The Washington times., 1920-07-10
LOWERS |
COST OF BUILDING.
New York Firms System Of Re-
moving Waste Takes Terror
Out of Construction Cost.

Coordination In construction, the
elimination of waste In time and ef-
fort, has taken the terror out OF con
struction costs. Application OF sci
entific methods In building and In the
handling OF building details. develop
ed as a result OF the Unprecedented
high cost OF labor and materials, has
considerably reduced the price OF
building at this time. Concerns which
have hesitated about putting up the
needed addition are now planning to
proceed since II has been shown by
the eradication of waste In every de-
tail that the addition will not cost
nearly as much as was expected.
Construction industry was not as
highly efficient In every department
before the war as were some other
great businesses. Wonderful things
were accomplished but they cost more
than they should have cost. The price
conditions which came as a result OF
the war forced construction interests
TO find "A way of lowering these fig
ures.
The agency form OF contract dc.
velopment by Dwight i. Robinson g.
Co. prominent New York builders,
which recently absorbed the business
OF Westinghouse, Church e. Kerr, one
OF the great building concerns of the
country has accomplished much in re-
ducing cost figures in new construc-
tion. The contract places the firm
under the direct control OF the man
who is building any by the terms OF
the agreement every step in the con-
struction OF the project is timed to
such a nicely that no time is wasted
from the moment the Job has been
awarded to the completion of the
structure.
HOW TINE IS SAVED.
This saving in time is brought
about in several ways. In the first
place, working under this form OF
contract the work in the field.
in the way of preparation of grounds.
roads, railroad connections, loading
stations. excavations, etc, can pro-
Ceed as soon as the ground layout can
be prepared. During the time that
construction equipment is being as
sembled the engineer can draw up his
foundation details and place them in
the hands OF the construction organ
ization as rapidly as required. While
the foundations are being built the
plans OF the superstructure can be
perfected, and during the period of
erection of the superstructure the
plans for installing machinery. IN
cluding the necessary purchases In
connection herewith can be made IN
order that the equipment can be
ready for installation as soon as the
buildings are prepared to receive 1t.
II the plant under construction In
wolves operating machinery the con-
struction force can install the ma
chinery and Gi-e it the initial opera
tion in conjunction with the experts
of the operating organization TO the
end that as the machinery and facili-
. ties OF the plant come into smooth
working order the construction or
ganization can step out, leaving the
owner in possession of an operating
plant complete in every detail.
A second time-saving element in
the agency contract is the ability OF
the owner, upon the advice OF his
own engineers and the construction
organization. to decide promptly as
to purchases, minor changes OF plan.
substitutions Of building material to
meet the changing conditions of the
market, labor disputes. unusual de-
vices for eXpeditinG progress. such as
night work. overtime, labor saving
machinery. etc.
CLIENTS BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
Under the fee basis the contractor
really becomes a building department
under the control of the client. includ-
ing the contractors organization. de-
signing engineers, system of account
ing, etc. In other words, the con-
tractor places at the disposal of the
client all the facilities and expert
ence at his command. 1t saves time
and cost through more active CO.