For the kitchen sink, nickel fittings are preferable to brass, because they are more easily cleaned.
CHAPTER XXXV.
COST OF A HOUSE.—SCHEDULES OF COSTS.—WHAT GOES INTO A HOUSE.—SCHEDULE “B.”—COST DETAILS.
What makes the cost of a house? Everything that has been placed on the lot when the structure is completed. Below is a form or schedule, with blanks, filled out by an architect for a gentleman for whom he made plans.
John Smith,—As I understand your wants, would estimate the cost of improvements contemplated on No. Delaware Street as follows:—
| Building—1st floor finish hard wood, 2d floor finish poplar, | $3,000 | |
| Privy and Vault | $35 | |
| Cistern and Connections | 50 | |
| Well, Connections, and Pump | 35 | |
| Walks, 40 yards at 70 cents | 28 | |
| Fences—Tight board, 160 feet at 25 cents, Picket none, | 40 | |
| Illuminating-Gas Pipe | 30 | |
| Plumbing—Cellar sink 1, Kitchen sink 1, Bath-tub 1, W. C. 1, W. S. 1, St. Washer 1, City and Cistern Water, | 275 | |
| Natural-Gas Pipe, without burners or burner fittings | 35 | |
| Gas Fixtures | 50 | |
| Mantels and Grates 3, Average cost $40 | 120 | |
| Furnace | 250 | |
| Plate Glass | 50 | |
| Cathedral Glass | 25 | |
| Electric Work—Door bell 2, Kitchen bell 1 | 25 | |
| 1,128 | ||
| Without Architect’s fee | $4,128 | |
Everything that goes into a house should be fully represented to the owner. Thus the costs may be fixed and the aggregate understood. If this were universally done, there would be less said about the unreliability of architects’ estimates. If the architect is very careful to make known to the owner the quality of everything that he is to have, and, as well, the general quantities and costs, he is doing his full duty in this matter. Anything less than this is a neglect of duty. Furthermore, this should be made a matter of record, so that if changes are made and the cost altered, a basis for comparison may be at hand. It is the practice of the writer to use a specification which describes everything which may be a part of a brick or a frame house, and to stamp out the parts omitted. For example, in that specification there are specified brick and cemented floors for cellar. It is the custom to stamp the word “No” before the words brick floor, so that it reads “No brick floor in cellar.” In other cases it may be “No lattice work in side yard,” etc. Thus the owner of the house knows not only what he is to get, but what he is not to get, and the exact quality of that which is included as well as that which is omitted. He has positive and negative information with respect to his house. This form of specification has been in use three years, and has been uniformly satisfactory.
The schedule filled out for Mr. Smith is a printed form, which is handed to the owner as soon as the building cost is determined. It is in addition to the detailed specification. In the schedule the cost of the building is put down at three thousand dollars. The appurtenances are the items mentioned below the line which gives the price of the building proper, and in this instance are estimated at $1,128. The house estimate is $3,000. This makes a total cost of $4,128. The house was a well-finished building of nine rooms. The parlor and hall were finished in quartered oak, the dining and sitting rooms in quartered sycamore, the rear hall in quartered oak, the china-room in sycamore, kitchen and pantry in plain oak. It would have cost about $125 less to finish the first floor of this house in soft wood. It is not possible to give general statements as to the difference in cost of finishing between hard and soft wood. Twenty to thirty-five dollars a room is generally ample, though the difference may be greater.