellent by ordering during a quiet season 

 doors, windows, trim and stairs, months ahead of requirements from 

 a first-class country mill near a hard wood supply, favored by cheap 

 labor conditions, and in need of a back log to keep running full time. 

 A rush order to a mill often means a high price, possibly poorer work, 

 and half kiln dried material. 



You have now reached your final labor contract, the setting up 

 of the standing trim, hanging doors and windows, placing beamed 

 ceilings, floors and stairs, which latter, as well as wainscoting and 

 pantry dressers, can preferably be shipped ready to set. It will sur- 

 prise you to find how reasonably this contract can be let if you go 

 about it in the right way. Good mechanics ambitious to become gen- 

 eral contractors will give both excellent service and low prices, but 

 ability to handle men and lay out work is essential. 



Meantime, with the help of the landscape gardener, you have 

 planned the planting and general landscaping, for this should keep 

 pace with the building of the house. 



