The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-08
PRIZE ESSAY ON LOW
COST BRICK HOUSES
Use Of Material Other Than Wood and
Stone Urged as Desirable and Eco.
nomicalin Building Modern Homes.

HOl11lCd1lH Dul1O111
Members OF the Architects and
Draughtsmen's association of the Twin
competition for the best essay on the
comparative merits and cost Of brick and
frame construction. and the desirabillty
Of using brick Instead Of frame. Prizes
agaresatIng $3.50 were offered by local
brick concern. The Judges. who were
members OF. the association. awarded the
first prize to the following essay by A.
Anderson Of Minneapolis on "The Low
Cost OF Modern Brick Houses": j
T Having reached period Of great
building activity the choosing Of ma
terial IS probably the greatest obstacle
which confronts the average person
contemplating the erection of home.
;, To the one Of moderate means with
a great desire to become the owner of
q home, the cost Of the structure will
invariably precede the durability,
whereas, the durability will in the end
Liberation. He who builds will usually
look first to quantity, then to quality.
He wishes as great a structure as pos
sible concerning his means, and natur-
ally. frame construction being about the
cheapest known, receives his first con-
sideration and unfortunately with rare
exceptions his choice. If he be one of,
broad intellect with a clear insight as
to the future, brick will receive care.
full thought and deliberation and finally.
will be chosen as most suitable. = {. 2
p. j. Comparison Of Cost.
>, AS to the comparison Of cost, wood
is taken for granted as being cheaper
than brick, but considering the rapid
rise in lumber during the past few
years, and it's assurance Of continuing
to do SO in the future, due to the con-
summation Of nearly all Of the great
lumber tracts, it is not 80 cheap ma,
terial as might at first be thought. AL
will agree that a frame structure. has
S RStu5ssGns consaa put this lis sae
building after being exposed to, the.
elements for short length of time.
Repairs will be found necessary and it
Is safe to say repairs will be a neces-
sity forever after. Is this true Of brick
structureq 49, ,.,~.. >.--<, =, H.. FL z g
= Brick is a most valuable building ma
terial, wonderfully durable as the an
cient Roman buildings testify and like
wise freproof as has often been dem
onstrated. Many think of brick
structure as having an ugly and 9nan-
The builders workmanship may be
criticized, but never the material: The
countless European examples will de-
monstrate the fact that brick can be
used with most excellent effect. Bricks
are now manufactured in innumerable
shapes and good mouldings can be OBJ
tanned for cornices- belt courses, etc. !
81, ? Style Of Brick. ~ 3I$
The main feature Of the face of
building is the style Of brick selected.
and in most cases pressed brick is used
with the best results This may be
backed by wall Of a cheaper grade of
brick. but will not prove an lmpene-
trable wall for the cold or moist atmos-
pierre Z A frame construction can be
elevated with facing Of pressed brick,
but this may be criticized as not being
weather proof nor as durable as brick
yet the cost is about the same: me
most satisfactory in every respect is the
| tile backing, which contains a double
! airspace and prevents both the cold and
moist air from entering the room. A
house with tile backing will be warm
during cold weather and cool during
| hot weather, assuring greater comforts
than could otherwise be obtained.
! BY employing actual figures a better
comparison may be obtained. Let us
assume house to be 30x4O, with Dase-
ment. first floor and second floor heights
EIGHT feet, nine feet six inches, and nine
feet Respectively. For a comparison only
the finished exterior walls, including in
terror plastering Of some will be taken
! into consideration, as the interior finish
wall remain the same in all cases. 20
| r.. Cost Of Each Style.
First-The frame structure with
three coats. Of paint will amount to
Second-A frame construction with
pressed brick 7veneering at $40 pei
thousand, will cost about $24S more
than the frame. ~
Third-A pressed brick veneering at
$40 per thousand with tile backing, will
cost about 1858 more than the frame
structure or $50 more than the frame
construction with brick veneer.
i Fourth-Tho. solid brick wall with
pressed brick facing at 500 per. thous:
and, will cost about 1868 more than the
frame structure or $115 more than the
frame construction with brick veneer
and $50 more than brick with tile back
ing Fha material used for division wall.
or partitions should receive as careful
attention as the outer walls. A frame
partition lacks the quality of being fire
proof, but is the one most commonly
used because Of it's cheapness, being
h but IL cents per square foot. A brick
partition is not very desirable because
n It requires an unusually heavy wall
which cannot rest on the floor unless il
is supported by a firm founda alton. This
must either be solid walls or interme
date supports thereby mourning an ad.
II ditional expense. Such a partition ex
elusive Of, It's supports costs 20 cents
I per square foot. Tile partition is the
4 cheapest as regarding the cost Of ma
teria1, but as additional provisions are
required for carrying its load, the cost
may be considered as being the same al
frame partition. The brick partition
will be excluded as being undesirable
therefore the choice will be lin
tied to either the frame or tile
partition. 4, The fact of. the tilt
partition possessing the quality Of be
Ing deafening, freproof and durabl,
makes it the one which Is more worthy
our choice. ...,.
In Favor Of Brick.
Now having established our comparl
son between a frame and brick struc
ture Jas to actual cost Ca difference O
1858 on $4,000 house completely i
will be seen the former is slightl
favored. In ten years time the differ
ence in cost which exists between TIL