1,750 ft. stone foundation, at 15c. per ft. 262.50
4,000 brick, furnished and laid, at $12 per M. 48.00
50 ft. stone steps and coping, at 30c. per ft. 15.00
850 yards lath and plastering, at 28c. per yard. 238.00
4,722 ft. timber, at $15 per M. 70.83
2 sills, 4 × 8 in. 26 ft. long.
2 sills, 4 × 8 in. 22 ft. long.
4 sills, 4 × 8 in. 15 ft. long.
2 sills, 4 × 8 in. 20 ft. long.
5 ties, 4 × 6 in. 26 ft. long.
5 ties, 4 × 6 in. 22 ft. long.
4 ties, 4 × 6 in. 15 ft. long.
2 ties, 4 × 6 in. 20 ft. long.
4 posts, 4 × 7 in. 22 ft. long.
8 posts, 4 × 6 in. 13 ft. long.
2 plates, 4 × 6 in. 26 ft. long.
4 plates, 4 × 6 in. 15 ft. long.
1 girt, 4 × 10 in. 26 ft. long.
4 valleys, 3 × 8 in. 14 ft. long.
42 beams, 3 × 8 in. 22 ft. long.
36 beams, 3 × 8 in. 15 ft. long.
100 joist, 3 × 4 in. 13 ft. long, at 22c. each. 22.00
320 wall-strips, at 11c. each. 35.20
150 lbs. tarred paper, at 5c. per lb. 7.50
325 novelty siding-boards, at 28c. each. 91.00
Materials in cornices and outside casings. 50.00
375 spruce shingling lath, at 6c. each. 22.50
65 bunches shingles, at $1.50 per bunch. 97.50
200 ft. gutters and leaders, at 10c. per ft. 20.00
Piazza and stoops, complete. 120.00
324 mill-worked flooring boards, at 35c. each. 113.40
4 flights of stairs, complete. 90.00
1 bay-window, complete. 50.00
22 plain windows, complete, at $12 each. 264.00
4 dormer windows, complete, at $20 each. 80.00
11 cellar windows, complete, at $6 each. 66.00
35 doors, complete, at $10 each. 350.00
2 mantles, complete, at $20 each. 40.00
Closets, shelving, etc., complete. 20.00
Range and plumbing, complete. 248.50
Painting, $150; nails, $20; cartage, $30. 200.00
Carpenter’s labor, not included above. 218.00
Incidentals. 18.07
---------
Total cost, complete. $2,900.00
[Illustration: Fig. 107.—ELEVATION OF FARM-HOUSE.]
[Illustration: Fig. 108.—PLAN OF CELLAR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 109.—PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 110.—PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR.]
DESIGN XXVII.
A STONE-HOUSE COSTING $2,900.
These plans were designed for the substantial dwelling of a farmer
in easy circumstances. The outside appearance truthfully expresses
its rural and its domestic purpose. The interior accommodations are
carefully arranged for comfort and convenience. The materials and
method of construction insure permanency; with little care, this
building would last for many generations.... EXTERIOR, (fig. 111.)—The
elevation shows that this house was intended for the country—it looks
like a farm-house—in fact it would be out of place anywhere else. Its
peculiar solid, independent, and home-like character is due to the
massive stone walls, large door and window openings, broad and steep
slated roof, truncated gables, substantial chimneys, and heavy sheltering
eaves, all arranged in simple, expressive, and harmonious combination.
