Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-21
DECLARES ARCHITECT
IS BEST ESTIMATOR
Says Experienced Practitioner Is
Qualified to Figure Build
ing Costs.

Many laymen are of the opinion that in
two essentials the average architects ca
pacity is susceptible of material improve
ment. They say that his inability to rem
der the owner preliminary estimates of
cost within gunshot of the successful con-
tractors bid is proverbial. while his fail
ure to appreciate the Importance of econ
omy of plan is often so costly as to lead
to the abandonment of the project
That there Is ground for this criticism
is beyond question. but it rarely applies
to the experienced practitioner. Estimat-
ing is merely 4 matter of conscientious
labor in keeping accurate records Of the
cost of the buildings he has executed and
giving the figures intelligent study, says
Benjamin Driesler in the Brooklyn Eagle.
From these data and knowledge of the
subsequent rise or fall in the price of
material and The conditions peculiar to
the environment of the proposed new
structure he should generally be able to
approximate the cost within 10 per cent
and should rarely be further astray than
10 per cent of the whole.
Architect an Expert.
Contrary to popular fancy, the architect
is generally able to estimate with far
greater accuracy than the competing con-
tractors. The author recalls no instance
in his practice where in the half a dozen
bills submitted by competent builders,
there has been discrepancy Of less than
10 per cent between the highest and the
lowest bid. and several times it has been
over 40 per cent.
As against this the author reiterates
that a competent architect should be able
to estimate within 10 per cent of the
Of owl nfnli a. nva RI
be not more than 20 per cent out of the
way on commissions Of less than $4,000.
Economy of plan is of vital Importance.
How often do We hear a man say: I
gave UP the idea of building because the
estimates were too high" Probably nine
cases out of ten are due to an lll-con-
ceived plan, in which no regard has been
paid to economies of structure and ar
rangements.
Ways to Reduce Cost.
BY reducing the waste space in rooms
and halls, by figuring space and heights
to accord with the market sizes of struc-
tural members. or by using one material
or method in place of another, the cost
may often be so materially reduced that
an otherwise almost hopeless PROPOSE
ton becomes an acceptable considera-
ton ana profitable investment
Among the economies to be effected
there is one whose importance is rarely
appreciated. 1t is the superf1uous room.
The room that you think you want, but
never use. Few owners realize what this
actually means in dollars and cents.
The cubic contents of an unnecessary
reception room, billiard room. den or
the like materially increase the total
cost. Here is money invested which
brings no return. and there is entailed a
constant expense in interest on the
capita! squandered, not only on the
room itself, but for furnishings and
maintenance.
Saving to Owner.
BY emitting all but necessary rooms
and, if desired. designing the plan so
that it may be added to when needed. a
sum may be saved that is generally
more than the fee of the architect. In
countless other ways the advice and
. suggestion of an experienced practition-
er will be found to have substantial
value and his worth in this respect can