January, i y i 6 
37 
? ■ - **jwr, 
Raymond Ellis, architect 
In New England, this well-proportioned house in stucco cost from $15,000 to $18,000. 
In the middle South (Kentucky and Maryland) it would cogt about 20% less 
fairly good condition. Part of the 
house is 279 years old. It was built 
of unpainted white pine, which 
should prove that the value of 
materials is determined by their life 
and depreciation. A house of fire¬ 
proof material is enduring and it 
costs probably not more than fifteen 
per cent over that of a frame dwell¬ 
ing. The repairs are less, it is 
warmer in winter, cooler in summer 
and the cost of insurance is less. 
The scarcity of fireproof build¬ 
ings is due to the fact that people in 
general are not familiar enough 
with them, but each year sees more 
houses built of fireproof construc¬ 
tion and it is only a matter of time 
before the best class of houses will 
be combining fireproof qualities 
with the best architectural design. 
Probably the fireproof construction 
is prohibitive in cost for the house 
costing around thirty-five hundred 
dollars at the present time. 
A house having many fireproof 
qualities is represented by the 
frame house with stucco exterior. 
The stucco house has many ad¬ 
vantages ; it is a better type of con¬ 
struction than the frame and 
shingled house, it is adaptable to 
the most pleasing architectural de¬ 
sign without elaborate detail. It is substantial in appearance 
and it does not require repainting. Stucco is applied very 
rapidly and when thoroughly set is an excellent non-conductor 
of heat or cold. The color of stucco may be applied or self- 
contained. It very seldom becomes shabby, but assumes a 
mellow tint with age. 
A short time ago an eight-room house was built in New 
England and actual figures were obtained on its construction, 
of frame and clapboards, frame and shingles, lCfiinch hollow 
brick wall, stucco on hollow block, stucco on metal lath and 
brick veneer over frame. 
It was found that the shingled house cost 1.6 per cent more 
than the clapboard house. 
The house with 10-inch hollow brick walls cost 9.10 per cent 
more. Stucco on hollow blocks 6.3 per cent more. Stucco on 
metal lath 2.9 per cent more. Brick 
veneer on frame 5.8 per cent more. 
Stucco affords considerable pro¬ 
tection against fire and warrants tile 
or slate roofs. 
Architect’s Figures 
The architect cannot determine 
the cost of a cottage in advance of 
making sketches, showing what the 
client is going to require in the con¬ 
struction, finish, size and equipment 
of his house, unless it should hap¬ 
pen to be similar to one he has built 
and the client has seen. The con¬ 
tractor makes up his estimate based 
on these plans and the specifica¬ 
tions. A compact, well designed 
house is economical to build and 
maintain, but you must compro¬ 
mise between the essentials and un¬ 
essentials. The client of extraordi¬ 
nary taste and patience, whose in¬ 
clination is to assist the architect, 
aids materially to produce the best 
results rather than one who dictates 
in complete satisfaction. 
There is no doubt that a skilful 
architect can by clever planning se¬ 
cure maximum accommodations in 
a given space, or by ingenious ar¬ 
rangement of materials secure a 
handsome building from materials 
of moderate cost. In order to meet 
the great need for a modern architecture in keeping with the 
standard of life, social and commercial aspirations of the 
peojfie, architecture must become more specialized. We are 
thorough in some things, we want the best machinery, labor 
saving equipment, railway engines, and motor cars, but for 
some reason we seem willing to put up with terribly inefficient 
buildings. 
Many intelligent people probably derive little consciou- 
pleasure from good architecture or feel any dissatisfaction at 
the sight of an ugly building or poor setting, yet they exert a 
good or bad educational influence on them without their knowl¬ 
edge. The professional architect strives to plan the very best 
building for the purpose to which it is ultimately to be put. 
The wonderful buildings of the Romans were full of beauty, 
(Continued oil page 04) 
A. Raymond Ellis, architect 
A typical Southern Colonial house built last year at Greensboro, North Carolina, costing 
between $14,000 and $15,000, of frame construction and clapboards. In New York 
this house would cost $20,000, due to the differer.ee in cost of building 
