The Washington herald., 1922-06-18
House Planning
Requires Care
Many Savings Are Possible
If Plans Are Correctly
Followed.

plans, II is best to start at the be-
ginning and recheck everything, to
be sure that nothing has been over
looked. II possible. go over some
we'll built houses and mentally
compare them with your own plans.
II after you start to build you de-
eide that the location of a linen
closet should be changed or some
vacuum cleaner connections should
be added. the result is an extra
expense that Little forethought
could readily have obviated. You
can get your plans just right, down
to the smallest .details-if you give
the matter the thorough study IL
deserves-before signing the con-
tract.
4 A most important detail is a prop
erly drawn contract between the
architect. the contractor and the
owner. This contract should be
drawn to Incorporate the builders
proposition to build the house with
the specifications and plans which
were furnished to him by the ar
chitect or the owner. This is an
essential item.
1t is best not to send your plans
for estimate to any builder to whom
you would not be willing to entrust
the job. more especially II you have
no architect to supervise the build
ing. Besides, II takes time for a
builder to make up an intelligent
estimate. and you want to treat him
as fairly as you expect him to treat
you.
Conversely. just because the esti-
mate of builder whom you sus-
pect as being shifty and not COM
pletely reliable happens to be low
est. you will want to think twice
before giving him the contract. on
the chance that you can hold him
to strict compliance with the terms
of your agreement. That is possi-
Bile only in theory. In practice 1t
does not work out that way. You
cannot watch every stick of lum-
ber. every pound of pipe, that goes
into the building. and. therefore,
you want the most reliable man
you can get. II is easy to find one
such by taking little pains.
A frequent source of misunder-
standing between owner and con-
tractor develops from casual direc-
tions. frequently given by the own
er to plumbers. electricians, or car
penters, during course of construc-
ton. to move a faucet here or .
| light socket there. The result is
most likely an extra" that costs
money. You will have avoided that
IL your plans are carefully made,
but il changes are necessary. be
sure to follow the povisions of your
contact, as regards extras, in order
to obviate misunderstandings
The wise course is to select your
architect and builder with care and
then within reasonable limits trust
them to perform according to con-
tract. Insist on getting everything
the contract calls for. by all means:
but remember that the contract
works both ways. Confidence and
good temper mean a great deal in
this very vital process of home
building.
Foresight is the best assurance
of satisfaction.
You have a certain sum OF money
laid by as the basis for your home
building venture. One fifth of the
value OF your house is said by real
estate experts to be the minimum
| amount of equity for a comforta bl e
start. The problem OF raising the
additional amount by mortgage is
not great under such conditions.
Banks, trust companies. building
and loan associations and reliable
real estute firms stand ready as a
business proposition to advise you
concerning the further details of
financing.
1t Is advisable, IL you plan to
take a second mortgage. to be sure
of the terms you have to pay before
proceeding too far. for as a second
mortgage is greater risk than a
first. the interest rate is almost
always higher. 1t follows. natural
ly. that because the better secured
first mortgage carries a lower in
terest rate. the part of wisdom lies
in getting as large a first mortgage
as possible. One can save a large
commission on a second mortgage
/ by placing II with a relative or
/ friend who is willing to lend the
money on more reasonable terms.
In most localities there are home
| financing corporations, backed by
public-spirited citizens. which assist
/ in financing homes above the first
mortgage.