Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-21
Getting Best Results in Home Building
Arthur {. uaussu, Architect

Mark Twain likes a joke upon himself
almost as well as he does to play them on
other people. One day after stepping off
a car with a friend and three other men
he commenced to freely comment upon
the three fellow passengers, giving his
opinion of their character as indicated by
their appearance and actions. Now there
he said, goes a we'll groomed young fell
low. He is almost a block ahead of us
already. He apparently is going some
where to accomplish something. That man
will succeed, II he has not already done
so. That next man a little way behind
him apparently has a good position, but
is taking his time to get to it. He is
a man who will make a fair living, but
never be anything in his world but a
wage-earner. This next man just ahead
Of US, with the baggy trousers and worn
coat, a shuffling walk and a gait that
carries him from one side Of the side
walk to the other is apparently a man
with no aim in life and will never amount
to anything; to which remarks his friend
replied. Yes, Sam, that is true, a man
shows what he is to a large extent by
the way he goes about his work, but
by the way, did you happen to notice that
we are the men behind
We are all apt to go through life criti-
cising the other fellow, but not making the
best Of our own opportunities. A man be-
hind the times will invariably c~riticise
things in general, no doubt on the theory
that nothing looks as well from behind.
People who let their contracts during the
late spring and summer, are the men be-
hing in the building line. They are losing
money through not approaching the value
Of an early start. They know that build
inc upafarla1a ara rhannar during the ufn-
ter, that lack Of work creates close com
petition among contractors, that the mill
man can get out his mill work more
promptly during January and February
than at any other time of the year. even
though they hold II for late spring de-
livery, but knowing these facts. he often
let's the precious time slip by until the
awaking OF spring stirs him TO action.
Every contractor has his limitations.
The best contractors through having good
credit and buying in large quantities are
able to figure lower than the poorer class
Of contractors when they want to. They
can only handle so many jobs properly,
however, lack of time and lack Of capital
being their limitations. When they reach
this point they place their estimates so
high that they seldom get a contract until
part Of the work on hand is completed,
when they figure low again in order to
keep busy at their full capacity. This
creates a situation in the early spring and
during the following summer very similar
10 a land lottery. The man who Is lucky
enough TO draw No. J gets his choice Of
the best contractors, 1t means that no
ALL get honest work at "a reasonable
price. that there will be no labor liens on
his house when il is complete and that he
will have the pleasure Of dealing with a
man who intends to do just what is right.
II he delays TOO long taking out a build
ing permit that numbers several thousands
from the first OF the year he will find the
best contractors all busy and aking no
further orders except al very high prices,
which means that he must either delay
the building OF his home or pay high
prices for Il, or tax whichever unem-
ployed contractor ne can get. regardless
Of his standing, financially or otherwise.
II a man knows he is going TO be in a
position TO build during the coming year
he should go over all matters preliminary
90 the preparation OF his plans at once.
The planning Of a home Is a serious mat
ter and every consideration should be
given TO details before the plans are com
ploted. This takes time, or rather should
take time, for, as q matter OF fact, very