A NEW WAY TO BUY A HOUSE 
By M. Haskell 
uT TERY WELL! Here is my check for five thou- 
* sand dollars. I shall take my family to Europe 
on the first of the month and will not return 
until the ioth of next December. On the 20th of 
that month I shall expect you to deliver to me, 
complete in all particulars according to my written 
memorandum of instructions, the house called for 
by these plans and specifications—complete as to 
structure; as to grading, sodding and planting of 
the grounds; complete, too, as to furniture, with 
carpets down, curtains hung, pantry, kitchen and 
coal cellar stocked, the house warmed and light¬ 
ed, and dinner for six ready to be served at eight 
o’clock of that day. The price is to be thirty-five 
thousand dollars and it is agreed, too, that there are 
to be no bills for extras or additions, and further that 
if the house complete can be built and equipped ac¬ 
cording to these plans and instructions for less than 
thirty-five thousand dollars I am to be credited with 
my share of the difference. Meanwhile I want to hear 
nothing further of the matter until I return. My 
financial agent will pay you additional instalments 
of the cost pro rata as the work proceeds in accord¬ 
ance with my contract with you until twenty-five 
thousand dollars have been paid. The balance 
due you will be paid within thirty days of the de¬ 
livery and acceptance of the house by me, and it 
will be accepted and your bond satisfied when I 
am satisfied that everything has been done by you 
as agreed.” 
Such, in effect, is the way the house builder of 
the twentieth century will buy his house, if the 
new method of Messrs. Hoggson Brothers is car¬ 
ried into successful operation; and that it can be 
done they offer as evidence the accompanying photo¬ 
graphs of a thor¬ 
oughly modern 
residence at Riv- 
erdale,NewYork, 
recently complet¬ 
ed under their 
system. Acting as 
the owner’s rep¬ 
resentative they 
attended to the 
making of the 
plans for the 
house by a New 
York architect 
approved by the 
owner ; to the 
designing and 
planting of the 
grounds by a landscape architect ; the building 
of the house and the grading by local labor under 
a local contractor. 
The site of the house is on a slope of the Pali¬ 
sades overlooking the Hudson and facing east. To 
take the fullest advantage of the easterly exposure, 
all the rooms of the house are practically on that 
side, as shown in the accompanying plans, which 
carried out the owner's wishes in every respect. 
The house is of frame throughout with founda¬ 
tions of local stone. All of the rooms are furnish¬ 
ed in enamelled cream white woodwork with Col¬ 
onial detail. The halls are panelled, and the ceil¬ 
ing beams show in the dining-room, around which 
there is a rail six feet above the floor. The fire¬ 
places are finished in brick, and the bath rooms in 
cream tile, with vitreous tile floors. 
The second floor contains the bedrooms, hath 
rooms, and linen closet only. On the third floor 
are a large guest room, servant’s room, bath rooms 
and attic. The cellar contains the arrangements 
usual in a house of this character. 
The advantages claimed for this method of con¬ 
tracting are: 
1st. That the owner is guaranteed a certain max¬ 
imum cost with a variable minimum cost de¬ 
pendent upon the saving effected over the first 
estimates. 
2nd. That the owner is relieved of responsibil¬ 
ity and worry during the progress of the work. 
3rd. That the inclusion under one contract of 
all parties engaged in the production of the 
house ensures a uniformity and unity of prod¬ 
uct not otherwise possible. In the case illus¬ 
trated, the entire 
estate was fin¬ 
ished, stables, 
pergolas, etc. 
erected, vegetable 
and flower gar¬ 
dens planted, and 
the whole deliv- 
ered actually 
ready for use. 
This proposition 
seems a reasona¬ 
ble one, and will 
doubtless become 
a well established 
custom once pub¬ 
lic confidence is 
fully gained. 
FOUNTAIN IN GARDEN. 
A SUGGESTION FOR RELIEVING A BLANK BRICK WALL 
*53 
