BOOM IN HOUSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1920, Page 5

BOOM IN HOUSES.

ALLEGED EXTRAVAGANCE. STATEMENTS NOT BORNE OUT, The statement made. in Christchurch at the meeting of the New Zealand Builders' Association that people were demanding "extravagant" houses, and in consequence were going in for extravagant finance, was discussed by a Daily News reporter with a New Plymouth architect.

The architect remarked that there did not appear to be any tendency locally in the direction mentioned, and pointed out that a feature of the building activity of late has been a desire for an improved home.' Though this involved extra expense it could be hardly called extravagance. While in former days many houses did not possess a bathroom, a residence is not considered complete these days without one, and the installation of hot and cold water services is becoming more universal. Such items meant extra expense, but. thoy were not superfluous. In one or two cases residences designed will cost in the vicinity of about £4OOO, but the people ordering these are in the fortunate position of being able to afford them. A ten-roomed residence recently designed Will cost the figure mentioned, but in these isolated cases the owners generally want something exclusive, and are prepared to pay for it. With standardised fittings some reduction could be made, but it is not looked for., The idea that returned soldiers have undertaken big financial responsibilities beyond their means is hardly borne out by the experience of professional men in a position to know. "The average soldier looks for a comfortable home with modern conveniences," stated the reporter's informant, "and it is quite an exception to find one who is looking for something on a large scale." The total a returned man can secure from the Government is .£IOOO. When a new house is contemplated up to £250 is advanced on account of the land, and £750 for the building, and there is not much scope for extravagance in this direction. A five-roomed cottage is about the average that can be supplied. j In respect to the buying of existing houses it has been stated that many people in their concern to make sure of houses and forgetful of the possibility of a slump .have incurred responsibili' ties that might get beyond them. The boom in houses had made the market harder, and soldiers, who had no chance of getting houses when they were cheap have had to "pay through the nose" for them.

in the opinion of some money and men have been unnecessarily employed in a good many cases in renovating existing houses, and seeing that often no extra accommodation is made available as the results of these operations the worKs might well have been deferred till the pressure in the industry was relieved.