All superfluous ornamentation is avoided, as inconsistent with rural
simplicity and truthfulness. Vines and creepers will be suggested by the
rough stone walls and piazza posts; and to their delicate tracery may
be left the work of “filling in” their more appropriate and agreeable
decorations.... The CELLAR (fig. 112), is 6½ feet high, extending under
the whole building, giving ample space for the storing of articles
requiring a cool, moist air for their preservation. Seven windows are
arranged to provide light and ventilation to every part. The outside
entrance is from the rear under the back stoop; stairs lead directly
up to the kitchen. The “safe” is a “locker,” or private cellar for
keeping choicer stores.... FIRST STORY, (fig. 113.)—Hight of ceilings,
10 feet. The arrangements are somewhat peculiar, and are very convenient
and pleasant. Each of the four principal rooms have windows giving
views in two different directions. The two halls (front and rear) have
stairs in each, and are otherwise arranged for easy communication with
all parts of the house. The Parlor is pleasantly situated, adjoins the
front hall and dining-room, has a large open fire-place, and is shaded
on the front by the piazza. The Dining or living-room is the largest
apartment, and communicates directly with every other room and hall on
this floor, bringing this entire story under the immediate supervision
of the mistress of the household. It has an open fire-place and two
closets. The Bedroom is placed in a quiet corner, where the little ones
may take their “day naps” without being run over or disturbed by sudden
callers, or those engaged in housework. The Kitchen is a good-sized
apartment, adjoins the dining-room, rear hall, milk-room, large pantry,
two closets, and cellar stairway, and is provided with a large range,
sink, wash-tubs, and the necessary pipes for supplies of cold and hot
water.... SECOND STORY, (fig. 114.)—Hight of ceiling, 8 feet. This
contains five good-sized chambers, a large hall, and nine closets. The
three larger chambers have full-sized side-walls and ceilings; the space
beyond the side-walls or partitions are devoted to closets, of which
there cannot be too many in any house.... CONSTRUCTION.—Unless situated
on very high ground, having a thorough natural drainage, the earth taken
from the cellar excavations should be left on the grounds and graded
around the foundation, to insure the turning away of all surface water.
In such cases, care must be taken to allow in the depth of the excavation
for the hight it is intended to raise the earth grades. The appended
estimate of cost is for excavating 3 feet deep. This will furnish 202
cubic yards of earth to raise the grades 1½ foot immediately around the
house (leaving 2 feet of the foundation exposed to sight), and give a
gentle slope outwards in every direction to the distance of 40 feet. All
the outside walls are solid masonry. The foundations are of the roughest
stone, laid in good mortar, 2 feet thick. A “top floating” of hydraulic
cement mortar is used in levelling the upper surfaces, to prevent the
ground moisture from rising above that line to be absorbed by the main
walls. The main walls are of rough stone and hard burned bricks laid
in strong mortar, 16 inches thick. The outside corners, and the jambs
and heads of the doors and windows, are of brick, as shown in fig. 115.
Their use greatly facilitates the work of construction, and obviates the
necessity of stone-dressing. The intervening walls are of broken stone
“random dressed,” laid in courses to conform to the quoin lines of the
brick-work, and may be done by common masons. The window and door sills
are of ordinary hammered blue-stone. All outside interstices and joints
are filled and pointed with cement mortar. Thin strips of wood (mason’s
lath will do) are laid in between the courses on the inside, to which
the inside furring is fastened. The chimneys are built of hard brick,
and are finished above the roof with large tops, having cross openings
at the sides for each flue, and close covers.—The Frame-work is very
simple; the central girders are supported by large posts on solid stone
footing. The beams are notched over the girders, with their ends resting
and anchored in the walls, and are thoroughly bridged. The plates are
anchored by bolts that are inlaid while building the walls. The rafters
are notched over the plates with their lower ends extending 2½ feet
beyond the walls; their centers are supported by purlins and collars. The
roof is covered with dark slate. The flooring is of mill-worked 1½-inch
plank. The interior of the stone walls is furred off, with unobstructed
spaces between the furring to the roof, for the passing off of all
dampness. The interior finish is complete throughout. The principal
rooms have neatly-moulded architraves, other rooms plain. The kitchen
and rear hall are wainscoted. All doors are panelled and moulded, and
all windows have inside blinds.—The plastering is three-coat work, with
the principal rooms hard-finished, balance white-slipped. The painting,
outside, is two coats with the best materials; inside is oil-stained and
flat-varnished.—ESTIMATE:
202 yards excavation, 3 ft. deep, at 20c. per yard. $40.40
224 perches stone-work, complete, at $2.75 per perch. 616.00
150 running ft. blue-stone sills at 30c. per ft. 45.00
6,500 bricks in quoins and chimneys, complete, at $12 per M. 78.00
1,000 yards plastering, complete, at 28c. per yard. 280.00
5,208 ft. of timber, at $15 per M. 78.12
1 girder, 4 × 8 in. 62 ft. long.
