New-York tribune., 1922-03-19
Office Worker Says There
Is Nothing Hard TO Buildin,
On the Contrary, Is Interesting as Well as ANN.
lng' According to II. o. Hartman, Sales Enginep
Who Tried 1t at Harmon-on.Hudson
By n. G. Hartman

By n. G.. Hartman
Can this mousse really be built &C
cording to plans and specifications 1os
S7,oo0?' was the first question asked
me by q Tribune representative when
he saw one stucco house which is Just
nearing completion at Harmon -on-the-
Hudson, n. Z.
'lf built with four roons $1,000 viii
easily cover the cost Of construction p
answered. Our home, which satisfies
Mrs. Hartman and me TO "t," cost
1886, and we built on q fifth room. In
This total have figured what I esti-
mate to be the value o. my own time
given to supervision OF its construc-
tlon' / | were TO build the same house
over again Tomorrow, vita hre rooms,
could save $500 or more on this tocal.
and il we're to build It wiki forc
rooms, az the original plans aid susc;-
'cations call tor. could 10 !. Tor
$500
Proved Building Is EASY
AZ the request o5 The Tribune J, who
an neither contractor nor builder, but =
, sales engineer, will do ny bes. 10 d.
scribe fer the benefit Of Tribune read
I or5 ny experiences IS novice how, .
builder and what ! did. l have proved
belieFe, that i IS possible for tie
average clrlZen 20 become his Own gen-
etal contractor and build q homo reail,.
NoetA while, ! i IS {. small house suci
service" '-A'-
The American Institute Ct Areh;-as-..
%hd Secretary Of Commerce Eerpert
nooVeF. heading new governue !
division OF building and housing. are
fec0mm ending that tie person wFo de-
Sires 10 build 3 house OF six rooms mr.
oEder can wisely do i from purchased
plans without hiring an architect.
e.Jpyeo every minute of my home
puiialAg e@perlencos even when & scaG-
tod tel and | slid With it abont -.
feet to soft mud puddle below. Gurirf =
tour OF inspection Of the work or The
carpenters I had hired. As sor Ms
t4&fcnlan' she got Is much real pleasuYs
oar of the house-buildiac entsrDries ss
1 old. IN tact. she IS now urrius, me
20 superinten., u odd NON e.5tg' -be
culldlMg OF : half-do2eu small r9uxee
TO sell a. neat protit-fcr : caD f.e
Decide TO Do Own Building
- eile exhibit Of the pr;ze-w:...,.,.z
designs III the National Arcbifsctss;
snaI house competition Mrs. Hart
man ana decided 7ye could build he
-" coo and metal la.a ho1,se
@'-u inc u'sVHbutors u the plan, The
-, ''-o "lers ~elvlce Institute, which
,'., Me consuiJed, advised Us il could be
t, G1un iaNe us long to discover that
Samuel Unternlyer and Herbert Hooy@r
"ere 10th tight. 1t is hard TO find the
eomnfactor who IS ready and willing 10
e"-n 10 per cent profit on : lob. We
ao on o!scovered most OF then, wanted
40 per cent on our building project.
HSV1hg paid $25 for the first sac OF
o'hlag drawings and specifications.
,,e wasted couple Of months last
Suin,,lNer getting competitive bids from
~ =, 1ueHV the wrong contractors. for
sne lowest bid | received was $4,000
aNa eAe highest $4,000 for the four
room house.
Builders Wanted $4,000
finally bought my own materials
te, Icy out the sub-contracts myself. and
""ued iilth room TO the house, and it
cost me $',965 TO do it. With the house
eIm mpleted | know where dropped
bpouV Sooo because didn't know any
building field. But am not comma ;n-
ing; | couldn't buy the same house
Today with the lot thrown in for sls.-
QUO, and know it.
AS | owned two fifty-foot lots. ire.
ana clea' " any debt, at Harmon. and
i'ao about 90 per cent of the money
90 -on 'ed the building projecr. or
S"'o0u, available in the bank Il yas
e'sy matter for me to finance the
contract. After tie roof WAS on. hav-
ne previously ascert0ined that I could F.,
no monev a savings and sn
! sssoslation nm took the firss mortgage for
pa'ooo. placed no second MORTGAGE on /
Only four sub-contracts were let by
me. IS follows: - Mill work and
rough lumber, (2) plumbing and heat. eat |
ng,' CD electric fixtures ana wors.
"a l4) stucco and plastering.
hlred and fired the masors and |
'fpenters. When couldn't purchase |
ne best oak hooring anywhere near
=, harmon l bought it in New York and |
alfea truck to haul it fortv miles. |
AS Mrs. Hartman and preferred as /
neslos slate composition shingles of |
Blended colors, rather than solia |
| lie ROOF as specified, purchased
shingles. The roof presents 3 pleas
lor scheme of these blended
Shfng!es-4O per cent brick red, so per
'ent brown, 20 per cent buff and 10
er cent gray. The side wall surfaces,
instead of being white stucco, are Of
buff color.
Increased Size Of House