Show home building resumed but will be year or more before bedfor e most people can expect their dream deam house material shortages delay delar construction on any large scale by W WADSWORTH WOOD government governa nt restrictions on building of private houses ends october 15 this canies conies mes as heartening news to the 12 milli million 0 n fa families milles who are said bald to be ready and anxious to 0 build new homes now these people ate are wondering should we sell our present home or give up out our lease la in the hope of building right away what plans can we safely and confidently fi dently make right now this question raises several other ones which may be summarized thus 1 what will building COSTS be in comparison with those of prewar years 2 will conventional materials such as lumber brick etc be of poorer quality than prewar 3 what are the new and dlf dif ferent features and materials so widely discussed tor for coming home are those miracles in t terms erms of revolutionary heating streamlined kitchens and p pushbutton ush laundries yet available here is the result of serious thinking first on the subject of costs while the government unofficially estimates that home building costs have increased one third requiring one thus to pay for a house that could be built tor for before the war these costs are really apt to run somewhat higher it may take to build that former home this Is curtly because labor costs are steadily rising and 73 per cent of the total building costs are directly or indirectly labor costs I 1 residents in some sections of the country such as in the south may confidently expect lower prices due to the tact fact that the less severe ell climates permit the elimination of basements sub floors etc less expensive insulation also less expensive central heating plants prove adequate recent wide and authoritative s studies such hs as the two year survey conducted by small homes guide reveal very pointedly why this fact Is so important they show that per cent of families now planning to build expect to spend from to another large percentage per cent plan to build in the to class while only about 6 per cent are planning to build in the and better class if allese these families are to get full v value aide for or their money the home building industry must hasten to eliminate the traditional hammer end and saw practices of cut fit and try certain union practices and antiquated building codes too long held intact by local pressure groups must also be changed we are frequently asked when can we be sure of being able to get good quality building materials to this our best authorities quickly tell us that most of the hard materials such as cement sand time lime stone etc are plentiful brick and cement block vary with the regional manpower picture good dry lumber is scarce and the precise local situation here should be carefully checked with a reputable lumber dealer in your community someone else asks what are the newest developments in construction material that 1 I 1 can expect to get within the next six months our reply indicates that waterproof ply wood plastic finished wallboards wall boards fireproof asphalt shingles light metal framing complete package units windows doors built in closets cabinets fireplaces will all be available these new developments tol fol Z I 1 T 7 ft 1 I 1444 ja 6 1 e I 1 I 1 f ja 1 stone atone and wood combine to make this attractive house the built b ailt in estimate mute garage Is one of its most appealing features fell tures contractors estimate esti it could be constructed for about which Is within the range about one third of horrie home builders are willing to pay low the trend towards saving expensive site labor costs t while the home building restrictions 1 are being lifted as of october 15 the announcement carries with it a six point program that involves several directives aimed at correcting the present situation these will seek to hasten production of scarce building materials will strengthen inventory controls to prevent event hoarding will expand OPA price control of building materials to prevent inflationary pressure control mortgage practices facilitates facilitate i action by industry groups and widely advise on home values in the directive great stress Is put upon the rapid expansion of the home building industry as the greatest single added source of jobs in our entire economy and the statement Is made that we also know that the present housing shortage is bound to continue for or some time and that there may be pressure to increase the price ot of new homes in response to an active demand in the light of these facts thousands will be asking such questions as this should I 1 renew my present lease which expires in six months or try to build a new home right away wise advice would appear to be this renew for one year A year and a half Is not too much time for thoughtful planning and careful working out of your fam ilys requirements from site selection to 0 o the details of built in storage facilities there are countless houses that could have been good houses it if a f few e w extra months had been used for planning W 6 1 A 6 W V V M A V r X it 4 1 MA electric ranges refrigerators with deepfreeze deep freeze compartments sinks with built in dishwashers cabinets of all sizes everything will be ready for the new kitchen early next year still other thousands will be asking should I 1 sell the home I 1 own now rent tor for several years and then plan to build to such wise counsel would be hold your home as rents will be high and there will be no sudden drop in real esta estate te values first because ol of rebuilding costs due to higher wage levels and second the very sizable backlog of demand that will require several years to satisfy start planning your new home now it will likely take you a whole year to get through all the steps carefully selection of your new lot title insurance getting your ideas into blueprints working drawings and specifications getting bids negotiating the financing all this takes time being very specific others will ask all I 1 can afford to spend is 1 I need three bedrooms what can I 1 expect our trank frank advice is this not too much it 1 your total includes the cost of a lot you had better choose a compact story and ahalt a halt half design and then plan to finish the two upper story bedrooms and bath at a later date in the matter ot of home equipment a flurry of questions always centers around new for example will air conditioning be cheaper than before the war well assuming that you refer to summer cooling combined with air filtration de humidifying and circulation the tha answer Is yes several mass production manufacturers are bringing out new efficient units that can be added later to any forced warm air heating sy system steffi others ask will the new kitchen devices cost less or more than before the war I 1 of course this refers to dish dishwasher washer garbage disposal unit range refrigerator the latter two will cost a little more but will be more efficient alert makers are planning to bobring k bring i costs down by combining un units its such as one which will wash both clothes and dishes by changing bowls and substituting a rubber covered wire dish rack for the agitator A modern bathroom Is a must I 1 in nearly planning the important new development in bathroom ideas involves separating the different fixtures to eliminate early morning cong congestion estion most favored arrangement includes separate shower stall an extra lavatory and medicine cabinet the new fixture designs are more beautiful and have lots of added conveniences kitchens have been brought into focus with the modem dreams too many manufacturers are offering beautiful and complete package kitchens thit that include an amazing number of new items of convenience and advanced automatic labor sav ing equipment the gripes or pet hates concerning houses are going to be largely ellmina eliminated ted through better planning there will be plenty of closet space tor for instance the trend Is to larger rooms spread out on one floor with larger windows and provision for more outdoor living colors will be bright an and cheerful and details of decoration will strike a smart peacetime motif how about all the promised postwar home gadgets you may be be asking well you can look for or new refrigerators with deepfreeze deep freeze compartments part ments new developments in automatic dishwashers and washing machines ultra efficient vacuum cleaners vastly improved appliances appliance ances ready early next year will postwar developments completely eliminate housekeeping drudgery the answer Is almost for example the precipe tron iron takes dust out of the air electrically t tri ri most kitchen thores chores such as dishwashing will be reduced to a minimum by automatic controls heating and cooling will be fully automatic new developments in plastic wall and floor boor finishes new rugs and draperies should help in adding at least three hours more dally daily freedom to the clock of m most 0 s t housewives it Is indeed a gre great a t new streamlined peacetime era which we are about to enter these thee handsome houses y A f within the onie come www io price irace class that at least ft a third of fy prospective home Z builders expect to pay ay building at y the he left Is of 0 earn cn A nn moo brick an and d N V q j would rould cost about js one a dijt 1 leht fight li Is priced a at 1 go |