Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-14
FIFTY WAYS TO SAVE
IN H ONE BUILDING
National Organization Manual
Lists Labor, Material and
Other Items.

Fifty specific details on which money
can be saved In building house II
the owner finds such savings desirable,
are suggested in THE Better Homes
Manual" edited by Blanche Halbert,
research director Of Better Homes IN
America, Inc, and recently published
by the University Of Chicago Press.
Better Homes in America Is enc OF
the organizations on the Planning Com
mittee for the Presidents Conference
on Home Ownership and Home Build
ing, to be held In Washington December
2 to 5.
This manual, consisting of 1872 pages
of information and advice from spQe
cialists on home financing, furnish
ing. architecture, construction, bundiny
materials, equipment and gardenmls
has been issued in support OF their pol.
icy to encourage home-building ana
community Improvement.
Labor and Material Cost.
Among the so ways suggested by
Robert I. Jones In THE Better Homes
Manual for saving money In building
are the following:
fireplace range from $500 to $500, or
more. You can save this II you are
willing to do without the fireplace.
open porches cost between 5000 and
$500 or rnore-glazed porches an ad-
ditional $500 for extra window sash.
wood trim, painting and more expensive
flooring. You can choose which you
prefer. the money or the porch.
by emitting all partitions in the
basement except inclosing the fuel DIN
you may save from $50 TO $3.50. :.
"A fun basement Is often buried
treasure It is not an absolute necessity,
and the deeper foundations and more
excavating necessary may cost as mucn
as $500 or $70o.
IF you stucco the exterior Of your
house be prepared~to pay $3.50 to $3.50
more than for wood siding; tne
Stucco has an especially modeleo sur
face expense is increased.
IF you build of brick, the initial ex-
ira expense may run from $500 to $6OO
more than for the average wooden nm
ished house. Remember, however, that
homes with exterior walls Of masonry
carry q better fire insurance rate ana
there is a reduction In the cost OF fu-
ture painting. Depreciation is lessened.
"Two-story houses take less founoa-
ton walls, less excavation, less roo1-
less money-than bungalows.
1.-The initial cost of wood shingles for
roofing is less than tile or slate, al
though wood shingles are not as durable
and they are less fire resisting Fire
laws In some localities require CERTAIN
special types Of roofing materials. High
quality counts heavily, but do not at
tempt to buy variegated tile with wood
shingle pocketbook. Brush-coating
shingles win add $25 70 $50 to the
roofing cost. Dipping will cost stu
more, but viii increase their durability.
Get as good roofing as your pocketbook
win permit
"The graceful open stairway with its
turned balusters and spiral newell Is
a delight to the eye. But stairs between
partitions cost much less. A plaster
parapet at the. side CT the stair Is less
expensive than an open balustrade.
'sWhether to have hardwood or soft
wood floors, built-in kitchen equipment,
bookcases, china cabinets, gas, electric
or ice refrigeration, different types OF
plumbing and heating sytems and
many ether details are considered in
the light of the price each will cost"
Mr.. Jones points out the necessity
for verifying the above figures In the
LEGAL market. The figures are intended
as average costs, he says, to be antici-
rated In building small house OF TWO
stories Of about $50 square feet ground
' AES6s