48 DWELLINGS, OUTBUILDINGS, 



editing their designs than what proves to be the actual cost, may be 

 true ; but we have found that such complaints are apt to come from 

 those who had not given the architect a full and frank statement of 

 their wants and their limitations ; and oftener still from those who 

 have merely consulted with an architect, obtained a few sketches, 

 and his rough guess of the cost of what the proprietor says he wants, 

 and endeavored to save the further cost of full sets of drawings 

 and specifications, from which alone an architect can make a true 

 estimate. Then, after working up their plans with builders to 

 whom the work is intrusted or contracted, and altering aiul adding 

 as the work progresses, if they find the total cost to be much greater 

 than the cost suggested by the architect, the latter is charged with 

 the fault. The fact is, that when a man fancies he can be his 

 own architect, his imagination is excited by the possibility of 

 achieving a great many pleasant results by his own peculiarly 

 fortunate talents ; and in endeavoring to realize one after another 

 of his desires, the building enthusiasm draws him so graduall}^ and 

 by so many unseen currents into the maelstrom of expense, that he 

 rarely realizes, until too late, the quality of his conceit and extrava- 

 gance. We believe that the employment of an honest and qualified 

 architect will always be an economy to the employer, and that to 

 dictate to him the adoption of any particular style because just then 

 it happens to be the rage, is a pretty sure way to secure his poorest, 

 instead of his best designing. 



Another matter that we would most earnestly impress on all per- 

 sons about to build is this : that, when it is the intention to employ 

 an architect, he should be given months, instead of days, to mature 

 his designs. We would always doubt the competence of that 

 architect who prides himself on throwing off designs in a hurr3^ 

 Long practice, and plethoric portfolios, may greatly facilitate the 

 rapidity with which good designs can be matured, but it is never- 

 theless true that all designs which are at all original in character, 

 and at the same time tasteful and harmonious, are the result of 

 many sketches, and careful comparisons, corrections and elimina- 

 tions, which can only be made when ample time is given. Dwel 

 ling-houses of moderate cost are the most difficult, in proportion to 

 their cost, of all forms of architectural designing ; and specifications 



