January, 1909 
kitchen can be so arranged that flues lead from 
each into one chimney a big item of expense 
will be saved. This can generally be accom- 
plished in a square house by running the chim- 
just back of the kitchen so that the dining- 
room and library fireplaces can be grouped 
around it. Similarly the plumbing should be 
designed, as far as possible, so that the pipes 
run in a direct vertical line. Long pipes in- 
crease expense and add to the danger of freez- 
ing in winter. With the plumbing system de- 
signed in compact form, with no long pipes, 
the expense is materially lessened. “The heat- 
ing apparatus, whether steam, hot water or 
furnace, should be centrally located so that 
the distribution can be made equal through- 
out the building. In dry-air furnaces a long 
pipe running to rooms located on the north 
or west sides will be the last one to get heated 
up, and the service will always prove the 
poorest in that one. If anything, the furnace 
should be located nearer the north and west 
walls of the cellar than the east or south walls. 
The pipes for the more exposed and colder 
sides will thus get more direct heat in winter. 
With these facts kept clearly in mind, the 
dimensions of the house can be made, and a 
rough estimate of its cost of construction ob- 
tained. Prices of labor and materials differ 
in various parts of the country, and the 
tendency is for both to increase. But architects 
estimate that modern wooden houses will cost 
from two dollars to five dollars per square 
foot; brick houses from four dollars to eight 
dollars, and concrete block houses, stucco, 
terra cotta block and brick veneered houses 
from three dollars to eight dollars per square 
foot. On the same basis a modern wooden 
house will cost from eight to fifteen cents per 
cubic foot, and brick ten to twenty-five cents, 
and other materials proportionately. 
From these figures it will be seen that the 
variation in cost is considerable, and the ama- 
teur estimator could easily come a long way 
from even an approximate estimate. But this 
is more apparent than real. ‘The great dif- 
ference in the prices is due chiefly to the in- 
terior finish and equipment. One does not 
expect to put expensive nickelplate plumbing 
systems, elaborate gas and electrical equip- 
ments, and costly steam heating apparatus in 
a three thousand dollar house. On the other 
hand, if the lowest cost is used in the esti- 
mate, plumbing, heating and lighting systems 
must be scanted, and many of the little points 
of interior finish omitted. The way to esti- 
mate on these different equipments will be 
treated later. 
Find out the number of square feet in the 
ground plans of the sketch drawn for your 
own guidance by multiplying length by 
breadth. To do this additions and angles 
must be calculated carefully and separately 
from the main part of the structure. Ve- 
randas that are covered are usually estimated 
separately in the same way and then divided 
by two. Add up all the figures thus secured, 
and for a small, comfortable, but not elabor- 
ately finished, house, multiply the sum by 
three dollars, or if a finer interior equipment is 
desired multiply by four dollars, to get the 
“snap cost.” 
To estimate by cubical contents, the square 
of the ground plan is multiplied by the height, 
measuring from the bottom of the cellar to 
the top of the roof. Owing to projections 
and windows in the roof no allowance is made 
for the smaller cubical contents of the roof 
than the body of the house. With the cubical 
contents obtained, it is a simple matter to 
secure the snap estimate by multiplying the 
result by ten cents for a modern, comfortable 
wooden home, and by fifteen cents for a more 
ambitious structure. Brick houses cost from 
fifteen to twenty-eight cents per cubic foot. 
It is never safe to figure on less than ten cents 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
WOLF RR. 
= MFG CO. =e it) y 
CHICAGO lt p 
This is where we manufacture our Monarch Porcelain Ware 
Trenton, New Jersey 
Uniformity gf Design 
Architects DO appreciate the fact that by specifying 
Wolff Plumbing Material exclusively they are 
protecting their clients from the annoying con- 
fusion of design and mechanical standards that 
is sure to creep into even the most carefully 
selected line of “assembled” plumbing equipment. 
L. WOLFF 
Established 1855 
Manufacturers of PLUMBING GOODS EXCLUSIVELY 
The Only Complete Line Made by Any One Firm 
77 
MANUFACTURING 
COMPAN Y 
Showrooms: 91 Dearborn St. 
Denver CHICAGO Trenton 
IS BUILT ON HONOR 
& SOLD ON MERIT 
THE GLoBe” VENTILATOR 
IN GALVANIZED IRON, BRASS AND COPPER 
ALSO WITH GLASS TOPS FOR SKYLIGHT 
Simple, Symmetrical, Storm-proof, Effective. For per- 
fectly ventilating buildings of every character. Send 
for model and pamphlet. Smoky Chimneys Cured 
‘“Globe Ventilated Ridging’’ 
Mfd. by GLOBE VENTILATOR CO., TROY, N.Y. 
Patented and 
Trade-Mark 
Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. 
AY A 
Al LAS PORTLAND 
eee EMENT 
THE ATLAS PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY, 30 BROAD STREET, NEW YORK 
GECEOVIESESS SUSU SIR SE SU SS GRSRSSSISSSSS 
American Homes and Gardens $ 5 0 0 & 
. efe ° e@ os 
and Scientific American Regular Price, $6.00 S 
(OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL OLOL OL OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOZOLOEOLOS 
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will be sent to 
one address for 
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