38 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January, 
1914 
Number 1 
Number 2 
Number 3 
$8,820.00 
375.00 
132.50 
$17,125.00 
525.00 
256.87 
$21,780.00 
525.00 
326.70 
$9,327.50 
$17,906.87 
$22,631.70 
765.00 
543.75 
1,616.25 
$10,092.50 
$18,450.62 
$24,247.95 
$8,580.00 
375.00 
128.70 
$17,465.00 
525.00 
261.97 
$20,900.00 
525.00 
313.50 
$9,083.70 
$18,251.97 
$21,738.50 
585.00 
7 98.75 
956.25 
$9,668.70 
$19,050.72 
$22,694.75 
Number 1— 
Wood construction 
Wood construction 
Brick . 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed 
Number 2— 
Wood construction 
Wood construction 
Brick . 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed 
Number 3— 
Wood construction 
Wood construction 
Brick . 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed... 
The repairs on the 
various types should also 
be considered in estimat¬ 
ing the cost. It is al¬ 
lowed that the clapboard 
finished house would need 
painting every three years 
after the first three years, 
besides general repairs to 
outside woodwork. Of 
course, where cypress 
shingles are used and 
where some of the pre¬ 
pared stains are employed, 
the longevity of the 
woodwork is somewhat 
extended. The replac¬ 
ing of shingle roofs 
has not been considered 
in making out Table 
IV, which is given to 
TABLE III 
(wire lathed and stuccoed)., 
(siding, clapboards, shingles). . 
(wire lathed and stuccoed)., 
(siding, clapboards, shingles). . 
(wire lathed and stuccoed).... 
(siding, clapboards, shingles). . 
w 
Brick Construction— 
Cost 
Cost 
for 5 years 
for 15 years 
7 5c. per 
100 
$182.25 
75c. per 
100 
175.00 
50c. per 
100 
132.50 
50c. per 
100 
128.70 
75c. per 
100 
375.82 
75c. per 
100 
371.25 
50c. per 
100 
256.87 
50c. per 
100 
261.97 
75c. per 
100 
442.91 
75c. per 
100 
441.56 
50c. per 
100 
326.70 
50c. per 
100 
313.50 
c 
Original cost. 
Repairs . 
Insurance.... 
Total . 
Five per cent interest on difference in ori¬ 
ginal cost over wood construction.. 
Total . 
Terra Cotta Blocks Stuccoed—- 
Original cost. 
Repairs . 
Insurance . 
Total . 
Five per cent interest on difference in ori- 
nal cost over wood construction.... 
Total . 
show all other repairs House No. 3 is 
that are ordinarily to be 
considered. 
TABLE IV 
Average Cost per 
Year for 
Number 1 — Painting and Repairs 
Total Cost 
for 15 Year: 
Wood (wire lathed and 
stuccoed) . 
$25.00* 
$375.00* 
Wood (siding, clapboards, 
shingles) . 
75.00 
1,125.00 
Brick. 
25.00* 
375.00* 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed 
25.00* 
375.00* 
Number 2— 
Wood (wire lathed and 
stuccoed) . 
35.00* 
525.00* 
Wood (siding, clapboards, 
shingles) . 
100.00 
1,500.00 
Brick . 
35.00* 
525.00* 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed 
35.00* 
525.00* 
Number 3— 
Wood (wire lathed and 
stuccoed) . 
35.00* 
525.00* 
Wood (siding, clapboards, 
shingles) . 
100.00 
1,500.00 
Brick . 
35.00* 
525.00* 
Terra cotta blocks stuccoed 
35.00* 
525.00* 
ick construction, built so as to produce the best fabric 
Purdon, architect 
effect. James 
* These figures are for painting and repairs on exterior 
woodwork only. No attempt has been made to give the 
cost for upkeep of a wire lath and stucco wall. The ef¬ 
ficiency of this type of construction, as is generally rec¬ 
ognized, is dependent on the style of house, its location 
and exposure, quality of workmanship, quality of materials 
used, etc. But it is no exaggeration to say that in the 
matter of durability alone it will not compare with a 
wall built of brick or one built of terra cotta blocks and 
stucco, on either of which types the cost of upkeep would 
be very little, not only for 15 years but for a very much 
longer period. 
The plans of house No. 
ward plan like No. 2, 
The 
comparative costs after 
TABLE 
Wood (Siding, Clapboards, Shingles) — 
Original cost . 
Repairs . 
Insurance . 
Totals . 
Wood (wire lathed and stuccoed)—■ 
Original cost . 
Repairs . 
Insurance . 
Totals . 
Five per cent interest on difference in ori¬ 
ginal cost over wood construction... 
Total . 
fifteen 
v 
years occupancy are: 
Number 1 
$7,800.00 
1.125.00 
175.00 
Number 2 
$16,400.00 
1,500.00 
371.25 
Number 3 
$19,625.00 
1,500.00 
441.56 
$9,100.00 
$18,271.25 
$21,566.56 
$8,100.00 
375.00 
182.25 
$16,970.00 
525.00 
375.82 
$19,685.00 
525.00 
442.91 
$8,657.25 
$17,870.82 
$20,652.91 
225.00 
427.50 
45.00 
$8,882.25 
$18,298.32 
$20,697.91 
It can be readily seen 
from these figures that 
the more permanent 
building is the more eco¬ 
nomical in the end. The 
main object of this ar¬ 
ticle is to make the pros¬ 
pective housebuilder feel 
that he owes it to him¬ 
self, and also to the 
community in which he 
lives, to build the outside 
of his dwelling of as 
permanent a character 
as possible, and also to 
make it a credit to his 
neighborhood. 
Let us hope that the 
plea for more permanent 
construction has not been 
made in vain. 
There is still a word 
to be said in regard to 
variation in building cost. 
Beside the plan, the location influences 
this materially. In some districts labor is 
high, and building costs consequently high. 
Transportation figures in also: the cost of 
carriage into some localities makes it pro¬ 
hibitive to use certain foreign building 
materials. The safest rule is that one of 
common sense, to use native materials. 
This is not only economy, but it is gener¬ 
ally the most satisfactory esthetically. 
The reason figures are misleading in the 
building magazines is due to these dif¬ 
ferences in construction cost owing to 
localities. A short time ago this magazine 
made a canvas of the architects all over 
the country and got figures for the con¬ 
struction of a small suburban house. The 
plans, bill of materials and specification of 
this house were sent to architects all over 
the country. The following variations are 
interesting to study in this connection. 
In New York City and vicinity, where the 
building trades are most strongly organized, the cost was $4,300; 
in Philadelphia suburbs it was from ten to fifteen per cent 
cheaper; Maine, $3,400; Southern New England, a little in excess 
of this; the Middle South, Kentucky, Maryland, etc., $3,000; 
Chicago, $3,800; the Middle Western States, such as Ohio, 
Michigan and Iowa, $2,550 to $4,000; Pacific Coast Northwest, 
$2,000 to $3,200; Colorado, average $3,100 to $3,200; Southwest 
(Arizona, New Mexico), $2,800 to $3,000. Though these figures 
do not represent the most careful analysis of building conditions, 
they are a fair indication of the geographical factor in cost. 
3 show a straightfor- 
but somewhat simpler 
