The New York herald., 1921-02-14
CONDITIONS EASIER
FOR HOME BUILDER
Material Dealers Cater to Him
as Tide of Commercial Con-
struction Recedes.

Housing construction is becoming
dominant in the budding spring market,
according to the flow of building ma
terials and new work coming on to archi-
tects' boards, says the Dow Service Daily
Building Reports
The late business depression and in
dustrtal reaction, the inactivity of rail-
roads as prospective spring purchasers Of
replenishment material and the post
ponement of large commercial building
enterprises pending the absorption of
business space that will be thrown upon
the market this spring and next autumn
are factors forcing building material
manufacturers and distributors TO a re-
vision of production and sales schedules
at this time.
Briefly, the difference Is q AZ in other
pre-spring inventory periods the trend
has been TO prepare for big order bus-
ness. Building material interests are
this year concentrating upon compare
lively small order business, but in large
volume. as far as the first half of the
year is concerned.
In urban districts this trend is SYM
bolized by a noticeable drift toward resi-
Dental construction, such as hotels,
apartment houses, tenements, stores and
construction of long deferred institu
tional buildings. such as Young Mems
and Women's Christian Association,
nurseries and clubs, which can be
financed by Liberty bonds or other Sc
curities without recourse to financial
channels heretofore depended upon to
launch the spring building movements.
In the suburban districts this ten
dency is taking the form Of concen-
trated catering to the individual home
builder. both on price and delivery
schedules. To facilitate the latter
dealers are coming into the wholesale
market for yard stocks, while the mills
are still solicitous for prompt delivery
orders. Nearly all interests. therefore.
have been making prices attractive to
the spot buyers until to-day the first
dependable sign OF shrinkage limits are
discerned In a widening margin between
the price of low grade and high grade
building materials.
Chartered oak has stopped its down
ward course and has turned upward. 1t
is being quoted at $3.50 to S2S5 a thou
sand feet, delivered In New York.
whereas the low level a few weeks ago
was 1926 to s275
Hudson common brick at SIG to SIS n
thousand, wholesale, with the usual ad-
ditional charge for handling. haulage
and Is per cent. for delivery. Is firmcr
at these prices than II has been at any
time this year. with more brick moving
out for immediate consumption than has
been reported in many months.
Present price stability can easily be
upset II the growing demand continues
to threaten reserves here prior to the
reopening of Hudson River navigation
to sources OF supply at Haverstraw,
Newburgh and Kingston districts.
The highest peak Of brick sales for
the winter was reported two weeks ago.
when fifteen barges, containing 100000
brick each, were sold from Monday to
Saturday. Last week thirteen barge
loads had been sold for immediate de-
livery on the job up to Friday. There
were twenty barge loads left in the
wholesale market over the week end.
with source Of supply cut off by ice In
the river.
The largest proportion of this brick
movement has been to Manhattan for
the completion of commercial structures
In the hope of offering these buildings
in the May renting season. Movement
was, therefore, heaviest at pier 8, Har-
lem River. and Fifty-second street dis
charging docks. Last week Brooklyn
and The Bronx began TO figure in the
brick deliveries. denoting the develop
ment of the habitation building trend.