ELIMINATION OF WASTE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 10 March 1932, Page 4

ELIMINATION OF WASTE.

THE CONSTRUCTION FIEL.D. ADVICE TO BUILDERS. At a time wlieu every one is seeing "uitio and 'fails to recoguiso the silver lining to every dark cloud, it may be pertinent to accentuate the value of certain helpful advice to builders and owners, says the "New York HeraldTribune," referring _to American conditions. It is recognised that the battle between owner and contractor usually is arbitrated by the architect. In spite of this method of bargaining and settlement of differences that are adjusted in this uneconomic way, there seems to have been slight improvement during the last twenty years in building construction, as far as the owner is concerned. After completion of plans by the architect, who in many cases has been selected because of his reasonable charge, and not b t v virtue of his high reputation established after years of careful study and success duo to consideration of his clients' interests, they are sent to the building and various other departments of the city for approval. Here experts analyse the plans, and from experience it has been found that the prime ideas of the architect. with his structural engineers and ooi'suUants, have been to provide a, sufficient amount of steel, concrete, htone Jiwl other structural materials to pass the minimum requirements of the building code. Added Costs. In sonic cases, through the inability and carelessnes of the architect, the i following percentages on the various materials have been added to the cost beyond the legal requirements:—

Per cent. On steel, from ... 20 to 82 Oil masonry, from ... 10 to 14 On plumbing, from ... 3to 15 Too nu.nv people have learned the sad lesson that ill-advised planning of buildinp.s, without consideration to possible economic changes and contingencies, spells a large loss, and that the inconsequential cost of consultation and advice would have saved in the aggregate millions of dollars.