Extra Bedroom Accommodation.—If in any of the smaller types of cottages dealt with it is thought desirable to provide a fourth bedroom, or if larger bedrooms are required, an attic might be provided by slightly lifting the roof (where this is necessary), and the first floor might then be divided into two rooms or not, according to the requirements. Staircases, however, are expensive, and it is well for the sake of economy to provide bedrooms on the first floor. Where roof space is available this may be used for lumber, when the trap by which it is reached should be placed in the least important bedroom. The ceiling, however, should be slightly strengthened, and the bearing should not be too great.
Ornament.—The sound principle that beauty should be based on utility is often violated, even in the building of small cottages and villas, in order to gratify a vulgar taste for shoddy and meaningless display. Although the architect may not be entirely to blame for submitting to this preference, it is none the less certain that if he avail himself of such opportunities as occur to introduce a purer taste, the public will in time respond, while such efforts on his part will be always heartily approved by his fellow architects. The difficulty of inducing builders to stock ornament that is really good is merely one of demand. The public taste may after all be found to be more amenable than is commonly represented. A readiness on the part of the Bournville tenants to catch the spirit of homely simplicity suggested in the design of the houses has shown itself in the manner in which they furnish their homes, as, for instance, in their use of suitable curtains for the casement windows.
If it be decided that a row of cottages should have ornament, this should not be too small or crowded, and should be introduced in the right place—in the case of tight cottages, say in the third and the sixth, the unadorned ones serving as a foil. An excess of ornament should be avoided, especially if the aim is economy, and what there is should be broad and simple, for such, happily, is increasingly in favour in preference to the incongruous and florid stock carving of the jerry builder, which, bad as it is, must yet cost something. If money is to be spent, let preference be given first of all to the quality of the material used, and then to the extra elaboration of such material, such as rough-cast, parquetry, colour decoration, etc.
While the appearance of the elevation of the blocks of eight cottages here given is improved by the introduction over the doors of hoods with wrought-iron stays, the erection of two large posts with a horizontal cross-piece as a support for honeysuckle or climbing rose is not only cheaper, but is in the circumstances a more suitable way of adorning what is of necessity a plain elevation. The steps before the doorway should then be cut short, without returns, to enable the plant to be set as near as possible to the posts. The two steps are a necessity in order to secure good ventilation beneath the floors, where boarded floors are used.
The True Test of Economy.—Many jerry-built houses are the work of the speculating builder, who immediately on their completion sells them to one who buys to sell again. He secures himself, but with such inferior property someone must in the end suffer considerable loss. To say that a house has been built on economic lines because the cost of erection has been the lowest possible is to mislead, for the true test of economy is that which will take into account the cost of repairs at the end of ten years, and its then value. In designing cottages for an estate or garden city, the architect will therefore realise the importance of building dwellings that shall be lasting. He will perceive that to take the low cost of the jerry-built house as a standard will only lead him ultimately into endless trouble and expense. He will not, to save a trifling initial cost, incur a heavier one later on, for in this case the ownership of the house does not change, and maintenance is not a thing that can be shirked.
Foundations.—He will therefore see that there is a bed of concrete over the whole site, that his floors are well ventilated by allowing a good space between the under-side of ground floor joists and ground work, that the damp course is effectual, and also that plenty of air-bricks are inserted to ensure through ventilation, thus providing against the growth of dry-rot and all the expense it entails.
As the tenants of the cottages will doubtless be amateur gardeners who will probably add manure to the soil each year, the damp course is likely to get covered over; it is therefore essential that this should be at least six inches above the ground when the cottages are built.
Stock Articles.—Economy may always be exercised by using what are worthy stock articles of building, and in the case of a model village, where large orders will be given, the architect should make it his business to introduce new lines—moulds, doors, grates, mantels, etc.—the quality of which is first well proved. Stock sizes of building materials should be selected, and the planning should be adapted to them to avoid waste. For instance, joists should always be of such sizes as will prevent waste in the cutting of timbers. Joists are stocked in a definite number of foot lengths. Rooms of 12 ft. 4 ins. width, with 4 ins. bearing allowed at each end, will require joists of 13 ft. lengths, in which case there is no waste; on the other hand, rooms with 12 ft. 6 ins. width, with the same bearing, will require 14 ft. joist lengths, in which case 10 ins. in timber and the labour in cutting will be wasted, which the extra 2 ins. gained does not warrant; 12 ft. 4 ins., 13 ft. 4 ins., 14 ft. 4 ins., and so on, are therefore preferable dimensions. Again, if the size of the joists be 9 ins. × 3 ins., 27 ins. cube is obtained, which is not stronger than 11 ins. × 2 ins., giving 22 ins. cube. If the latter be chosen, therefore, 5 ins. cube are saved. True, the house will be raised in height, but not sufficiently to appreciably increase the cost. This is only one instance of how selection of material may be profitably studied.
General.—In the example given the staircase runs between the houses, and gives them a good wide frontage, bringing the outer houses nearer to the extremity of the land, and enabling a more convenient division of the gardens. It will be noticed that the bath in these small cottages is the “Cabinet” patent, which is strongly recommended on account of its being easily shut up and stowed away (see page [51]). The interior fittings are of the simplest and most inexpensive kind, such a thing as the ingle nook, however pleasing and comfortable, being reserved for a better class of cottage. Ample cupboard room, nevertheless, is provided, and it should be noted that such conveniences as cloak rails, cup-rails and hooks, picture rails, etc., are fixed in all the cottages dealt with. Small gas cookers or grills should be included in all cottages, whether large or small. White’s patent steam exhaust should also be fitted in all cottages.