MONOLITHIC HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 152, 23 March 1921, Page 9

MONOLITHIC HOUSES

SAYING OF FROM 20 TO 40 PER CENT. CAN BE ERECTED IN TEN DAYS Among the builders who aro ill the field to erect the cheapest (and best) houses in the shortest possible space of time, is Mr. Henry White, of Sydney, •who built His Majesty’s Theatre, in Wellington, and also designed the Midland Hotel. Mr. White is advocating the all-concrete house, mode in slabs in a factory, and these being numbered, can be erected by unskilled labourers. Mr. White recently expressed his ideas in the Sydney "Evening News’’ as follow-. — "With an experience of' many years

in building construction throughout Australasia, I can strongly recommend the ' system as an excellent one for homo i builders, provided, of course, a sufficient . quantity is secured for any one district. It would cost just as much for the moulds and appliances for the erection

of one house as it would for 50, or any • number of houses for that matter. It •' is, therefore, understood that the great ' advantage in reducing the cost cannot ; be obtained, unless the cost of the necesi «iTy plant is distributed oyr a large number of houses. The system is for easting the walls and partitions of the house in large concrete slabs made of eement 'and' sand, no other materials being used. The slabs made by an unique process of jointing mny ho elected in position by any unskilled workman, and when erected they are entirely finished, being cast with a smooth surface. The plastering inside nnd out is entirely eliminating dispensing with this class of tradesmen altogether, while bricklayers are also dispensed with. The only export necessary is a cei'penter to plnmb the stanchion guides ii=ed in flximr the walls, to nail down the floors and fix the roofing and timber work,' including the floor joisting. floor boards, rafters, wall plates, ties struts, ridges, etc., which are cut to standard size, shape, and lengths in readiness for parting together in position. All joinery work is done in the same factory. The doors are fitted with frames, hinges, locks, etc. nnd painted, while the windows are made with the sashes fitted, finished with lifts and fasteners, glazed and pnintod. -Ajs tho wfill -sl&bs uro orccfe<l the doors ami windows are set into position as the work proceed* "With very little practice one rough

oarpenters and a gang of labourers can easily erect a. house somewhere within ten days. All plumbing work is cut to the correct length, fitted with elbows, tees. taps. etc. Baths aro mfide of concrete, carborundum ground inside, and enamelled. The copper boiler is formed with a concrete stand, fire box, etc., com-

plete: Washtubs (of which .a largo number are now being made in Sydney) are in concrete, while the chimneys a,re circular in shape. Floors of the building mav be either in concrete or wood. Concrete is strongfly _ -recommended as ’ being vermin and white ant proof. A concrete floor is laid in the ordinary way. and coated with two coats of bitumen for damn-proofing, insulated with compressed cork - in sheets -Jin. thick, nnd on the cork thin linoleum mtiv ba pasted down or carpets used in the ordinary way. Cavity' or hollow wall's are formed as is usual in brick houses, but the hrtuse isftronber than an ordinary brick house. Ventilators are fixed in convenient places, which provide for n current of air travelling round the walls nt all times. The. slabs of the wall are as hard as stone, nnd there is practically' no upkeen. In ordinary plastered houses the plaster is continually being knocked from the wall by chair backs coming into contact with the same, while with the monolithic house, anvlhing coming into contact with the walla is likely to get the worst of the deal "The house by being standardised does not necoS'arily follow or call for their all being of similar design. Although the whole work is standardised a differant appearance 'ehn be obtained bv alter-» Inc the shape of tho roof and the tion of tho doors, windows, verandahs, etc. while the house mnv ho tinted anv colour to choice, both inside and out. or- the interior may be papered in the ordinary way. "Tho idea is to provide a strong, substantial house' at medium cost, allowing’ for medium rent, to eliminate as much as possible the cost of upkeep, repairs, etc., and at the same time, owing to the great shortage of skilled labour, to provide a building which mf.y bo erected hv unskilled labour. T have submitted the scheme to many experts, nnd they are all most onthuslasti.e with regard to its possibilities. Houses could he supplied nil in sections with everything complete in readiness for easy handling and erecting, with diagram and drawing showing how the whole of the parts are placed together. Every piece could he numbered. From a central depot a man on the land could procure his house nnd have it erected in the time before mentioned, provided he can arrange for rail or road transport. The specification will give all particulars regarding weight, quantities, materials, etc. From osti.mates taken out of work done in Sydney, we can show a saving of from 15 to SO per cent., and with a. proper organisation and plant for manipulating the sinhs, joinery work, etc., I really believe a saving of from 20 to 40 ner cent, could be effected on the cost of tho ordinary brick and timber bouses, while in addition the house is monolithic, and more durable than an ordinary constructed brick house, free from upkeep, and mny he erected in a very short time, which is a saving in interest and outlay, instead of waiting months for a home ns under the existing conditions, where carpenters ■ nnd bricklayers and other tradesmen are so difficult to obtain."