The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-14
The Cost Of puidInE This spring as Com.
pared with the Cost One Year Ago.

pared with the Cost One Year ago.
We are told that number OF private
building enterprises in our midst that
were in contemplation last fall have been
abandoned for the present on account oil
the great advance this spring in the cost Of
building as compared with the cost one
year ago. Parties having no confidence that
the advanced cost Of building will hold,
and not wishing to be stuck with high
priced property on their hands, have
decided to wait and see what the coming
summer has in store for Wheeling in the
way Of business generally, and building
prices in particular.
We notice that the same problem is
agitating the minds Of real estate owners
in other communities. For instance, the
Chicago Tina of Sunday, in the course Of
4 long real estate article, makes note OF the
fact that the price Of building in that city
has advanced about fifty per cent, and that
the consequence has been to paralyze a
great many real estate Improvement pro-
iects.
To show the difference in cost within a
year, the Times enters into an itemized de.
tall Of the difference in prices paid in the
spring Of 1879 and those now asked. We
quote as follows from It's schedule, as to
the present cost Of house that could have
been built for 5000 last year:
Last spring common laborers were paid
81 25, now they receive 81 90 to II 70, an
advance Of $50 per cent
Bubble stone for foundation hasadvane-
ed about 50 per cord, or from IS to $40, or
IS per cent.
BRICK AND LABOR.
Last spring brick was worth 81 50, now
it rates at SO. an advance OF more than
100 per cent In month or two, how
ever, there is prospect that it will decline
to 81 per thousand. The past spring the
daily stint OF gang or "pit WAS q 500,
while the wages ranged from 81 10 81 %.
Now the stint has been reduced TO Is, 500,
while the wages have advanced TO 81 so
and g, thus operating toward an advance
Mt both ends. Practically, therefore, the
wsges have almost doubled. In such q
building as Ia under consideration about
$4,000 brick Is used; at 81 so this would
bring a total OF $500, but at 81 the total Is
$500, an advance OF trife over 55l per
cent, and at $40 total OF $3.50. Wages in
the spring were 81 so for bricklayers and
81 l2l for hod.carriers; they are now s.
for bricklayers and 81 70 for common 10.
borers, working in this way at odd jobs.
CUT STONE.
The cut stone has advanced beyond all
other factors. A front with copings and
stills would have averaged about sl60 last
spring. The figure now Is 500, or an ad-
vance OF 75p per cent.
"IN THE WALL"
Under this heading will be included the
lime and sand, and the labor for placing
the brick and stone in the wall. A care.
full estimate places the figure in May at
$500 and now at 5000.
LUMBER.
Lumber, on an average, has advanced
about s. per 1000 feet. Last spring would
have been about $3.50, now it Is advanced
to $500, 20 per cent
CARPENTER WORK.
Carpenters last spring were paid 81 so
per day. They now receive s. 25, an ad-
vance OF so per cent
The total labor bill in this line, which
before would have aggregated $500, is now
$3.50.
PLAsrRRISG.
Plasters last spring received from Is to
Is cents per yard. The range now is from
20 to % cents, an advance Of about IS per
cent. In building OF the size under con.
sideration there would be about 1000
yards at cost OF $3.50. Then there are
$50 more for cornices, and SIS for centres,
making total oil SS75. Three months ago
the cost was S275, an advance Of about SO
per cent Plasterers then received 81 IS
per day. Their wages now are s. 80.
Helpers then received 81 % per day, they
now get 8.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Roofng-The job would have cost $40
last spring. The price now is $50, an adj
vance OF % per cent.
Sash, Doors, Blinds and Moldings-
What would have cost $500 last spring,
now calls for $500. an advance Of 66i per
cent.
Hardware and Nails-Nails have sd.
vanced from s. II! per key TO S.. The
amount OF hardware required for q house
ofthis sort has advanced from s75 to $3.50,
or 100 per cent
Plumbing-Iron pipes and lead have
gone up q trihe, wages the same. The |
10 hy cox anI eonN i
or an advance, say in round numbers. Of
10 per cent
Painting-wages and material have ad.
yanced In such wise that the bill Of $3.50
has advanced TO 1926, difference Of %
per cent
Sewerage connectiOns-Au advance Of
$50 to so, or l6i per cent.
REHABILITATION.