HOUSE AND GARDEN 
54 
January, 
1914 
Cleanliness, Convenience 
and Durability 
That is what the owner of this beautiful 
home in South Bend, Ind., had in mind when 
he specified “Wolff” Plumbing Goods. 
Plumbing Fixtures 
in a bathroom, kitchen or pantry, having a hard, 
smooth and non-absorbent surface facilitate to a 
marked degree an absolute sanitary 
condition. Wolff fixtures have all these 
qualifications. 
Diagrams show where water closet can be 
placed in a room either 
8'6"x6' long and still not 
ER. Austin, 
Architect 
N R. Shambleau. 
Asso. Architect 
L. WOLFF MFG. CO. 
MANUFACTURERS OF 
Plumbing Goods Exclusively 
The only complete line made by any one firm 
General Offices, 601-627 W. Lake Street 
Showrooms, 111 N. Dearborn St. CHICAGO 
Pottery, Trenton, N. J. 
- BRANCHES - 
Denver, Colo. Omaha, Neb. Minneapolis, Minn 
Dallas, Texas Rochester, N. Y. 
FIFTY-NINE 
YEARS 
OF QUALITY 
The SWISS CHALET, by its individuality, beauty, 
coziness and comfort has won the heart of the refined 
American public. 
We design and execute country houses, residences, hunt¬ 
ing lodges, boat and sporting houses in this charming style. 
Ask for Folder R. 
The Swiss Chalet Specialists 
200 Fifth Avenue NEW YORK CITY 
Landscape Gardening 
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J§|\ Gardeners who understand up- 
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THE HOME CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL 
PT. 226. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 
The straight contract is probably the 
most advantageous for both contractor and 
owner, nor will a responsible firm re¬ 
fuse to work under it; rather, they will 
insist upon it, since it is a protection to 
them, giving definite times of payment and 
providing means of recovery should pay¬ 
ment be withheld. It may, however, be 
safely left to the contractor to safeguard 
his own interests in drawing the contract; 
we need concern ourselves only with those 
points which should be included for the 
complete protection of the owner. 
This contract should be in effect, the 
exact wording being immaterial, an agree¬ 
ment on the part of the builder to erect 
upon a given plot and for an agreed sum 
and in accordance with the plans and 
specifications (which are made a part of 
the contract, so that any material devia¬ 
tion from them may invalidate the con¬ 
tract and thus give you means of re¬ 
covery) a building of a designated class. 
It should name a definite date by which 
the building must be completed, with a 
forfeit provided for each day or week by 
which that time is exceeded. It must 
name the time and place of payment; the 
usual procedure is to have the contractor 
submit bills monthly for eighty-five per 
cent of the value of the work completed 
during the month, the remaining fifteen 
per cent being held as a guarantee until 
thirty days after the completion of the 
building; or it may state certain sums 
which are to be paid either upon given 
dates or upon the completion of different 
stages of the work, the final payment to 
be made only upon the satisfaction of the 
owner with the building. It should pro¬ 
vide for insurance to be carried upon the 
building in the joint interest of contrac¬ 
tor and owner (or of each separately) 
naming the amount and which is to pay 
the premiums. It should provide that no 
item of work should be allowed as an extra 
unless ordered by the owner in writing, 
and then at a price to be fixed by the 
architect — if there is no architect, then ac¬ 
cording to agreement made between con¬ 
tractor and owner at the time ordered. 
Any other provision called for by the 
needs of a special case should be incor¬ 
porated in the contract, for it is upon that 
rather than upon any verbal agreements 
which you must stand in court should 
necessity drive you there; as in the case 
of the plans and specifications, the best 
way to avoid trouble is to leave no chance 
for it. 
This article was written with the inten¬ 
tion of informing the prospective home 
builder upon some points which, though 
important in a project which involves con¬ 
siderable capital and may be undertaken 
but once in a lifetime, are not within 
the scope of everyday experience. The 
writer makes no claim to have said the 
last word upon the subject, but with all 
due modesty he believes that he has ac¬ 
complished the purpose mentioned, in that 
a study of the hints given will at least ex¬ 
cite thought upon a subject which is often 
entered into carelessly. 
In writing to advertisers please mention House & Garden. 