1 girder, 4 × 6 in. 38 ft. long.
2 purlins, 4 × 8 in. 38 ft. long.
2 purlins, 4 × 8 in. 18 ft. long.
45 rafters, 3 × 4 in. 21 ft. long.
8 rafters, 3 × 4 in. 17 ft. long.
38 beams, 3 × 8 in. 15 ft. long.
35 beams, 3 × 8 in. 21 ft. long.
12 beams, 3 × 8 in. 10 ft. long.
40 collars, 1¼ × 5 in. 13 ft. long.
1 valley, 3 × 8 in. 80 ft. long.
1 plate, 3 × 8 in. 200 ft. long.
250 wall-strips, at 11c. each. 27.50
300 furring strips, at 4c. each. 12.00
Anchors to beams and plates. 5.00
Cornice materials. 30.00
420 shingling-lath, at 6c. each. 25.20
26½ squares of slating, complete, at $9 per square. 238.50
25 hemlock boards, piazza roof, at 16c. each. 4.00
2½ squares tin, roofing and leaders, at $8 per square. 20.00
296 flooring, 8 in., at 25c. each. 74.00
Stairs, complete, $90; piazza and stoop, $80. 170.00
7 cellar windows, complete, at $5. 35.00
22 plain windows, complete, at $10 each. 220.00
4 dormer windows, complete, at $18 each. 72.00
34 doors, complete, at $9 each. 306.00
2 mantles, 3 shelves, complete. 68.00
Closet finish, complete. 39.28
Range and plumbing, complete. 175.00
Nails, $16; painting, $60: cartage, $15. 91.00
Carpenter’s labor, not included above. 150.00
---------
Total cost, complete. $2,900.00
[Illustration: Fig. 111.—FRONT ELEVATION.]
[Illustration: Fig. 112.—PLAN OF CELLAR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 113.—PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 114.—PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 115.—MANNER OF BUILDING CORNERS.]
DESIGN XXVIII.
A HOUSE COSTING $3,000.
These plans were designed for a suburban cottage, having a cheerful
outside appearance, and containing ample interior apartments conveniently
arranged, with such modern improvements as are desirable for the use of
an ordinary sized family.... EXTERIOR, (fig. 116.)—The general outlines
are made up of simple parts, embracing features of pleasing variety and
elegance. The foundation walls, showing four feet above ground, insure
against moisture from the earth, and add to the superficial dimensions
of the structure. Such high foundations for houses of this character
afford a proper background for the grasses and shrubbery usually
surrounding them. The irregularities of the principal building, the
steep, dark-slated roofs, with their heavy projecting cornices, truncated
or hooded gables, and enriched barge-boards, together with the stoops and
bay-windows, are proportioned and arranged to assimilate with each other,
and contribute to gracefulness and harmony.... CELLAR, (fig. 117.)—Hight,
7 feet. Seven good-sized windows admit an abundance of light, and afford
thorough ventilation.... FIRST STORY, (fig. 118.)—Hight of ceiling,
10½ feet. The rooms are unusually large, and arranged to be pleasant,
comfortable, and convenient. The front entrance has large double doors.
