Evening star., 1914-02-21
| USE CT OLD MATERIAL
| lessons BUILDING COST
Saving of Thirty to Fifty Per Cent
Possible, Writer
Declares.
Nothing Wasted Except Plaster
When Old Structures Are
Razed Nowadays.

Dealers say that between so and 80 per
cent in the cost of house can be saved
If old building material is used. notwith-
standing the fact that the demand is gen
orally larger than the supply. TIE de-
mand would be much bigger aver many
persons who have built entirely or in
par; with secondhand material, if the
amount that can be saved by the use of
hand me down material were more wide
ly known, according to 4 writer in the
New York Tribune. Although used ma
terial suffers in looks, it is seldom seen,
and. its reliability has been proved.
The individual home builder will be sur
prised at the saving effected If he will
specify secondhand material. stone,
brick. beams. scantling. laths, doors. win
dows, frames. etc. whenever possible.
quite number of persons who have had
that pleasant experience add that houses
so built have developed few snortcom-
inas.
Second hand material has been tried
and has been found not wanting. says a
leading dealer in second hand material
This is particularly the case with lunl-
ber. In these days We live at such q
pace that we do not let timber get thor
oughly sea asoned. Seasoning takes time
and time is money. The consequence is
that much green lumber is used. I have
seen ma terial delivered to builder that
was still ooZing sap.
Wood of this kind shrinkS greatly In q
few years. 1t bends and warps. and the
result is the building does not remain
true to plans Big cracks open, not only
in the plaster. but even in the walls.
Doors sag windows stick and ceilings
F,,1I &
used
Price Is Affected.
The price of secondhand material fol-
lows the ups and downs of new he fur
ther said .'and is affected, though not in
such a marked degree, by the supply.
Several years ago, when the city was
clearing the spaces for the Manhattan
bridge plazas and approaches, the sup
ply of certain kinds Of material was large
ly increased. but this. while it affected
the price, was not SO noticeable. as the
dealer has to count on his average pro-
viding in the seven fat years of supply
for the seven lean ones to come. If he
cuts prices too deer, owing to generous
supply, he may have little material to
sell when the prices for his wares are III
the highest mark
Just make n comparison OF prices and
you will see what difference there is
and how much may be saved. Take the
case of bricks. Second hand bricks are
staple articles with US. an,l the price
ranges about - pr cent below that OF
new. This too, is III spite of the tact
that each brick must be cleaned Of mortar
by hand | can sell YOU for SiG3 a brown
stone stoop that will cost you new 500.
Second hand beams for floors arc aboit
-: per cent love- in cost than new wood
The supply of big beams particularly can
not meet the demand. Good builders
know the value Of secondhand material
When the old stock exchange. in Broad
street, was torn down some years ago the
beams were used In one of the most eX-
pensive 9TH avenue houses, and when
this mansion was removed to make way
for a business building. the beams were
again alapred VI for country house at
lcue Beach