HOME BUILDING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4866, 17 August 1925, Page 4

HOME BUILDING.

HOW TO CHOOS® WISELY. ADVICE BY AN ARCHITECT. The cliqice of a home or a section ©■a which to erect a home was the subject of an address in Dunedin a few evenings ago by Mr E, Anscombe, and a good deal of interest was manifested. In the course of his remarks Mr Anscombe stated that his subject covered a very wide scope.- The fiivst point—.tlie choice of' a sectionbrought forth a whole, range , of questions having a more, or less direct bearing on the convenience and comfort of the home to be erected. The selection of a location for a home was almost as important ais the choice of a life partner, with the exception that under present-day conditions it might be easier' to change the partner than to get rid of an undesirable section. In selecting a section the prospective home-owner' should guard, against every possible influence which would depreciate the value of his property. The meet important considerations in connection with the selection of a section, he thought, were distance, means of transit,'and easy access. Proximity 'to a school' and a doctor were two important considerations from the viewpoint of a man with a young family. The speaker went on to stressi the importance of drainage and a good water supply. The section should not be below street level, and should not be subject to flooding.JJertain clays should be avoided, especially on a hillside, where there was a possibility of there being a concealed '“greasy back” which.often accounted for a slip. Care should be taken to avoid peat and all water-holding soils. Rock was a safe and sure foundation, but the nature of the rock and the expense incidental to the work necessary to properly erect a house on it should be carefully looked into. Rock without soil would not produce .good garden results. Sand was a safe foundation only when it could be confined, and also consolidated by drainage. Gravel in . consolidated beds made one of the best foundations. One would hardly need to be advised to seek a section with a good and open outlook, and as far as possible to secure a maximum of sunshine. It was a mistake to select a section on a hillside in a galley, or on the ishady side of rising ground simply because it was cheap. A cheap section on a hillside where cartage and haulage , of materials was difficult, might really prove expensive. A section on a steep slope at once confronted the owner with tlie expense of step foundations —an item of no small account. Mr Anscombe proceeded to deal with tlie question of buying a home or . building one. In “exploring,” as one might call it, houses to buy,, one had to be careful to see that a lionise was free from dry rot and dampness, and had also to see that the drainage and water service were good. He had also to see that the bedrooms especially were well ventilated, and that the construction of the building was sound. A speculative builder was not

always as bad as he was made out to be, but the speaker’s advice was that a person should not buy a house that was' built for sale without getting a reliable report. The purchaser of a ready-built house should see that there was a sufficient space between the ground and the floor to allow of a free circulation of air. The building of a home gave one a very much wider scope than would be possible if one bought a house leadj built. The design of a house should be pleasing to the eye. The environment of the home played no small part in the scheme of existence. An artistic plan was useless if it was not practicable,' and therefore these two points should bo considered in conjunction. With a little study excellent results could be obtained. The modern efficiency home was one in which in four rooms five or six roomed efficiency could be secured. There was no reason why. the home should nc-t be planned on the most up-to-date lines, with every labour-saving device. The average home was badly planned. In an efficiency home no part received ais much consideration as tlie kitchen, which should provide a place for all necessary articles, and should save all unnecessary walkingon the part of the housewife Good lighting and ventilation were essential. A breakfast alcove abutting e.n the kitchen was an idea which should appeal to New Zealanders, especiallj those with small families. Not only would an alcove add to the attractiveness of tlie kitchen, but it would isave a very large amount of work. Since it was for meals only the seats and table could be built in, but this was not essential. The table should be of a minimum width e-f 2ft. Disappearing beds were a feature which provided for an intensive use of space. In the daytime a room might be used for one purpose, and at night it would serve as a sleeping apartment. The modern disappearing bed could be easily handled by a child, and it would-be (swung away into its enclosure in a few moments. The bathroom was a very essential

feature in every home. The efficiency idea, which aimed at minimising space could be effected by using a combination bath, which comprised a seat, footbath, shower, and child’s bath, all in one.

The upkeep of a home was just as important as the building of it, and the cost of upkeep might easily exceed tlie cost of construction. Dunedin . was very fortunate in having many conscientious builders, but every now and again they came across one who would try to “put it over” the architect and the owner. He always advised a straight out contract in straight new work, but in alteration work it might, or it might not, be advisible to let a contract. * , In conclusion, Mr Anscombe referred to the idea of grouping houses, in the form of a court. To his mind this was an idea which might with advantage be considered in New Zealand. He thought that if say. a dozen prospective home builders got together, •thej r could make (substantial savings by letting the whole of their buildings under one contract. The construction could bei standardised, but the elevations varied in such a way that the aesthetic sense would not be departed from.