12 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
A House Costing $4,000, Complete. 
BY S. B. REED, ARCHITECT, 245 BROADWAY, N. Y. CITY. 
This plan is for a commodious, convenient resi¬ 
dence, economically constructed with appliances 
for heating, ventilation, water, etc., complete — 
Elevation.— (Fig.l.) The outlines are irregular, 
Fig. 1.— FRONT ELEVATION—FACING EASTWARD. 
and agreeably conform to the site for which it is 
planned—an elevated, undulating and picturesque 
print, fringed with forest trees, and overlooking 
the waters. It fronts eastward, bringing the Con¬ 
servatory on the warm, or southern side. The 
position of the tower, and its size, make it a promi¬ 
nent feature, and very valuable for an elevated out¬ 
look commanding extensive and interesting views. 
The aim is to have the exterior ornamentation neat 
and effective, and being mostly of open timber 
work, is simple of construction. The inclined 
grounds to the right bring most of the founda¬ 
tion above ground, and gives good sized openings to 
the finished basement_ Cellai* and ISSase- 
laaont. —(Fig. 3.) Hight of walls in main part 7 
feet; in the kitchen end 8 feet, when floored 7feet. 
That under the main part is for cellar purposes, to 
contain the furnace ; bins for fuel and vegetables, 
with six small windows for light and air. The 
kitchen cellar part is floored and plastered, well 
lighted, contains a range, boiler, sink, wash tubs, 
and a force-pump. The pantry adjoining the 
kitchen is shelved on three sides, and has a dumb¬ 
waiter leading to the dining-room pantry above. 
The outside entrance to the kitchen and cellar is 
by the area at the rear. A convenient stairway 
leads from the front entry in the basement to the 
rear entry in the first story_ EIrst §toj*y.— 
(Fig. 3.) Hight of ceiling in main part, 10 feet; 
ci e n o 
Fig. 2.—PLAN OF BASEMENT. 
in the wing 9 feet. The principal entrance has 
double front and vestibule doors, to a large hall, 
by 18i feet. Small closets at each side of the 
vestibule serve for umbrellas, overshoes, etc. At 
the left, double doors, leading to the parlor, and 
further on a door leads to the library, at the right,one 
to the dining-room, and one at the rear, to the back 
entry. The parlor is of ample size, and adjoins the 
library through sliding-doors. Each of these 
rooms has hard-wood mantels, is well lighted 
from without by large windows, 
and both have sash-doors leading 
to the conservatory. The latter is 
finished with a concrete bottom, 
and altogether costs but §150. 
By a little effort at selection and 
arrangement of plants, this apart¬ 
ment may be made a constant 
source of interest and pleasure. 
The dining-room has outlooks in 
three directions, and communi¬ 
cates directly with the porch, 
hall, the rear entry, and a pantry 
having a dumb-waiter to the base¬ 
ment. The rear entry is cut off 
from the main hall (to save the 
latter from much common use 
and wear,) and has a wash-bowl, 
and stairs leading to the base¬ 
ment. The rear porch, and din¬ 
ing-room pantry are both under 
a roof similar to that shown for 
the front piazza ; the pantry ex¬ 
tending to the outer face, forms 
an alcove of the porch. The 
main stairs to the second story are 
of the “ quarter circle” pattern, 
a - with niche near the top, and have 
a 10-inch panelled newel; a 21 by 
41-inch moulded rail; and 21-inch 
fluted ballusters, all of hard 
wood_ Second Story. —Fig. 4.) Hight of 
ceiling in main part 9 feet; in wing 8 feet. The 
divisions are: a hall, three chambers, a bed¬ 
room, bath-room, and six closets, all of ample di¬ 
mensions. Mautel shelves with trusses of hard 
woods are put in each chamber. The stairs to the 
Fig. 3.—PLAN OF FIRST STORY. 
attic are placed above those of the first story, 
which are thus made continuous to the upper hall. 
_Attic. —(Fig. 5. Hight of finished ceiling 
9 feet. This is'divided into a hall, two chambers, 
a bed-room, and two closets. The stairs to the 
tower are “boxed in” with narrow, double-dressed 
beaded ceiling, and have a panelled door at the 
foot_ Tower.- Size of floor plan (not shown), 
91 feet square. Hight of side walls to top of plate 
6 feet, and continued along the under side of the 
rafters at an angle of 45° to the ceiling, which is 9 
feet high. The boxing of the attic stairs extends 
2 feet above the floor, and has a moulded cap along 
the top_ Construction. —Foundation walls 
of hard brick aud good mortar. Cellar bottom is 
levelled with concrete. The frame is of seasoned 
spruce. Inclosing of first quality pine clap boards 
laid on felt and dressed sheathing. Roofing of 
“Chapman” slate, laid on tarred felt and sheathing. 
