New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-04
Building Costs
Being Reduced
By Emcienc'
Removal of Waste in Ever,
Detail Has Taken ihs
Terror Out of Curreu,
Construction Figures

Coordination in construction ;,
elimination Of waste in time and eso,,
has taken the terror out of construct.
, costs. Application of scientific nethoS.
in building and in the handlinc -
building details, developed az rssn.
of the unprecedent high cost of laSa,
and materials, has considerably rednceS
the price of building at this t,ns
Concerns which have hesitated abo".
putting up the needed addition Ar
now planning to proceed since it ha;
been shown by the eradication of vast.
in every detail that the addition vii
not cost nearly as much as was ex.
pected.
Construction industry was no, ;.
highly efficient in every departmen,
before the war as were some otber
great businesses. Wonderful thjnr,
were accomplished but they cost NOR
than they should have cost. The pse;
conditions which came as a result a.
the war forced construction interess
to find way of lowering these figures
The agency form of contract develop.
ed by Dwight P. Robinson & Co. which
recently absorbed the business Of
Westinghouse, Church & Kerr, one Of
the great building concerns of the
country, has accomplished much in
reducing cSst figures in new cor.
struction. The contract places the frn
under the direct control of the man
who is building and by the terms Of
the agreement every step in the COT.
struction of the project is timed to
such a nicely that no time is wasted
from the moment the sob has been
awarded to the completion of the
structure.
How Time 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, excavs-
tlons. ETC., can proceed as soon as the
ground layout can be prepared. Dur
ing the time that construction equip
ment is being assembled the engineer
can draw up his foundatiox details and
place them in the hands of the con.
struction organization as rapidly as re.
quired. While the foundations are be.
ing built the plans of the super
structure can be perfected, and during
the period of erection of the super
structure the plans for installing ma
chinery, including the necessary pun.
chases 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 Il.
If the plant under construction IN
wolves operating machinery the cor
struction force can install the machn-
cry and give it the initial operation N
conjunction with the experts OF the
operating organization 20 the end thai
as the machinery and facilities OF me
plant come into smooth working order
the construction organization 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 int
owner, up the advice of his own en-
gineers and the construction organiza'
ton, to decide promptly as to pun
chases, minor changes of plan. suosIl-
tutions of building material to NEE
the changing conditions of the marsel
labor disputes, unusual devices for eS'
pediting progress, such az night wol''
overtime. labor saving machinery, etc
Clients Building Department
Under the fee basis the contrac'0'
really becomes a building depsrtmel'
under the control of the client, inclua'
ing the contractors organization, ~
signing engineers, system Of account
ing, etc. In other words, the contiae.
tor places at the disposal of the cher
all the facilities and experience 81 d.
command. 1t saves time and coz,
through more active cooperation snG
harmony between the designing apo
constructing forces and prevents neeo.
less expense through duplication o.
work by engineers and contractors.