FACTORY-BUILT HOUSES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 20 November 1924, Page 4

FACTORY-BUILT HOUSES.

WHERE MONEY IS SAVED.

Did ycu ever stop and consider tho possible waste of time and material in the construction of a house, asks the "Australian Homo Builder." Next time you have an opportunity io watch, Bay, carpenters at work on sheeting the sido of a weather-board house, just notice how the spaco between windows is covered. You'll probably nolo that boards aro cut, by hand, to this dimension. Assume tho dimension is 12ft 6iu; now timber comes in standard lengths. In this caso, the nearest lengths aro 12ft or 14ft boards. A 12ft length ia too short, therefore a 14ft board is used, and thus 18 inches aro cut off. What becomes of tins wasto piecot It may bo used elsewhere; generally it is burnod or used in some othor way, but not to the benefit of the owner.

In so far as appearance Is.concerned, six inchea one way or another usually makes but littlo difference In the spacing of windows. If this is so, then it seems reasonable that by tho application of standardisation in the spacing of windows nn economy can be niaclo. Tho two words "Standardise" and "Simplify" are coming to tako on u significant meaning in reference to the building of homes, and other product!!, for that matter. If the seeds of Bolshevism are to be choked, let every man own his own home. To do this ownership of homes must be noarer the roach of every man. One aolution, of courao, is to mako the matter of financing easier. This matter is not within the scope of tho present article. The other way out is to cheapeu the cost. This need not bo effected by the use of poor materials or poor workmanship. Henry Ford builds the cheapest automobile for its price, but it is well to note that the best of materials and workmanship are used in its construction. The reason for this is that he lias simplified his article and has so designed tho parts that they are interchangeable—which is only another phase of standardisation. In addition to this the cars are turned out In quantity production and are, in no way, individually built.

Answer of Problems Herein lies an answer to the problem of cutting down tho cost of house construction—if not the whole answer, at least one big phase of it. We've got the materials; why not make the best economical use of them? Ve know there is a great waste of time and material. If we can eliminate this waste, then we have step noarer to making ownership or homes on easier matter.

We speak of standardisation. To a certain degree wo are .carrying out the principle hero in Australia. It is possible to get stock sizes of windows and doors, but this is not going far enough. Why not have stock sizes of houses? Tho attitude of ono's mind is tho first thing to got sottlcd before carrying out the idea further. If you are quite decided that your proposed new home is to be totally different from anything done before, and you aro willing and able to pay more money for the idea, then the suggestion of a standardised house will make no appeal to you, but if the ownership of a home, standard planned, carried out and convenient to live in, is satisfactory, then what follows is of interest.

The schemo as actually carried out is as follows:—-A series oi' working drawings for residences suitable to this idea aro prepared; the thought governing the design is based on long experience of house planning and erection. Prime consideration is given to standardising so that different lengths and sizes of stock can be interchangeable one house with another: in fact, this idea predominates up to' the estent whero it does not conflict with planning and sensible appearance. Preparation of Materials.

Tho manufacturer, generally a timber merchant and joiner having other subsidiary interests, now enters and prepares to turn out the material for these proposed houses. Right here is the second opportunity to eliminate waste and cut down tho ultimate cost. If tho manufacturer had only one house to provide ready-cut material for, then he could show no great saving, but if it were a matter of scores or hundreds, then he would be justified in using labour-saving devices and machinedriven tools, thus doing in a few minutes at his plant the same operation that would take hours on the site of the house. Again, he may buy timber in car-load lots, and thus make a substantial saving which indirectly affects tho prospective owner. As a single instance of an operation, take tho case of a bottom plate. This piece of timber is notched at specified intervals to receive the studs or vertical framing pieces. In the mill these notches can be checked out and the plate cut to the desired dimension in one machine operation. On the site the same piece of work would be done by hand and tho time lost by tho carpenter in setting it out is paid by the owner. What the manufacturer does then is to cut and dress all timbers, fabricate all joinery, furnish enough of tho various materials to complete each house, and forward the whole bulk to the sito ready to be erected. All materials come labelled, and complete directions and blue-prints furnished to facilitate the erection.

As for the erection, the owner, if he is capable, or the local contractor, can Ho this work. It has been found that no advantage ia gained by supplying ready-prepared material for the use of the painter, plumber, and electrician. The work of these trades can be carried out cheaper by the local men. It might be well to note in passing that a house built in this fashion is not a so-called portable house. The object of the portable system is to produce a building which may be put together to form a temporary shelter—taken apart again—moved from place to place as desired. A ready-cut home, when completed, is not different from any well-constructed house. We arc in a position here in Victoria to carry this idea into effect. The State Savings Bank has a series of designs for houses. The designs havo been executed and found to be suitable. If these houses had been standardised, a resultant saving in the cost would follow. There is no reason, then, why & manufacturer, or the State Government for that matter, could not arrange a plant to supply ready-cut material expressly for standardised houses. The demand is here.