This hall contains the principal stairs, which are of “platform”
construction. We prefer this form whenever the general plan allows it,
as such stairs are much easier, less dangerous, and appear better than
the usual long, straight flights. The hall connects with each principal
room, obviating the too frequent necessity of passing through one room
to reach another. The Parlor has a fire-place, adapted to either a grate
or fire-place heater (we should prefer the latter in this case, supplied
with heating-pipes for warming the chamber above,) and is provided with a
marble mantle. A large bay-window admits sufficient light, and affords a
pleasant outlook. The remaining sides of this room are unbroken, leaving
ample space for furniture, pictures, etc. The Dining, or living-room,
is intended as the most agreeable and pleasant room in the house; it
has a fire-place with hearth openings, adapted to a “low-down” grate,
which is a good substitute for the old home-like fire-place, and affords
an opportunity for a generous and cheerful fire, and insures the most
perfect ventilation. The ashes from these hearth fires fall into the
ash-pit below them, thus obviating the necessity and dust of their daily
removal. A marble mantle with a large hearth, one bay and three plain
windows, and a closet, are provided for this room. The windows afford
plentiful light, and views from front, side, and rear, thus assuring a
home-like, cheerful apartment. The Kitchen is pleasantly situated, has
four windows for light and ventilation, and is planned with especial
regard for convenience. It is in proximity with the principal hall, rear
entry, and cellar stairway, has a large pantry, and two closets, and
contains a large fire-place, with a range, boiler, sink, and wash-tubs
having pipe attachments for hot and cold water. The dimensions of the
fire-place are 2 feet 10 inches wide, 5 feet 6½ inches high, and 1 foot 9
inches deep, with a hearth-stone 2 feet wide, and 4 feet long. The range
is fitted into the fire-place, and has a water-back, elevated oven, and
warm-closet, and is connected by pipes with the boiler. The dumb-waiter,
shown on the plan at the right of the fire-place, is intended as a
“coal-lift,” which will save many steps and much hard labor running for
coal. This is simply a box, holding three bushels (twelve scuttles),
constructed of 1¼-inch floor planks, with wood runners 3 feet long, on
two opposite sides, conforming to grooves made in stationary planking in
the cellar, and is suspended by weights, with strong ropes, passing over
pulleys fastened to the underside of the floor-beams. The upper portions
of this closet may be fitted with shelving and hooks, as desired. The
large Kitchen Pantry, thoroughly shelved, is in the “addition” that
adjoins the kitchen, and is built in combination with the rear stoop.
The entry, conveniently situated, communicates between the kitchen and
dining-room, and with the back stoop through the rear door.... SECOND
STORY, (fig. 119.)—Hight of ceiling, 9 feet. This story is divided in
the simplest manner, has a hall, three large chambers, with closets
for each, and a bath-room, all with sufficient windows for light and
ventilation. Each principal chamber has an open fire-place, adapted to
grates. Chimneys, centrally situated, radiate most of their heat into
the rooms, thus saving fuel. The Bath-room has a French bath-tub, with
cold and hot water, and a seat-closet. The stairway to the attic story
is ceiled in over the principal stairs, with a door at the foot. The
Attic has three apartments, two intended to be plastered and finished as
chambers; the third, or larger one, is unfinished for an open garret....
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION.—The excavations are 2½ feet deep, and the loose
earth is graded around the building at completion, leaving 4 feet of the
foundation exposed to sight. The foundation-walls are built as described
for Design XXXII. The sub-sills of the windows, and the steps and coping
of the area, are of blue-stone. The chimneys being near the center, are
not connected with the foundation walls. The rear one is constructed in
box form, below the first floor, as a receptacle for ashes, and has a
small iron door near the bottom for removing the ashes. The principal
frame-work is of sound pine or spruce timber, of the sizes mentioned in
the estimate below. When practicable, we would use pine timber for all
sills and posts, as the least liable to decay, and spruce for the girts
and beams, on account of its quality for stiffness. The siding is of two
thicknesses of boarding, as described for Design XXXII. The principal
roof is constructed at the angles of 45°, securing valuable space for
attic rooms, and is covered with dark slate laid on hemlock, with tarred
paper between. The roofs of the stoops and bay-windows, and all gutters
and valleys, are of IC. charcoal tin, laid on hemlock boards. The method
of constructing the cornice, gutters, and barge boards of the principal
roof, is shown in detail in fig. 120. _A_, rafter of 3 × 4; _B_, plate of
4 × 6, placed 14 inches above the attic floor; _C_, post of 4 × 7 timber;
_D_, gutter, having no abrupt angles to bother the tinsmith, or impair
his work, but is of circular form, and stayed with 2-inch furring lath,
on which the tin is smoothly and easily laid. _E_, bracket constructed of
2 × 4, with simple scroll, sawed from 4 × 6 timber. _F_, crown moulding
of 1¼ × 3¼, worked solid; _G_, barge-board with the crown-moulding
attached; this closes the ends of the gutters to the hight of the dotted
line at _D_. The stairs, interior trimmings, and the general painting,
are intended to be similar to those described for Design XVII. In the
estimate appended will be found a full schedule of the materials required
to construct, and fully develope a house by these plans. The quantities
given may be relied on as correct, and their cost is compiled from the
prices now ruling in this vicinity.—ESTIMATE:
69 yards excavation, at 20c. per yard. $13.80
18,500 brick, furnished and laid, at $12 per M. 222.00
53 ft. stone steps, and coping, at 30c. per ft. 15.90
841 yards plastering, complete, at 28c. per yard. 235.48
250 yards stucco cornices, at 25c. per yard. 62.50
4,903 ft. timber, at $15 per M. 73.54
2 sills, 4 × 8 in. 30 ft. long.
