Comparative Costs of Building and Building Material 
THE ACTUAL ESTIMATES ON THE SAME DESIGN FROM ALL SECTIONS OF THE 
UNITED STATES—THE RELATION OF LOCAL MATERIALS AND COST—HOW TO 
ESTIMATE EXPENSE OF CONSTRUCTION FROM THE PLAN AND DRAWINGS 
by H. W. Butterfield 
Drawings by the Author 
M ANY people are apt to be skeptical about the usual maga¬ 
zine articles relating to the cost of small country houses. 
We dare say that in the majority of cases the magazines are cor¬ 
rect, for they publish information regarding an actual house built 
in some one section of the country. Llowever, the fact that the 
house is located in one section is responsible for the misunder¬ 
standing upon the part of the readers. 
It is impossible to give a figure that would cover the cost for the 
entire country. We must consider 
each factor that enters into the to¬ 
tal outlay and judge of its relative 
importance in the various sections 
in which building is carried on. 
The two principal factors are 
labor and material. In some places 
the first factor, labor, plays the 
more important part. Wages are 
high and hours are short. For ex¬ 
ample: in the vicinity of New 
York City, union labor is well or¬ 
ganized and the mechanics receive 
the maximum wage for the mini¬ 
mum number of hours. In central 
and western New York State, car¬ 
penters and masons get a modest 
wage and some materials, requir¬ 
ing a long haul, are expensive. 
The lumber sections of the North¬ 
west and some parts of the South 
give a plentiful supply of cheap 
material 'and where labor’s de¬ 
mands are not exorbitant at the 
same time, we find here the most 
favorable conditions in which to 
build cheaply. 
The distance which material is 
hauled is a strong factor in de¬ 
termining its cost to the consumer. 
Therefore, aside from esthetic 
reasons, it is always wiser to con¬ 
struct your house with native ma¬ 
terials, as far as possible. 
In spite of the growing price of 
woods and the reduction in the price of masonry material, such as 
cement, it is still cheaper to build a frame house than one of any 
other kind. Of course certain parts favored with the close prox¬ 
imity of brick yards or quarries give these materials the advantage 
over frame on account of durability and cheapness. 
To get down to facts we shall compare the prices obtained from 
each quarter of the country; prices obtained on the same house 
and specifications. To test this the plans and specifications of 
the house shown in the illustrations were sent to architects all 
over the country. There was a list of questions to be answered 
and the costs of various materials sought. The replies were care¬ 
fully averaged and the results are given below. A glance at the 
design will show its general character better than a written de¬ 
scription. We give prices, both in lump sums and per cubic foot: 
New York City (suburban).$4300.00 
Per cubic foot frame.17 cents 
Per cubic foot brick. 21^/2 cents 
Per cubic foot stone. 22^4 cents 
Stucco on metal lath.18 cents 
Vicinity of Philadelphia 10% to 15% less than near New York. 
Maine.$3400.00 
Per cubic foot frame....14 cents 
Per cubic foot brick.... 17 cents 
Per cubic foot stone .. .20 cents 
Stucco on metal lath.. .15 cents 
In the southern New England 
states the cost would be slightly in 
excess of the above. 
Middle South, Kentucky, Mary¬ 
land, etc.$3000.00 
Per cubic foot frame, 
10 to 12 cents 
Per cubic foot brick, 
12 to 14 cents 
Per cubic foot stone, 
15 to 20 cents 
Stucco on metal lath, 
11 to 14 cents 
Chicago, vicinity of.$3800.00 
Per cubic foot frame, 
15 to 16 cents 
Per cubic foot brick... .18 cents 
Per cubic foot stone... .20 cents 
Stucco on metal lath, 
16 to 17 cents 
Middle western states such as 
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Wis¬ 
consin . .. .$2550.00 to $4000.00 
Per cubic foot frame, 
10 to 17 cents 
Per cubic foot brick, 
I2j4 to 20 cents 
Per cubic foot stone, 
16 to 25 cents up 
Per cubic foot stucco on metal 
lath.12 to 18 cents up 
Pacific coast (Northwest), 
$2000.00 to $3200.00 
Per cubic foot frame. 8)4 to 13 cents 
Per cubic foot brick. 9/4 to 14 cents 
Per cubic foot stone.14 to 16 cents 
Per cubic foot stucco on metal lath.9 to 14 cents 
Colorado (average).$3100.00 to $3200.00 
Per cubic foot frame.12 cents 
Per cubic foot brick.14 cents 
Per cubic foot stone. T 5 cents 
Per cubic foot stucco on metal lath.13 cents 
Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico).$2900.00 to $3000.00 
Per cubic foot frame.12 cents 
Per cubic foot brick.13)4 to 14 cents 
Per cubic foot stone.16 cents 
Per cubic foot stucco on metal lath.. . 13L2 to 14 cents 
The floor plans of the design show all the necessary conven¬ 
iences for a small house that is economical but practical 
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