The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-03-27
BUILDING PRICES
.TRIPLED; NO HOPE
seen FOR DECREASE

With every item entering into the
! builders trade costing from two to
i've times as much now as it did four
years ago. prospective home builders
are facing a serious problem when
they start on their rounds to build a
home.
The high cost Of materials has not
only hit material itself, but labor has
gone up in proportion and a house
mat four years ago cost approximately
$500 a room to build, now costs at
least $1,000 a room, and a six-room
house that cost from $4,000 to $4,000
IN 1915. cannot be thought of for
less than $1,000.
Even before the actual construction
Is started, the builder is brought to
face higher costs. Four years ago.
basement excavations cost from 20
to 40 cents cubic yard; now cost
from $1.00 to $1.20 for the same work.
Concrete Going Up.
After the, excavation is completed,
concrete prices add another boost to
building costs. the price for straight
concrete work having increased in the
last four years from S. a cubic yard
to $40 and IL cubic yard, with the
best grades Of work going even above
that figure.
Lumber prices for frames has in.
creased to approximately three times
the old figure. In 1915 and 1916, franz
for 1000 feet. The same lumber is
now quoted at SITS to ss5 for 1000
feet. One of the greatest increases
in the entire city is shown in lath.
Ordinary lath which sold for Sc
thousand pieces four years ago now
cost $25 a thousand, and plasterers
who used to put on plaster for 45
cents a square yard now charge 81.
Brick $50 a Thousand.
Brick formerly could be purchased
for $14 thousand, but the price has
increased to more than double that
amount, or $32 q thousand. Fancy
brick, including glazed brick, pressed
blocks and other higher grades of
building brick have increased even a
greater amount,
Increased costs do not stop when
the frame work Of the house is COM
pleted, for practically every accessory
to- a building has more than doubled
in cost. Ordinary roofing shingles
that cost $3.50 thousand in 1915,
now are quoted at $3.50 a thousand.
and the cost of laying them has in
CTedSeU III pTOpOTtlOn.
Doors have advanced from $25 and
So each to $12 and higher. Sashes,
the ordinary "a by 80 inch, two light
sash, has increased from 80 cents to
SO each.
Bath Fixtures Up.
Home equipment has followed the
other materials in the climb, and even
the cheaper grades of bath rooms,
furnaces and lighting fixtures have
more than doubled. Plain bath room
outfits, for modern home cost ap-
proximately $500 according to latest
quotations. Four years ago, these
could be purchased from $3.50 to 5000.
Hot air heating furnaces were in
stalled in new homes four years ago
for $3.50. These cost at least $3.50
now, and other classes of heating
apparatuses have increased in like
proportion.
Labor Gets More.
Labor prices have jumped along
with prices of materials Carpenters, |
four years ago, considered 45 cents an |
hour a high wage, but now these men |
are getting IS cents an hour. with a |
prospective increase to 81.
Plumbers and steam filters who |
earned Sc day four years ago were
considered the highest paid men Of |
their trade, but these men are now
considering a demand for $12 a day |
Day laborers and helpers who former |