1875 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
89 
in the basement or cellar. One foot of the soil 
taken from the excavation for the cellar should be 
used in grading around the house, to secure the 
Fig. 2.—PLAN OF CELLAR. 
flow of water away from it, and still leave the 
walls 3 feet or more above the ground. 
Cost. —The following Estimates of cost in detail, 
Sxdtg - 
Stud 
Mil 
a 
jt^Lasicrin^ --—~ — - 
Fig. 6.—SECTION OF OUTSIDE WALL. 
Will give an idea of the general character of the 
work. The prices given are for materials in the 
vicinity of New York. Carpenters wages are reck¬ 
oned at §3 per day ; mason’s work, §3.50 per day ; 
and painters, §4 per day : 
Excavation, 2.X feet deep, ® 25c. per yard.* 13.75 
12,000 Hard Brick, @ $15, furnished and laid. 180.00 
2S feet Stone Steps, @ 40c.. per foot.. 11.20 
10 feet Stone Sills, @ 30c. per foot. 4.80 
483 yards Lath and Plastering, @ 40c. 193.20 
2000 feet Timber, @ 2Xc. per foot. 50.00 
Viz. 2 Sills, 4x7 in. x20 feet. 2 Ties, 4x0 in. x20 feet. 
2 Sills, 4x7 in. x30 feet. 2 Ties, 4x6 in. x30 feet. 
4 Posts, 4x7 in. x20 feet. 2 Girders. 4x8 in. xl5 ft. 
2 Plates, 4xfi in. x 20 feet. 2 Stringers, 3x8 in.x20 ft. 
2 Plates, 4x6 in. x 30 feet. 30 Beams, 3x8 in. x20 feet. 
32 Rafters, 3x4 inches xl2 feet, @ 20c. 6 40 
300 Wall Strips, 2x4 inches xl3 feet, @ 16c. 4S.00 
200 Novelty Siding Boards, 9% inches, @ 38c. 76.00 
160 pounds Tarred Paper, @ 5c . 8.00 
100 Hemlock Boards, 10 in., ® 20c. 20.00 
100 feet Main Cornice, @ 50c. 50.00 
1 Bay Window Complete, with Blinds (labor included) 75.00 
IX Stoops Complete, (labor included).. 70.00 
8 Windows with Blinds, @ $18. 144.00 
4 Windows with Blinds, @ $8. 32.C0 
8X Squares of Tin Roofing, @ $9. 76.50 
100 feet Gutters and Leaders, @ 10c. 10.00 
150 Flooring Plank, tongued and grooved, @35c. 52.50 
Stairs, (Main and Cellar). 80.00 
Base-Boards, Shelving, etc. 30.00 
4 Mantels (1 full marble, and 3 marble shelves on 
Trusses of Plaster). 50.00 
21 Doors Complete, (iabor included). 200.00 
350 lbs. Nails, @ 5c... 17.50 
Painting, two coats. 80.00 
Carpenter’s Labor, not included in windows, doors, 
and porches, about. 250.00 
Cartage, average one mile. 30.00 
Allow for extras, Cistern, Pump, Sink, etc. etc. 141.15 
Total Cost.$2,000.00 
Prices vary in different localities, somewhat, but 
when higher in some particulars they will generally 
be lower in others, so that the whole cost will not 
be greatly different over a considerable extent of 
country. There arc many items that can be cut 
down iu the above estimate, where great economy 
is needful—our estimate is for a pretty complete, 
tasteful house. For example, substitute wood for 
stone steps and sills; omit the blinds, and bay win¬ 
dow, use cheaper doors, piue stair-railing and newel 
instead of walnut, etc. Any good builder can con¬ 
struct a house of this size, number of rooms, and 
general conveniences, for §1,500 to $1,600, the 
smaller sum where bricks, lumber, and labor are j 
obtainable at moderate prices. The Bay Window 
and general external appearance of the front are 
very desirable. A movable “Dresser” having 
drawers and shelving with small doors, is indicated 
for the dining room. This room may be heated by 
leading a pipe from the kitchen stove to a drum and 
back into the chimney, or up through the chamber I 
above to warm that somewhat. A “ Fireplace 
heater ” in the parlor will warm the chamber above. 
