Fig. 69.—ELEVATION OF FRONT OF HOUSE.
Fig. 70.—PLAN OF CELLAR.
Fig. 71.—PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR.
Fig. 72.—PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR.
DESIGN XVIII.
A SOUTHERN HOUSE COSTING $2,200.
This plan of a simple, yet genteel Southern house, embraces ample interior accommodation for the wants of a good-sized family. It has an abundance of outside verandas and artificial shade, and may be constructed at a very moderate cost.... Exterior, ([fig. 73].)—The style is adapted to the Middle and Southern States, because of its elevation and airiness, the overhanging projections of its roof, and the facility with which wings or verandas may be added. The Tower is a conspicuous feature, and though without any special ornamentation, it gives an expression of unity and completeness to the whole structure. The Verandas on every side afford protection from the sun. Many persons prefer disconnected verandas (as shown in [figs. 73 and 75]), with open ends to the roofs for the escape of the heated air that would otherwise be retained in them. Moreover, disconnected verandas prevent the annoyance arising from the noise made by children who are fond of running and playing upon them.... Cellar, ([fig. 74].)—This is under the kitchen wing only; is 6½ feet deep, has two windows, an outside entrance with stone steps, and a stairway leading to the rear entry of the first floor.... First Story, ([fig. 75].)—Hight of ceiling in the main house, 11 feet, and in the wing 9 feet. The entrance Hall, nearly square, and entered from the front piazza through double doors, contains the main stairs, and communicates with the parlor and dining-room. Each of these apartments communicates with the library through large sliding-doors. The windows to these rooms open to the floor, and are protected on the outside by the verandas. The front parlor window is 6½ feet wide, with the sashes arranged to slide in pockets at either side, by which means the parlor is apparently prolonged to, and may be used with the veranda. Each of the large rooms has fire-places and marble mantles. The closet for the dining-room is under the main stairs. The Kitchen is in the rear wing, and separated from the main house by the rear lobby and the pantry; it has a good-sized double window at each side, a large pantry, and a fire-place. In the rear entry are stairways leading to the second story and to the cellar.... Second Story, ([fig. 76].)—Hight of ceilings in main house, 9 feet, and in the wing 7 feet. It is divided into six chambers, besides halls and closets. The three larger Chambers have fire-places with marble shelves, and two windows in each. The window in the small chamber is placed near the ceiling, above the kitchen roof. The two Chambers in the wing are intended as servants’ rooms, and have no communication with the main house.... Tower and Attic.—The Tower has an inclosed stairway, with a door at the foot. The main roof finish at the rear of the tower is leveled even with the main ridge, inclosing the intervening space; this affords room for a door leading from the tower to the attic. This story is thoroughly floored, and has small windows in each gable, and is useful as a place for storage. In cases of necessity, a portion of this attic may be used for bedrooms.... Construction.—The Cellar excavations are made in the ground 4½ feet deep, and for the underpinning of the main house one foot. The loose earth is used in grading, raising the surface immediately surrounding the foundation 8 inches. The foundation walls are 8 inches thick, of hard brick and good mortar. The cellar walls are 6½ feet high, and the underpinning 3 feet 2 inches high, leaving an exposed surface 18 inches high at completion. Only the portions of the foundation plan, shown darker in the plan, [fig. 74], are walled, the intervening spaces being left open for the free circulation of air. The general character of the materials to be used in the construction of this house (a large portion of which is milled, and manufactured ready for use,) may be inferred from the appended estimate. The manner of putting these materials together is of great importance, and should be entrusted only to skillful and thorough workmen. The details of the exterior finish are so plain, that the work of “getting out” the several parts may be done by the mechanics employed in building, without recourse to the scroll-saw or carver. The truss-work of the cornices, and the open frame-work, and columns of the verandas, are of dressed timber, and stop-chamfered. All the roofs have sufficient pitch to allow the use of shingles, which are much lighter and cooler than slate or metal. Veranda roofs so constructed do not reflect so much heat into the chamber windows as others, which is important in a warm climate.... Ventilation.—Large window openings, with easy working sashes, are provided, and afford the best means of changing the air of any apartment. The chimneys are large, and have open fire-places, and ventilating side-flues with registers near the ceilings. These openings, which should never be closed, will be found to afford satisfactory ventilation. During seasons of extreme heat, the tower may be made to serve as a general ventilator, by lowering the upper sashes, and opening all the doors leading to it. The following estimate includes everything necessary to complete this building in a thorough manner, at prices now ruling in the vicinity of New York.—Estimate:
| 61 | yards excavation, at 20c. per yard. | $12.20 | |
| 15,000 | bricks, furnished and laid, at $12 per M. | 180.00 | |
| 26 | ft. stone steps and sills, at 30c. per ft. | 7.80 | |
| 700 | yards plastering, at 28c. per yard. | 196.00 | |
| 6,112 | ft. of timber, at $15 per M. | 91.68 | |
| Sills, 4 × 8 in. 247 ft. long. | |||
| 1 | tie, 4 × 6 in. 247 ft. long. | ||
| 1 | plate, 4 × 6 in. 247 ft. long. | ||
| 7 | posts, 4 × 7 in. 22 ft. long. | ||
| 4 | posts, 4 × 7 in. 34 ft. long. | ||
| 1 | ridge, 2 × 7 in. 40 ft. long. | ||
| 1 | ridge, 2 × 7 in. 30 ft. long. | ||
| 78 | beams, 2 × 8 in. 16 ft. long. | ||
| 34 | beams, 2 × 8 in. 15 ft. long. | ||
| 39 | beams, 2 × 7 in. 16 ft. long. | ||
| 15 | beams, 2 × 7 in. 11 ft. long. | ||
| 1 | piazza, 2 × 7 in. 375 ft. long. | ||
| 2 | valleys, 3 × 8 in. 16 ft. long. | ||
| 100 | joist, 3 × 4 in. 13 ft. long, at 16c. each. | 16.00 | |
| 400 | wall-strips, 2 × 4 in. 13 ft. long, at 11c. each. | 44.00 | |
| 420 | siding, 6½ in. wide 13 ft. long, at 26c. each. | 109.20 | |
| Materials in cornices and verandas. | 40.00 | ||
| 120 | hemlock boards (for main house), at 15c. each. | 18.00 | |
| 236 | pine boards for roofing, 4½ × 13, at 18c. each. | 42.48 | |
| 67 | bunches shingles, at $1.50 per bunch. | 100.50 | |
| Finial on tower. | 8.00 | ||
| 168 | Flooring for verandas, 4½ in. wide, at 20c. each. | 33.60 | |
| 360 | flooring for inside, 9½ in. wide, at 26c. each. | 93.60 | |
| Stairs, $70; closet finish, $20. | 90.00 | ||
| 2 | cellar windows, complete, at $6 each. | 12.00 | |
| 28 | windows, at $10, $280; 32 doors, at $9, $288. | 568.00 | |
| 3 | mantles, $25 each, $75; 3 shelves, $6 each, $18. | 93.00 | |
| 224 | ft. gutters and leaders, at 8c. per ft. | 17.92 | |
| Nails, $22; painting, $125; carting, $25. | 172.00 | ||
| Carpenter’s labor, not included above. | 200.00 | ||
| Incidentals. | 54.02 | ||
| Total cost, complete. | $2,200.00 | ||