HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January. 
IQ14 
the filling is “made” ground, it provides a ready path for water 
to soak into your cellar, unless as before stated you provide 
against that contingency by means of concrete walls. A lot of 
this sort, owing to its lowness, often causes difficulty, sometimes 
sickness and death, because it is so nearly the level of the sewer 
that a proper drainage is not 
provided. 
Exposure, too, is important. 
If the lot faces the east, it 
means cool afternoons in which 
to enjoy your balcony or 
porch; if you can get a south¬ 
ern exposure for one side of 
your house, so much the bet¬ 
ter—if you can procure land 
whose corners face to the 
half-points of the compass— 
that is, northeast, southwest 
and so forth—you are indeed 
favored, for if your house is 
not too closely built in, you 
can count on sunlight in every 
outside room during the day. 
The careful housewife knows 
what that means! 
Even when you have found 
exactly the plot which you desire and for the price which you 
care to pay, your troubles are not over—for some defect of title 
may cause the loss of your property. It always pays to have a 
lawyer or a title guarantee company look into this matter. This is 
forever settled if a reputable company searches and guarantees 
you from loss, and none but a reputable one should be employed. 
The validity of 
the title, or 
rather the present 
owner’s right 
to convey it, 
being made sure, 
tell the owner to 
have the lot sur¬ 
veyed — and in¬ 
corporate this 
survey in the 
deed. The wis¬ 
dom of this is 
shown in a re¬ 
cent case which 
I have in mind, 
where a certain 
lot was offered 
for sale as being 
“fifty feet front,” 
with the assump¬ 
tion that this 
width was main¬ 
tained for its en¬ 
tire depth. Up¬ 
on the records 
being looked up and the survey made it was discovered that 
while the lot was fifty feet front right enough, it tapered to 
less than twenty feet at the rear! Had the man bought with¬ 
out the survey, he would have had to erect a “Flat Iron” build¬ 
ing, or else purchased enough land from his neighbors to 
straighten out his lines. 
The survey being satisfactory, make the owner give you a 
“Warranty” deed — this places the burden of defending any suits 
which may be brought to contest the title upon the owner, his 
heirs or assigns. But do not accept the warranty deed as a sub¬ 
stitute for the other precautions—this form of deed protects you 
only to the value of the lot, while after your house is erected your 
property represents to you the value of your house and lot. 
The deed being drawn, 
signed and properly recorded, 
the next step is the location of 
your house upon it; in this 
connection do not be persuaded 
to build right up to the lines 
of your property. No matter 
how friendly your prospective 
neighbors may appear, they 
may not always remain so, or 
strangers may move in; to 
avoid prospects of trouble, 
build several feet inside the 
lines, in order that the eaves 
may drip upon your own prop¬ 
erty and, when you have re¬ 
pairing or painting done, your 
workmen may not have to 
trespass. The “waste” of a 
few feet of land is not a waste 
when it prevents the possibility 
of a suit for damages or even an order compelling you to shift 
your house! 
The type of dwelling which you erect will depend upon your 
preference, the location of your land and the resources of your 
pocketbook. The bungalow type of building has more devotees 
every year, yet it is not always suitable nor always sufficiently 
roomy. For sub¬ 
urban use, life 
in the country 
and in many 
small towns it is 
hard to surpass, 
but it is well 
to remember that 
this type was de¬ 
veloped for use 
in warm climates 
and demands a 
rustic setting to 
bring out its 
attractive- 
ness. Set upon a 
small plot and 
amongst houses 
of the old-fash¬ 
ioned type, it ap- 
pears incon¬ 
gruous and out 
of taste. 
Disregard- 
ing the bungalow 
type for a mo¬ 
ment, we may list some building materials in the order of 
their cost. Cheapest is the ordinary frame dwelling finished 
with siding and painted; this is the most general type, although 
now pressed closely for popularity by the frame house covered 
with stained shingles, and generally known as a “shingle” 
house. The first cost of the shingle house is slightly greater, but 
this difference is largely made up in the after cost of painting— 
(Continued on page 48) 
Your choice of material depends largely upon the material found in the neighbor¬ 
hood. An attractive fieldstone house of the Philadelphia type 
Stucco on hollow tile is really a flexible building material. That one need not resort to the use of exterior wall 
decoration of other materials to produce a beautiful home, is proved by this house, the home of Mr. Perry 
MacNeille. Mann & MacNeille, architects 