An end section of the “ Novelty Siding ” is 
shown in fig. 5. This is of 10-inch boards, 1 inch 
thick, cut as shown in the engraving. The groove I 
in the centre gives it the appearance of narrow j 
clapboards ; the lap of about an inch closes tightly, 
and the thick boards not only add to the warmth, 
but also to the strength. A house covered with | 
this will vibrate very little in the most windy situa¬ 
tions, and be firmer than one covered with thin j 
siding having much heavier timber. Where plan¬ 
ing mills are accessible, it is little more expensive j 
than the dressed half-inch boarding, and the ap¬ 
pearance is quite as pretty. In this vicinity it is 
customary to purchase a lot of pretty good quality 
merchantable pine boards, select the best and clear¬ 
est of knots for siding, and use the rest for flooring 
where knots are not objectionable when to be cov¬ 
ered with carpeting. The smaller and firm knots 
in the siding used are readily covered with paint if 
first primed with a little solution of shellac in 
alcohol. 
EDITORIAL NOTES. 
Mr. Reed provides in his estimate for “ 160 lbs. 
Tarred Paper.” We suppose he intends this to be 
applied as sheathing upon the studding, before put¬ 
ting on the siding, as this is the usual custom. We 
suggest the plan devised by Mr. Judd, (cur senior 
Publisher), and described in the American Agricul¬ 
turist for March, 1871, pages 83 and 89. A section 
of the wall is shown iu fig. 6. The studding 2x4, 
makes a space of 4 inches between the siding and 
saw run through the roll cuts it into 16 inch 
strips. The studs being set 16 inches apart from 
CHAMBER. 
8'-S'' x 12 
CHAMBER 
10' * 14-' 6 U 
HALL 
5'-10"xT-6" 
CHAMBER 
•7-6"x 10 '-6 
CHAMBER 
ll' >d4' 
KITCHEN 
DINING ROOM 
10' X l4' - 4^ 
PARLOR 
12' fi"* iw‘ 
HALl 
6' x n 1 
Eig. 4.— PLAN OF SECOND STORY. 
plastering. Tarred paper, or what is termed roof¬ 
ing felt, is procured in rolls 32 inches wide. A 
Fig. 3.—PLAN OF FIRST STORY. 
center to center leaves tile clear space of 14 inches. 
The strips of felt are turned up an inch on each 
edge, and these turned edges are held against the 
studs by lath firmly nailed up and down, so as to 
hold the sheets midway between the plastering and 
siding. This leaves two air chambers, both good 
non-conductors of heat. Mice or insects will not 
eat or go through this material. It is impervious to 
currents of air, and the whole is as warm as if filled 
in with brick. The cost is very small, and as will 
be readily seen, it is much warmer than when the 
felt is put on directly under the boards, leaving only 
one air chamber, and that a wide one....In all 
house-plans we advise putting in all the closets 
possible ; they are always convenient, even a foot 
square “ cubby-hole” in the side of a chimney is a 
handy place. In planning a house, after 
making the size as large as one’s means 
will allow, the “better half” should be 
consulted as to the advisibility of mak¬ 
ing this or that room a little smaller by 
cutting off a few inches here and there 
to enlarge a pantry or closet.... We al¬ 
ways advise to put in an extra bell or 
two, and one or more speaking tubes, 
to connect the upper and lower 
rooms. The cost is but trifling if they 
are put in when building. A hun¬ 
dred feet of speaking tube will cost but $2 or 
$3 ; the carpenter can insert it behind the lath, 
running it from one room to another in a few min¬ 
utes, and it will save many steps, and much calling 
through the halls, especially when the mother hap¬ 
pens to be an invalid and restrained to a chamber. 
_In arranging sink, table, dish pantry, etc., with 
reference to dining-room and kitchen, always plan 
to save steps. A distance of 10 feet extra, travel¬ 
led over each way, say 20 times a day, in handling 
