choosing a satisfactory location and home in the country calls for careful
study and good judgment throughout the procedure. In urban centers many
services are taken for granted, such as water supply, sewerage, public
utility connections and delivery systems. The establishment of a home in
the country calls for the consideration of all these services. Some may
not be available and preparations must be made to do without them or to
set up such procedures as will take care of the family's needs on the
basis of the individual home.
_The Rural Home._--To give the elements of satisfactory living under
modest circumstances, the country home should be so located and serviced
as to give the maximum of comfort and convenience for the money invested.
The location, type of construction and interior arrangement of the home
are important factors in attaining these objectives.
Unless the location selected already has buildings on it which meet the
needs of the purchaser and his family, there will be the immediate problem
of building the home or remodeling the structure already in existence. In
recent years a great deal of attention has been given to rural homes,
stimulated no doubt by the very evident trend of population from the city
to the country. These homes should have attributes distinctly their own
and should harmonize with the purpose and the location in mind. A house
with lines that look well in town or city may be only a blot on the
landscape when set in the open country. Many excellent recommendations
have been made for country houses by the United States Department of
Agriculture, the President's Conference on Home Building and Home
Ownership (December, 1931) and by architects who have given this problem
the specific attention it deserves.
In general, we may say that the exterior of the house should have simple
lines and should not be ostentatious or covered with inappropriate
decorative effects. This is especially the case where the house is
comparatively small and is located in the open country where there is a
simple and pleasing natural background. The country house should be low
and broad, rather than tall and narrow. The windows and doors should be
of a size and shape that will meet utilitarian requirements and be so
situated as to give a pleasing and attractive appearance to the whole
structure. The materials used should be selected to meet the needs of
economy in the original construction and should be of long-lasting type,
assuring economy in maintenance.
_Essential Requirements._--In planning the house there are certain minimum
requirements which should be kept in mind. For example, the sleeping
facilities should include at least one bedroom for every two persons and
should contain not less than 100 square feet per room. All sleeping rooms
should be provided with cross ventilation, that is, with a window on each
of two sides, and sufficient closet or wardrobe space should be provided,
equipped with shelves and hangers for taking care of clothing. Ordinary
lighting facilities for each room include at least one window, with the
kitchen, living room and sleeping areas preferably having two. Windows
should be so placed as to permit direct sunlight to enter at least
three-fourths of the rooms. There should be daylight and artificial lights
on all work surfaces such as the stove, the sink, work tables and in the
family reading center.
Especial attention given in advance to the kitchen will be more than
repaid by the convenience and efficiencies secured. There should be ample
built-in kitchen equipment for small and large utensils, kitchen tools and
linens. Ample lighting devices should be employed and step-saving
arrangements provided so as to eliminate as much effort as possible in
carrying out the daily duties that are conducted in this important part of
the country home.
Where the funds available for construction or remodeling are limited, it
is important to know what the cost will be before the job is started. This
procedure calls for a plan which will show the exterior appearance, the
interior arrangement, and the cost of the completed job. Plans can be
secured from many sources in addition to those already mentioned. Persons
with architectural experience and ability may often be employed directly
to plan the house and to supervise its construction. If the prospective
builder wishes to select his own plans and to know in advance the complete
cost, he can secure from processors of lumber a catalog of plans which are
accompanied by costs of every item needed. Such processors cut the
material to fit at the factory and identify each piece so that the
mechanically minded man can do much of the work himself with help he may
employ. These companies will also quote prices on the cost of erection by
their own employees in addition to the cost of materials. The outlay
needed for lighting, plumbing and heating facilities can also be obtained
from the same source.
[Illustration: (_Courtesy U. S. Department of Agriculture_)
A modest country home.]
[Illustration: (_Courtesy U. S. Department of Agriculture_)
Floor plans of house shown on opposite page.]
Another method of procedure is to draw a plan of the house that contains
the rooms considered necessary, submit such plans to a lumber merchant and
get quotations on costs of various types of material necessary to
construct it. Such construction will usually require the services of a
skilled carpenter and mason but permits of more latitude in most cases
than is available under a set building arrangement.
_Types of Country Houses._--Illustrations of small houses suitable for the
country are shown on pages 8 and 44. The floor plans of these houses are
shown on the facing pages. There are many other types of small houses
adapted to use in the country and the selection of any one is largely a
matter of individual preference and ability to finance.
Because of the variation in prices of material in different locations, the
kind and quality of material that the owner may desire and also the amount
of labor that may be furnished by the owner, it is difficult to give in
definite terms the cost of various types of buildings. Estimates of costs
of materials and construction may easily be obtained from contractors in
the vicinity.
