Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1921-08-04

S~OA
give up their homes.
;Js B. Adams, manager of the
Home Builders Association, was re-
1uctant to give figures because he
said he was engaged in rechecking
the accounts.
"Will the houses cost Is per cent,
25 per cent or 40 per cent more than
the estimates?" Mr.. Adams was
asked. 4
..'They will not cost ,25 per cent
more" he said.
After consideration Mr.. Adams es-
timated that the cost would be about
h 20 per cent more than the estimated
cos, on the average.
The condition is no surprise to
those familiar with the work. of the
Home Builders Association and the
Bishop, Brissman company report
made to the house of representatives
last winter. The Home Builders
started without system Of accounts
and with many political workers in
jobs instead of trained men. The
present manager, J. B. Adams, an
accountant, was installed in office to
salvage the wreckage that had been
piled up under the former manag-
ment.
Only one contract has been signed
of the 54 houses built by the Home
Builders Association. This was <on
the first house built for Mr.. Adams,
the contract being signed before he
was employed by the association.
This house was built long before the
regular program which began last
year, was started. In addition the
Home Builders purchased four
houses. Contracts will be presented
for signatures in, the near uture. it
Is said. s... N III. d s.s@z.( i@..s i.'s5 $.5
Interviews with persons living here
who have home builders houses re-
vealed that none had written con-
tracts but'had.been given estimates
when the houses were being built,
which they. declare are verbal con-
tracts. When they learned, only re
Gently" that the cost would far ex-
eeed the- estimated figures they be-
gan to consider means of action.
= Examples OF Costl
aAltho complete figures Will not be
available until rechecking is COM
preted and the Industrial Commission
announces the situation on : the
houses, some of the builders have
learned tf their. costs, Here are some
examples:
Estimated cost, $4,000. ,Final COST.
$4,000, Extras added to $4,000 and
included. in $4,000, $500:
Estimated cost, $5,401. Final cost
$7,001. Extras charged and included
in final cost. S935.
Estimated cost, $4,000. Final cost,
$5,122.S5. No extras.
Estimated cost, $1,000. Final cost,
$7,1S9. No extras.
Estimated cost, $500. Final cost,
$4,000. Amount of extras unknown.
Houses were built by the Home
Builders Association only in the
cities of Fargo, Bismarck and Man
dan. There were two projects out
side of these cities.
The method used by the Home
Builders when the program was put
under way has caused q great deal
of the present trouble. "A man wanted
to build house. He went to the
Home Builders and looked over
standard plans. He was given an esti-
mated cost. Usually contractors fig
ure that the final cost will not differ
from the estimated cost more than
5 per cent. The builder of houses
relying on this custom, figured the
cost of the houses at approximately
the estimated cost: Many Of them
were forced to strain themselves to
figure out means Of paying for
the houses at the estimated cost. Now
that the cost is so far greater they
n NJ I'm hot ~ Ns~l~
q few standard plans were on file.
The builder was permitted to- have
this plan altered to meet his wishes
in the building, such as having q
fire place installed, French windows,
etc. These were called "extras." The
builder would be given an estimate
on the cost of the extras. Many Of
them now find that the verbal es-
timate given on the extras is far
below the cost which the Home
builders has determined.
With Judge Nuessle having given
an informal opinion in the Lemke
hearing here yesterday that the per-
sons who had houses built by the
Home Builders are stuck for the
actual cost, and builders preparing |
to wage q court battle. it appears
that 1t will be q great Ian Eth of time
before the affairs Of the first build
ing program OF the Home Builders
are settled rs. G
Bismarck, N. D. Aug (special)|
Miss Bertha Palmer, deputy state su-
perintendent Of public instruction,
has returned from Ada, Chic, where
she delivered \ q series OF lectures at
Northern Ohio university n