MONOLITHIC HOMES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 53, 26 November 1919, Page 7

MONOLITHIC HOMES

SCHEME TO SOLVE HOUSING PROBLEM BUILDING IN MOULDS

Mr. H. E. Manning, builder, in a communication to The Dominion, claims that tho housing problem may bo solved by the substitution of concrete for timber in tho construction of dwellings, using wood only for doors and sashes, roofing, and flooring. The idea is to builtl tho walls of solid concrete, which will bo put into position by steel and iron rioulds worked off and supi ovtcd by iron i'r.iming, which allows for carrying at tho snmo lime all reinforcements, window and sash frames. If a damp course is needed in tho centre of exterior walls the moulds can with very little w-ork bo adjusted, so that a damp*courso~eaii bo put in as tho walls are built. Tho framework is so arranged that tho only timber needed is the scaffolding planks which are placed on tho framework as tho walls arise. In subsequent letters Mr. Manning explained the advantages of a patent boxing system, of which ho is the inventor, and asserted that houses could be erected at a cost of. .£IOO per room instead of .£l5O to £200 as is the case now with wooden houses.

In subsequent letters Mr. Manning explained what wore to his mind tho distinctive advantages of the monolith system over tho concreto block system. The Government has now decided to give Mr. Manning'an opportunity to substantiate his claims, and ho has just signed a contract to erect 00 monoliths—sl at Miramar and 15 at Potone. In nn interview yester.Uy, Mr. Manning referred to tho deplorable housing conditions in New Zealand at tho present time, and said that „pparently'tho country had now, fo-ind a Government whioh was prepared to tackle the problem in a wholesale manner. Ho predicted that, under the new Housing Act, the difficulty would be overcomo in tho course of two years. "It is no uso crying out that there is a great shortage of labour and material in this country," ho said. "Thoro is ample of both, and I am cortnin that the Department of Labour, with its increased powers, is prepnrod to handle tho problem in a vigorous way. I have shown n , way for tho erection of many houses qitickly and .cheaply, and I am prepared to increase my present contract for GO houses to 10G, with little fear of not completing within tho specified time. I have boon advocating tho monolith system i for somo time, The prineip.il item is content, for the other aggregates, such as river shinglo. quarry pumico, scoria, and, best of all, clinker 'Tom furnaces, are hero in abundance.

"The houses which I have contracted to ereot at Miramar en the monolithic system will, when completed, compnro more than favourably with the wooden houses «uch as workers have boon forced to live, in in tho There will be a fino hot water service, porcelain bath anil basin, and all other conveniences. The cottages I am about to erect for the Government can each have a differnntffrontnco without any extra'expense. A worker buying one of theso houses will havo practically nothing to meet in the wn\- of upkeep, the fire risk will be at a minimum, and tho houses will bo rid of nil vermin. It is not a case of experimenting, because there are many concrete houses erected' in different parts of New Zealand which havo stood tho test of time. Tho concrete portions will last for hundreds of years. Most imporlnnt of all, tho cost of each houso will be under .£OSO, including tho section."

The plans of tho houses provide for thn fallowing:—Living room, 13ft.. x. 14ft.. with fireplaco; bedroonu 13ft. fiin. x. lift. Gin.; bedroom, 18ft. 'x. Oft.: bedroom, Bft. Bin. x. Bft. gin.; kitchen. 13ft. x 12ft. Bin., with range, pantrv. and sink; hall, Bft. x sft.; porch, Bft. x Gft.:' washhonso, 9ft. x 7ft., with tubs and copper; bathroom, 9ft.. x. sft., with porcelain bath and basin; tradesmen's- lobby, 3ft. Gin. x 3ft. Gin.; besides • other conveniences. Everything will bo under ono roof, and electric light will l,e installed throughout, with one Doinl for iron. Fences are to'be dispensed with, and 2in. concrete walls sul> sl.itiiled. The exterior walls, Gin. tliicj*-, will be in-solid concrete, reinforced with Heel, and the interior walls four inches thick, in solfd concrete, and reinforced with wire. The exterior walls will bo rowrh cast and' finished white, while the interiors will be cither plastered white nr finished with paint or distempor. Casement windows with _ fanlights are provided for all the principal rooms. Notable points about the monoliths are: The chimnevs are in. solid concrete, cut•ting out tho bricklayers altogether; there is no necessity for the paperlianger; .70 ner cent, of the painters' work is cut nut: the houses being standardised, and built, under a patent scheme, cut out filth- 50 per cent, of the skilled work which ordinarily attached to the erection of a dwelling.

Under tho scheme Which the Government has favoured, the houses are built in a solid block from the base to the top of the chimney. Tho walls will lie erected three feet at a time, which enables the concrete to be rammed down hard. A wall of nine feet could thus Ik> built in three days. The boxing can be erected in a few hours, and dismantled in a shorter time for use on another house. After the original outlay for the plant,. it is claimed, the build-ings-can go right ahead, the only costs being concerned with labour and'material. Mr. Manning stated that the Departmental architcet (Mr. Temple) has always been a great- advocate of the monolithic, system, but lias been handicapped, owih.e; to the difficulty in finding" a builder prepared to enter upon the work on. an extensivo scale. Mr; Manning says he will commence operations almost immediately, and as' soon as the necessary machinery and plant have been made. He proposes' to have four separate plants, and at the end of about fivo. months guarantees to deliver to the Department two boutes every week. Very likely the two will he increased to four when the scheme is in thorough working order. '' " . ■

The Labour Department has come to an arrangement with Mr. Manning to, build th'o 51 houses at Miramar. with gravel to he secured from the Defence Reserve at Fort Dorset (Seutoun).