Simply with the idea of giving approximate costs, the Conference on Home
Building gives the following cost bases for building frame dwellings,
obtained roughly by multiplying the volume by the cost per cubic foot.
Naturally the cost will vary in different sections of the country, and the
level of artistry that is set up by the builder himself will be a factor.
APPROXIMATE COSTS PER CUBIC FOOT FOR FRAME DWELLINGS
----------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------
| Southern | Northern
----------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------
First recommended level--2, 3 or 4 rooms with | |
masonry base, fire-resistive flue, both sides| |
of studs covered, painted exterior, interior | |
finish. | *10-15c | *12-18c
Second level--Bathroom space, better finish | 12-18 | 15-21
Medium level--5-6 rooms, with plumbing | 16-23 | 20-26
Fourth level--Adequate standard plumbing and | |
hardwood floors | 19-27 | 23-30
Fifth level--Comparable to better type of | |
middle-class city home | 25-35 | 28-35
----------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------
* The cheapest type of shelter (shack) may be built for perhaps half
this cost.
_Pre-fabricated Houses._--The field of house construction has been
occupied almost exclusively by the individual architect or builder who has
wrought according to the general ideas of the intending occupant or the
real estate developer. When the plans are completed and approved, the
contractor assembles the necessary materials from local sources, builds
and equips the house and turns it over to the buyer in completed
condition. Under such a procedure there is little application of mass
production measures which have reduced costs and raised quality standards
in many industries, notably in automobile construction, for example.
Thousands of houses built to sell in the recent construction era of the
1920's have proved unsatisfactory and costly to the occupants as the
result of shoddy building methods. Such methods seem to be typically
American as distinguished from the far more solid and permanent Old World
procedure. It now seems likely that the problem of economical and
substantial housing will be met in the method that is also
American--namely, by the pre-fabricated house to which various natural
resources of the country contribute. The parts of such houses are made
under mass production methods and easily assembled on the owner's lot. The
same idea can be applied with ease to apartment house construction in any
location. The first step in this direction has already been mentioned in
the case of mail-order companies which cut the lumber to fit and supply
every needed accessory to the last detail.
The next step, and the one that bids fair to inaugurate an entirely new
house-building procedure, is now in the making, although as yet it is in
the experimental and testing stage. Examples of such construction made
their first public appearance at the Century of Progress Exposition at
Chicago in 1933.
Materials that enter into the construction of these new-type houses
include steel, asbestos, aluminum and cement. As a rule, the buildings
have a steel frame erected on cement foundations and without a cellar; the
walls and partitions are of asbestos composition and the roof constructed
of steel sheets with aluminum insulation. Such a building is fireproof and
proof also against vermin, lightning, wind and earthquake. The house is
also adapted to and equipped with heating, lighting, plumbing and air
conditioning facilities. The whole building is pre-planned and
pre-fabricated as a unit with its component parts constructed under
economical and interchangeable mass production methods.
Modifications of the construction above mentioned include the use of
sound-proofed steel panels or insulation board for partitions and walls
with an exterior of painted steel. Many other modifications are being
developed to insure individuality, stability, insulation and economy in
first cost and maintenance. The lines of most of these houses are severe
and modernistic in design, although decorative and unique effects are
easily obtainable.
The costs of the complete house unit range from $600 for a one-room type
to $3,500 to $6,000 for a complete home of modest size. The principal
fabricators of these houses and their addresses are: General Houses, Inc.,
Chicago, Illinois; American Houses, Inc., New York City; American Rolling
Mill Company, Cleveland, Ohio; American Radiator and Standard Sanitary
Company, New York City; Columbian Steel Tank Company, Kansas City,
Missouri, and National Steel Homes, Inc., Los Angeles, California.
Information on types and costs can be obtained by addressing these
companies.
_Rural Home Life._--To have a successful experience in country life, one
must become identified with one's surroundings and become a part of the
community. Those who seek to establish a country residence simply as a
place from which to commute to city attractions will not only miss the
greatest asset in country living but will probably find this existence
unsatisfactory. To become interested in the growing plants and animals at
home, to do with one's own hands the things that make the home more
attractive and to develop a contact with the community that helps to
increase its normal activities mean the attainment of pleasure and
satisfaction so far beyond that obtainable in congested urban quarters
that there is no comparison. In many cases this direct affinity with one's
surroundings will come gradually and not always easily. It can be
cultivated and should be a part of the plan of every family expecting to
reside in the country.
