READY CUT HOUSES.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1924, Page 4

READY CUT HOUSES.

WHAT IT WOULD COST TO I.Mi’OllT T.HKAI. 'I la- seemingly remarkable cheapness of ready-built houses in America was recently the subject of an expression of surprise b.v Air Justice Frazer. President of tlie Aibitfation Court, that . ew Zenlundois did not take advantage »f the opportunities offered and import some of those houses. A “.Dominion'* representative interviewed a gentleman who has keen making a thorough invstigation into the subject matter of Air Justice Frazer’s remarks, and the result of those investigations places a very different construction on affairs.

‘•f! ran ted,” he said, “that a readybuilt cottage of four rooms and a bat lire.'.'in or live builder's rooms, can lie bought in the l liitcd States for £l.lO, there are other charges to he considered before that eottage, transported to New Zealand, is ready to receive the oeeiipnnts. The freight on such a packing as would he required for the ready-built house would hr about £2oo. A tariff of 30 per cent.., for manufactured timber would have to he [mid, and that would amount to £3l. Agent’s commission would he a further 10 per cent., or £l*3. Transport to site and handling would amount to quite £2.3, while the cost of erection, including plumbing and electrical arrangements, would he on a basis of ;L'2o a room, or £IOO total. There would also be about another £.30 for foundation construction, masonry, and general preparation of site.” Air Justice Frazer’s £13!) house, without the site, has therefore become a £GII proposition. Hint is why there has been no great importation of sectional houses into N'ew Zealand.

“There has been a great confusion in this country," the “Dominion’s” informant continued, “as to the terms ‘ready-built’, and ‘ready-cut’ houses. Heady-built houses were completely built, in the I'itcffirv Iron) wnajiheVImiiiid- to plaster. They must he crated very heavily to stand overseas i liipnieiit. i.nil for that, reason occupied a very large freight space in proportion to their contents. The ease ol erec-

tion was granted, hut to the cost of erection must lie included the cost ol alterations to suit New Zealand bylaws. Heady cut houses are elected on the principle of the sky-seraJ or construct iun, and every pie: e of material used in a roady-cut house is in no way different from the construction of an ordinary home', except that no raw woik is done on the site by the • aipentei.. The saving in lime is estimated at 1-3 per cent, in the const met eui f, l the average home. “lii the ready-cut house system,” he continued, “the house, complete from fnimdutinn j into* to live coats ol enamel necessary lor the bath, is sent out in uiie shipment, properly eased and numbered, so that the material can he stacked on the site in a definite rotation. obviating a’J iir.noi c-s:r y -tcqs ill i unsp iietion. Aeecnn’ ctnyieg all ready-cut homes are complete blue print plans and hills ol mateiial. of the whole house: a complete manual

for the proper erection nf 1 lu* piirticu|„r house step li.v sli'p from the I:iyill«c of tnc plates mi tlu' Ifiinulritidi.s id 11::* live cuntnf oiiiuiH'l for tin l l»:t11*: and a •••iinpli'ti' »• -tiin:>tt* and liiil ai mnlcvial. including inusnniy under altcrnativf in' various schemes [or each house in order that tin* builder knows erncTiv how nitnli he must order. Additional items noiessstry are plumbing and electricity. and those may safely he entrusted to the local trade. “Piacti.aily all • lar.s." he went on. ‘■of roady-cnt houses are hasod on ihe

flit eeiliiifr. except in the cheaper industrial houses, which are 811. 1 in. Hci'dy-riit slimmer collates have no ceil in its. t lie partitions terminating at. Bft., the roof being tightly sealed, and serving the purposes of the (oiling. It will I e seen, therefore, that the stand, aid io d.v-ciit house will ((inform to New'Zf and hy-laws in jiraetirally all plans. Ti.a f.0.1i. price of ready-cut houses ranges from £oo to Cl/o te room and tlu-.e are prohahly 100 de-

signs to choose tiom, embracing,fntn liionis (20ft hy ::ift), without a hitli. iu, 111 rooms (lioft hv '.Oft. two floors).

2 hath rooms, situ porch, sleep tor porch replete with every convenience known to an .American. Freight charges on ready-cut houses complete amount m approximately 8* per square ;<>ot. It is safe to say that hy the lime one transported the average-size ln-usc

(2!ft. liv 30ft.. ~i rooms, ready-cut), paid duty, and erected the same, lie would have spent dose to the amount necessary lor the same materials in Xew Zealand.