The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-04-01

have a bearing upon the site to be
selected for it; lot totally unsuited
to a formal structure might be an
ideal setting for the cottage or the
| bungalow. Yet in a neighborhood of
! old-fashioned homes the bungalow
might appear SO incongruous as to
depreciate by contrast both its own
value and that Of its neighbors.
Your lot chosen, other points
should be attended to before the pur-
chase money is turned over. The
price asked should be checked up by
means of the tax assessments, and by
the selling prices of adjoining plots,
as found in the record of deeds enter
ed; the land should be surveyed and
the boundaries accurately staked off,
while the title should be thoroughly
investigated.
In addition, warranty deed to
the property should be insisted up
on; this places the burden of defend
ing any suits pertaining to the title
upon the seller rather than upon
yourself. In all of this preliminary
investigating, the services of a reli-
able attorney or of title guaranty
company are worth their cost in the
certainty that the land which you
have bought and paid for is yours
without question, and that you will
be free from costly litigation after
your house is built.
The next problem is the design of
your home; many people reverse the
process and select the house before
they know where it is to be placed.
This is not always a satisfactory
plan, since the land and the building
should together produce a harmoni-
Gus effect; moreover, if the lot is of
unusual shape or is not level, home
may be so designed that these de-
fects are converted into advantages.
The sources of light, shade, and near
ness of surrounding buildings may
also modify your arrangements.
Whichever method you follow,
necessity will force you to procure
your plans either through the SER
vices of an architect, or from the
"ready-made'' stock of some building
concern. Probably you have seen
plans and photographs of some par
ticular house which suited your fan
cy, in the pages of a magazine; if so,
it is easy to ascertain the name of
the architect who drew them and
from him secure a set Of plans. 1t
is easy to be misled in such matters,
however, for it is hardly possible
that such a house will suit you in
every particular, and to make the de-
sired changes without employing
skilled designer and engineer is not
always possible.
OF course, your builder will offer
to effect such modifications-but, be-
ware! He has the knowledge, per-
haps, but the temptation to use it to
save money for himself rather than
to advence your interests is strong
one. 1t is safer to employ an archi-
tect who will work entirely to safe
guard you, draw plans and specifica-
tions that will properly interpret
your ideas, and will follow the con-
struction in order to see that you
get what you are paying foSi his
charge for these services is but a
small per cent. of the value of the
house, and may save you INFINITE
trouble and great expense.
Great exactness is necessary in the
preparation of plans in order that
your house may be safe and artistic,
as we'll as comfortable and suited to
your requirements; the specifications
must be drawn with care and with
ample detail, in order to avoid dis
putes.
Then comes the letting of the con-
tract, for which competitive bids
should be submitted to you or to the
architect. Have several reputable
contractors furnish their estimates
for the work; you will be surprised
at the difference between their fig
ures! Offers will be made to do the
work at cost plus percentage-by
which method the owner pays all
bills, plus a certain commission on
actual cost paid to the contractor;
or propositions will be submitted to
do the work by days labor, which
means that you will pay all material
bills and labor charges under a GER
tain agreed scale until the building is
completed. Either method will some
times effect an economy, but you
must be sure that the contractor is
honest and responsible; on the cost
plus percentage plan it is so easy
to skimp on the materials, and under
the days labor scheme the opportun-
tiles for soldering and so dragging
out the job are unlimited. In gener-
al, it is unsafe to enter into anything
but a straight contract, unless the
work is to be supervised by an archi-
tect whom you can trust.
The straight contract should fix
the figure for which the work, ac-
cording to plans and specifications, is
to be done; should require the build
er to furnish a bond to the full
amount of the contract; should state
the final authority in all disputes;
should fix a time limit for the COM
pletion of each portion of the work,
in order that nrntactiNa meaSnres