_Trees as Assets._--One of the greatest assets that can be secured in the
country is well-developed shade. If the house under consideration is
already built and has around it trees that serve as a softening and
beautifying factor, as well as for shade purposes, the value is decidedly
enhanced. If the home is to be newly built and a site is available where
trees are already well grown, the house can often be placed in the midst
of such trees, thereby gaining a number of years in the benefits that
trees give and for which there is no substitute.
Few persons can resist the charm of trees. That they also have a definite
economic value is shown by the added desirability we all attach to an
attractively landscaped home where trees of various kinds and sizes
furnish the motif. In acquiring a place in the country the newcomer will
at once wish to plant trees, shrubs and ornamentals to beautify his
holdings. If this is carefully planned at the beginning, succeeding years
and a little care will add to the attractiveness and intrinsic value of
the home. The saying, "a house is not a home until it is planted," has a
great deal of truth behind it. Most nurserymen will be glad to render
assistance in properly planning and setting the ornamental landscaping of
the home, helping the owner avoid mistakes and costly movings and
replacements later.
_Commercial Horticulture._--In addition to the plantings around his home,
the owner of a few acres can at slight expense start small trees for later
ornamental use or for sale at a roadside stand, for example. Such small
trees and ornamental plants can often be purchased at wholesale prices
from nursery companies which have "laying out" stock, as it is called, for
sale. The standard large-growing evergreens and deciduous shade trees can
be thus transplanted to one's own acres, as can the popular dwarf types of
evergreens and flowering shrubs. These may be planted in one area where
they can be cared for as a growing crop, or they may be planted in groups
for beautifying the premises while they are growing. Again, single plants
may be set by themselves and given special attention, later becoming
"specimens" which are much in demand by admirers of the species.
An appreciation of tree habits can be thus developed by all the members of
the family, and considerable income may be obtained in later years, as
the trees become "of age," through their sale. We are entering upon an era
of making homes attractive as places in which to live and not as houses to
go away from. All forms of plant life that contribute to this end will be
admired and sought after in the years to come.
_Do's_
Give special consideration to location, type of construction and interior
arrangement.
If building a home, select a type that fits surroundings.
Strive for simplicity of lines and full utilization of every cubic foot of
space.
Remember pre-fabricated houses are practical and likely to supplant some
other types of construction.
In buying a pre-fabricated house, be sure plans and construction fit needs
of family and materials used are adapted to the climatic conditions.
Give special attention to convenience and cheerfulness of kitchen.
Develop a plan of planting ornamental plants and trees to be carried out
in due course.
_Don'ts_
Don't try to build a city house in the country.
Don't neglect windows in number or size.
Don't overlook costs of completed job before commencing building or
improvements.
Don't neglect the asset value of trees.
_Chapter_ V
SERVICING THE HOME
Many types of services are available to the country home owner, including
rural mail delivery, the telephone and electricity. Rural mail delivery in
particular is so common that, on practically every highway, mail service
is secured by the placing of a mail box along the highway at the entrance
to the residence. Telephone service is available along practically all the
main-traveled highways and on a majority of the other types of roads.
Where the lines are not already installed, extensions may be obtained to
new locations, and this is facilitated when more than one residence is to
be served by the same line. The majority of families accustomed to city
conveniences will want to have electricity available so as to use electric
lights and the labor-saving devices that are operated by electric power.
With the expansion that has taken place in the development of rural
electric lines in recent years, there is not a great deal of difficulty in
getting a location which will give the housewife the advantages that
electricity offers.
Telephone service and electrical facilities may fall into the class of
luxuries for those with limited resources. It may be pointed out in this
connection that millions of farm homes are still using petroleum products
for lighting purposes and are finding it no hardship. Practically all
would, of course, use electricity if it were available and financially
possible. The new home owner in the country will find it advantageous to
locate where electric service is obtainable.
Other services for the country residents are pretty largely up to the
owner as to their utilization and type. It is necessary, of course, to
have an ample water supply, to maintain sanitary conditions through
sewerage of some description, to provide a method of heating the home
during cold weather and to provide storage facilities for food during the
dormant season.
_The Water Supply._--Perhaps the most important attribute of the country
home is an adequate supply of water. This is particularly true where
families have been accustomed to utilizing municipal water supplies which
are safe and pure as to quality and unlimited in amount. In most country
homes it is necessary to construct a water-supply system, which means
reaching a supply of underground water, pumping it to the surface and
piping it to locations where it is wanted. Higher standards of living
create new and increased demands for water.
