Evening star., 1936-03-14
SERVICE PRAISED
FOR SMALL HOME
Architects Provide Econ
omy and Efficiency Plan,
President Heaton Shows.

Explanation Of the objective OF the
Architects Small Home Service, re-
Gently formed here as an aid to pros
pectiye home owners. was made today
bv Arthur B. Heaton, president OF
the Washington Chapter Of the
American Institute of Architects. The
service will be offered in Washington
In cooperation with the Perpetual
Building Association.
Mr.. Hestons explanation is as fol-
lows:
"On recommendation Of the Com
mittee on Small Houses, the directors
of the American Institute Of Archi-
tects, meeting in December, 1885.
Endorsed the establishment Of local
groups of architects prepared to fur
nish plans, specifications and in
dividual supervision in the small-houSe
field in a manner to meet each local
opportunity and demand for such
professional service. The plan stresses
the value of the architects services
throughout the entire home building
operation, as against the use Of a set
Of plans only. The intention is to
provide inspection and supervision Of
the construction in such measure as
Is necessary to enable the architect
to certify the execution Of the work
generally in accordance with the
plans and specifications.
Study Given Problem.
"The Washington Chapter Of the
American Institute Of Architects has
given considerable study to this prob
lem in the Washington area. AS a
result the chapter at its meeting last
month approved this method of pro-
Viding an appropriate architectural
service, and authorized its members
to form a group or groups to furnish
the service. One such group has been
formed, the Architects Small Home
Service, which initially is offering its
facilities through one Of the large
lending institutions.
Architectural s--vice has always
been available in the small home field,
but for various reasons has been en-
ployed to only very limited extent.
To some degree this may have been
due to the belief that competent
technical plans and supervision, while
employed almost universally in large
construction, were not necessary or
could not be afforded in the small
house field. Actually, the fees re-
ceived at the standard rate for COM
plete individual service on the mod
erate-priced home, have not been
especially attractive to the architect,
considering the preparation of COM
plete working drawings and specifica-
tions to meet individual desires and
detailed supervision of construction.
Competent Services.
at may we'll be, therefore. that
the solution to more extensive en-
ployment of competent technical serv-
ices in the Small-house field, is
through the means of limited serv-
See, employing standard designs but
including advice as to the suitability
of the design to the site and the
neighborhood. and supervision of the
construction work The economy in
the judicious reuse Of proven designs
makes it possible to offer such limited
service at commensureately low fee.
On such a basis the limited service
should be a justified economy on even
the modest home.
Previous attempts have been made
TO offer some sort of architectural
services to builders of small homes,
but usually the plans offered were not
developed to meet local conditions, or
IF so. did not include inspection and
sunervisorv service to insure that the