This problem of the cost of the small house was very acute, and, although it has been relieved somewhat by the decreasing prices at this time, yet it will always be an integral part of the problem of building the small house.
In fact, to properly design the small house and build it economically requires the greatest care for detail. Many well-established architects will not bother with this architectural problem, for the time required to consider all these small details is greater than they can afford to give in proportion to the fee they receive. For this reason most of this work is done by the young architect or by the speculative builder, who generally shows very bad taste in selecting his design, while the young architect is apt to be somewhat inexperienced in his knowledge of construction.
The very first thing that must be considered in the problem of the building of the small house is the question of money, because this determines what kind of a lot can be purchased, how large the house can be, and of what type of construction it can be built. Experts on financing say that the cost of the house should be such that it can be paid off in full within fifteen years. This means that the cost of the proposed home must be arranged to come within definite limits. Methods of approximately determining the cost of a house in its preliminary sketch stages will be considered later, but it is sufficient to say here, that once this first problem is solved carefully, other matters are much easier to take care of. If one knows the cost, the question of borrowing money is made easier, and one is not misled into wild fancies of larger houses than possibly the pocketbook could afford. The worst mistake that a young architect can make is to lead his client to believe that he can have a certain design for less money than will actually be the case. It is always best to overestimate the cost in the beginning than to underestimate it.
“But,” says the client, “I can buy a house and lot at ‘Heavenly Rest Real Estate Park’ for that price, and on the instalment plan, too. I don’t see why the cost of a house built from your plans should be so much greater than this.”
And that is a big question to answer, one which this volume will attempt to make clear, one to which only a knowledge of construction can give a real and satisfactory answer. It is the old story, that a well-built article is bound to cost more than a poorly built one; but how to know the well-built article!
II
GENERAL TYPES AND COSTS
Types of House Construction
TYPE I