Water for domestic use should be clear, colorless, odorless, soft, neither
strongly acid nor alkaline, with a temperature averaging 50 degrees
Fahrenheit. Such water supplies can be obtained in nearly every section of
the country. Hot water is necessary in every home and there must be a
heater of some type, using coal, petroleum products, natural or artificial
gas or electricity for fuel. For this purpose a hot-water storage boiler
or tank must be installed.
_The Dug Well._--A dug well is one of the older types of wells. It should
be large enough in diameter to permit ingress and egress to all parts of
it for repairs or for cleaning. Most dug wells require cleaning
occasionally, due to the entrance of dirt at the top and to the washing in
of clay and silt with the ground water. Many of these wells contain
harmful gases which have proved fatal to those entering them. Before an
attempt is made to clean such a well or to make any repairs, a lighted
candle should be lowered into it. If the candle is extinguished, it will
be dangerous to enter until the well has been thoroughly ventilated.
A dug well will vary in depth from 20 to 60 feet, depending upon the
distance it is necessary to dig for an adequate supply of water. Types
of pumping apparatus are on the market to cope with any depth in digging
such a well. If dug wells are shallow, the water supply depends very
largely upon current rainfall and in times of prolonged drouth there may
be a serious shortage. Fairly deep wells of this type are usually very
satisfactory and will supply surprisingly large amounts of water when the
demand is made upon them.
[Illustration: Well drilling--an early step in locating in the country. In
the foreground may be seen part of the excavation for the house.]
_Artesian Water Supply._--Artesian wells have distinct advantages over dug
wells although they are more expensive to construct. The water from such
wells is absolutely pure and it never fails. This is because subterranean
streams have been tapped which are not subject to possible surface
contamination, nor are they dependent upon showers for replenishment.
Special power apparatus is necessary for constructing an artesian or
drilled well. The drilling costs from $3 per foot up, depending upon the
nature of the subsoil and whether rock is encountered. Unless such a well
has been drilled in the immediate vicinity it is not possible to hazard
even a guess as to when water will be struck. The consolation that such an
undertaking has for the owner is in knowing there will be no doubt as to
quantity or purity when the strike occurs.
_Water Pumps._--Pumps are now available which operate automatically by
electricity and constantly supply the home with fresh water drawn from the
earth as needed. The requirements for the pump and the motor will vary
with the depth of the well and the water requirements of the family. In
all such cases, therefore, it is desirable to call in for consultation
engineers or competent representatives of pump manufacturers or
distributors. It should be borne in mind that adequacy of supply is most
important and that economy in first cost, achieved at the sacrifice of an
adequate supply, may be a definite handicap to necessary home services.
_Heating Facilities._--The type of heating apparatus that is used will
depend upon the size of the house and its arrangement as well as upon the
funds available. The simplest type of heaters are those which do not have
a complete system of extending radiation through the home but depend upon
circulation of the air within the house to equalize the temperature. In
deciding upon the type of apparatus, it is necessary to make sure that the
system is as low in original cost as possible; that it will probably have
a long life, thereby spreading the first cost over a period of years; that
it be economical in operation through efficient consumption of fuel, and
that the system be easily controlled. The health of the family and the
ability to live in a satisfactory manner will depend to a considerable
extent upon the method of heating the home, especially in cold climates.
Particular care should be taken to make sure that whatever type of heating
is employed is adequate in size. It is more economical to operate a heater
that is somewhat oversized than to "rush" one which cannot easily maintain
a comfortable temperature in cold weather. Heating engineers and
contractors are available to furnish information on heating costs in every
locality. The generally used types of heating include stoves, circulator
heaters, warm air, hot water and steam systems, and fireplaces.
Specialists of the United States Department of Agriculture have developed
a great deal of information to enable the home owner to cope with the
heating problems in a practical manner. It is estimated by the department
that if a two-pipe hot-water system for a six-room house costs $500, the
other systems for the same house ordinarily would cost about as follows:
Two-pipe vapor system $600
One-pipe steam system $400
A piped warm air furnace $260
Pipeless furnace $140
Circulator heater or stove $ 60
Of course, these systems vary in efficiency and in providing comfort as
much as they vary in cost, but these estimates will provide the home
owner with an idea of the outlay for taking care of the heating problem.
The ability to maintain a satisfactory temperature depends as much upon
the construction of the house as upon the heating apparatus itself. Heat
is readily lost through walls, roofs and windows. Most houses can be made
more comfortable at small cost by applying insulation or by correcting
defects in construction. The use of storm doors or storm vestibules where
doors are frequently opened to the out-of-doors will prevent drafts and
conserve heat. Metal weather stripping is the most effective means of
preventing air leaks around windows and doors and making the entire house
weather-tight.