Gutters and leaders of IX tin. Floors of narrow 
spruce. Plastering, three coats, hard finished. 
Casings and mouldings of clear pine. Doors all 
panelled and moulded. Sash of best make, four 
lights to each window, and hung to balance 
weights. Blinds to each window above the foun¬ 
dation ; shutters to kitchen windows. Painting, 
two coats of best materials. The hard woods oiled. 
Plumbing; the tank (not shown) placed in the 
hall of the attic, just over the bath-room, is 3 by 4 
by 6 feet, lined with lead ; bath-tub, seat-closet, and 
wash-bowl in rear entry ; range, boiler, sink, wash- 
tubs, and a force-pump in the kitchen ; all con¬ 
nected with proper lead pipes for hot and cold 
water. A 4-inch soil-pipe leads from the bath¬ 
room to a 5-inch drain of vitrified tile pipe con¬ 
veying all waste to a cesspool 50 feet from the 
house. The soil pipe is ventilated by a pipe lead¬ 
ing from it to above the roof with a T connection 
at the top. The heater is inclosed with brick, and 
has pipes to convey warmed air to the halls and 
rooms of the first and second stories. Bells from 
the front door to the rear entry; and from the 
second story hall to the attic and kitchen, are put 
in with wires passing through tubes concealed 
from sight. Speaking-tubes are put in, leading from 
the dining-room to the kitchen. The contract re¬ 
quires all done in a workmanlike and substantial 
manner, and of materials best adapted to their 
several purposes Cost.— Any one at all fa¬ 
miliar with building, will, by going over the follow¬ 
ing items of cost, learn the character of this house. 
The total of these items might easily be doubled if 
desirable, without changing the plans in the least, 
simply by increasing the expense in the details of 
finish. Whenever employed to prepare plans, my 
first inquiry is as to the amount to be appropriated 
for building, then to ascertain the accommodation 
required, the facts as to site, learn all I can of the 
characteristics, and tastes of the owner and his 
family, then prepare plans to meet the require¬ 
ments, without exceeding the amount set down 
to be expended. Cost of materials and labor, viz. : 
132 yards excavation, at 20c. per yard.$ 26 40 
24 M. Brick (furnished and laid), at $12 per M . 2S8 00 
80 feet Blue Stone, at 15c. per foot. 12 00 
1,250 yards Plastering, at 25c. per yard. 312 50 
240 feet Cornice, at 33c. per foot. 72 00 
81 yards Concrete, at 30c. per yard. 25 20 
5,300 feet Timber, at $15 per M.. 82 50 
200 Joist, at 15c. each.. 30 00 
350 Wall Strips, at 11c. each. 38 50 
550 Flooring inside, at 18c. each. 9!) 00 
50 Flooring outside, at 25c. each. 12 50 
520 Sheathing, at 15c. each. .. 78 00 
500 Clap-hoards, at 20c. each.100 00 
Outside Cornices. 45 00 
27 squares Slate, at $9 per square. 243 00 
270 feet Gutters and Leaders, at 10c. per foot. 27 00 
Verandah and Porch (complete). 60 00 
600 lbs. Nails, at 3c. per lb.•. 18 00 
7 Cellar Windows (complete), at $4 each. 28 00 
4 Kitchen Windows (complete), at $6 each. 24 00 
23 Plain Windows (complete), at $8 each.184 00 
11 Dormer Windows (complete), at $12 each.132 00 
45 Doors (complete), at 7 each.315 00 
CHAMBER 
-j 13X14. 
HALL 
3 
f \!X 
I 
FOOF ^ 
CHAMBER 
14x17/2 
1 
= 
BEDROOM 
9/zx. 13 
/i\ 
|c ] c 
Fig. 5.— THIRD STORY, OR ATTIC. 
4 Stairs (complete).100 00 
5 Mantels and 6 Shelves, $108; Plumbing, $400.508 00 
Furnace, etc., $250; Conservatory, $130.400 00 
Bells, Speaking Tubes, $19: Carting, $00. 49 00 
Painting. 150 00 
Carpenter’s labor not included above.400 00 
Incidentals .—. ■■ 140 40 
Total.$4,000 00 