2 sills, 4 × 8 in. 22 ft. long.
3 sills, 4 × 8 in. 18 ft. long.
8 posts, 4 × 7 in. 22 ft. long.
Ties, 4 × 6 in. 302 ft. long.
Plate, 4 × 6 in. 151 ft. long.
75 beams, 3 × 8 in. 18 ft. long.
54 rafters, 3 × 4 in. 13 ft. long.
500 wall-strips, 2 × 4 in. 13 ft. at 11c. each. 55.00
320 sheathing, 9½ in., at 25c. each. 80.00
170 lbs. tarred paper, at 3c. per lb. 5.10
320 siding-boards, 9½-inch, at 28c. each. 89.60
Materials in outside dressing and cornices. 80.00
161 hemlock boards, principal roof, 10 in., at 16c. each. 25.76
14½ squares of slate, at $9 per square. 130.50
306 flooring, 9½ in., at 28c. each. 85.68
2 stoops, complete, at $50 each. 100.00
2 bay-windows, complete. 120.00
Stairs, complete. 75.00
21 plain windows, complete, at $12 each. 252.00
7 cellar windows, complete, at $6 each. 42.00
22 doors, with base and trimming, complete, at $10 each. 220.00
2 marble mantles and 3 shelves, complete. 68.00
1 range, with elevated oven and warm closet, complete. 80.00
Plumbing and gas pipes, complete. 175.00
Coal-lift and shelving, complete. 25.00
2 rooms in attic, finished, complete. 60.00
Nails, $20; bells and speaking-tubes, complete, $15. 35.00
Painting, $240; cartage, $40. 280.00
Carpenter’s labor, not included above. 250.00
Extra for incidentals. 43.14
---------
Total cost, complete. $3,000.00
Should it be desirable to reduce the cost of building by this plan, it
may be done without changing the principal outlines or arrangements, by
the following deductions and omissions, viz.:
_Saving._
Foundations reduced in hight from 7 ft. to 6½ ft. $20.00
5 cellar windows, instead of 7. 12.00
Inclosing with single thickness siding. 80.00
Roof of shingles, instead of slate. 60.00
4 plain windows, instead of the 2 bays. 72.00
Deduct 1 window in each: dining-room, kitchen, bath-room. 36.00
Reduce the cost of windows and doors, each $1.50. 64.50
An ordinary range, instead of one with an elevated oven. 40.00
Omit the finish in attic. 60.00
Omit plumbing and gas-pipes. 175.00
Omit coal-lift, bells, and tubes. 30.00
---------
Total reductions. 649.50
Making the cost $2,350.50
[Illustration: Fig. 116.—ELEVATION OF HOUSE.]
[Illustration: Fig. 117.—PLAN OF CELLAR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 118.—PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 119.—PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR.]
[Illustration: Fig. 120.—CORNICE, GUTTER, AND BARGE-BOARDS.]
DESIGN XXIX.
A HOUSE COSTING $3,100.