HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January, 
1914 
The architect’s inspection of the work is 
apt to prove of great value; he is work¬ 
ing in your interest entirely and will see 
that the builder gives you what you pay 
for. If you are as familiar with building 
operations as the contractor himself, then 
you do not need an architect; but in that 
case, you do not need a builder, either! 
1 f you are ignorant of materials and build¬ 
ing costs, then you are helpless if, unaided, 
you expect to keep tabs on the builder; 
the most carefully drawn specifications 
will be of no value to you, because you 
have not sufficient information and tech¬ 
nical knowledge to know whether or not 
they are being followed. No man can 
possess all knowledge, and if you pos¬ 
sessed as full a knowledge of the building 
game as does the contractor, you would 
not need his aid in building your house. 
Many builders make a practice of fur¬ 
nishing plans and specifications to their 
clients without cost; the value of this to 
you depends entirely upon the honesty of 
the builder. Naturally he will not em¬ 
ploy a very prominent architect, for the 
cost to him would be out of proportion, 
and you therefore are apt to get a house 
designed by a second-rate man. Only 
those drawings and dimensions which are 
absolutely necessary will be provided, and 
very little effort will be made to meet 
your particular wants. The specifications, 
too, will be loosely drawn and incomplete ; 
at the price he gets from the contractor 
the architect cannot afford to spend too 
much time upon the work, and it is to the 
contractor’s interest not to insist upon too 
rigid requirements. Nevertheless, in many 
cases this method works out to advantage. 
No matter what method you follow in 
securing your plans, certain factors make 
both for economy and comfort. Built-in 
furniture is popular, and though it adds 
considerably to the first cost of the house 
this rarely runs higher than would the 
purchase of separate or “loose” pieces of 
equivalent grade. What slight excess 
there may be is more than compensated 
by the air of homelikeness and individ¬ 
uality which built-in fixtures give. As 
examples of this type of furnishing, one 
might suggest a sideboard and china closet 
in the dining-room; built-in bookcases at 
each side of the fireplace, under window 
seats or, in connection with a settee, along 
the sides of the room. A medicine closet 
in the bathroom and various appliances for 
the kitchen may also be designed. There 
is, of course, the danger that one may 
make his house so “individual” that it will 
appeal to no one else and hence be difficult 
to dispose of ! There are many advertised 
conveniences and devices which add to 
the livableness of your house. You should 
not leave these entirely to the discretion 
of your architect, but tell him your im¬ 
mediate wants before it is too late to in¬ 
clude them. 
Allow plenty of closet and porch space, 
even if some of the rooms are smaller 
than your ambitions; by using columns 
and pillars instead of partitions through- 
The Energizer of Business 
I N a metropolitan power-house 
there must be generators large 
enough to furnish millions of 
lights and provide electrical cur¬ 
rent for thousands of cars and 
factories. 
Each monster machine with 
the power of tens of thousands 
of horses is energized by an 
unobtrusive little dynamo, 
which is technically known as 
an “exciter. 
This exciter by its electric im¬ 
pulse through all the coils of the 
generator brings the whole mech¬ 
anism into life and activity. 
A similar service is performed 
for the great agencies of business 
and industry by the telephones 
of the Bell System. They carry 
the currents of communication 
everywhere to energize our 
intricate social and business 
mechanism. 
United for universal service, 
Bell Telephones give maximum 
efficiency to the big generators of 
production and commerce. 
American Telephone and Telegraph Company 
And Associated Companies 
One Policy 
One System 
Universal Service 
HOT KITCHENS RELIEVED 
This simple device (patent applied for) effectively ventilates 
and cools a kitchen by utilizing the surplus power in the smoke- 
flue of the range or stove. No separate ventilation flue required. 
The intense draft caused by the fire creates a suction which re¬ 
moves hot air (and odors) at a very rapid rate, cooling and pur¬ 
ifying the air. 
Should be installed in all new houses and is easily inserted in 
old houses at very slight expense. Has been thoroughly tested. 
Send for circular giving full information. 
THE H. W. COVERT CO., 73 Murray Street, New York 
In writing to advertisers flease mention House & Garden. 
