COMPARATIVE BUILDING COSTS OF WOOD CONSTRUCTION Another way of approaching the same problem is through a comparison of the cost of wood construction with that of other materials; and here, again, lumber has nothing to fear. An article on this subject by Mr. H. W. Butterfield was recently published in "House anct Garden." Plans were drawn for an average substantial house for a large family, to include all modern conveniences and to be built of first-class materials and of thorough construction. The plans and specifications were sent to architects in typical sections of the country, with a request that they submit cost figures for the house if built of various materials in their localities. These estimates were carefully averaged and tabulated as follows: Cost of a Typical House New York City (suburban) $4,300.00 Per cubic foot, frame 17 cents Per cubic foot, brick 211 cents Per cubic foot, stone 221 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 18 cents Vicinity of Philadelphia, 10 per cent to 15 per cent less than near New York.
Maine $3,400.00 Per cubic foot, frame 14 cents Per cubic foot, brick 17 cents Per cubic foot, stone 20 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 15 cents In the southern New England States, the cost would be slightly in excess of the above.
Middle South (Kentucky, Maryland, etc.) $3,000.00 Per cubic foot, frame 10 to 12 cents Per cubic foot, brick 12 to 14 cents Per cubic foot, stone 15 to 20 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath • 11 to 14 cents Chicago (Vicinity of) $3,800.00 Per cubic foot, frame 15 to 16 cents Per cubic foot, brick 18 cents Per cubic foot, stone . 20 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 16 to 17 cents Middle Western States (such as Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin) $2,550.00 to $4,000.00 Per cubic foot, frame 10 to 12 cents Per cubic foot, brick 121 to 20 cents Per cubic foot, stone 16 to 25 cents up Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 12 to 18 cents up Pacific Coast (Northwest) $2,000.00 to $3,200.00 Per cubic foot, frame .81 to 13 cents Per cubic foot, brick 91 to 14 cents Per cubic foot, stone 14 to 16 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 9 to 14 cents Colorado (average) $3,100.00 to $3,200.00 Per cubic foot, frame 12 cents Per cubic foot, brick 14 cents Per cubic foot, stone 15 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 13 cents Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico) ... $2,900.00 to $3,000.00 Per cubic foot, frame 12 cents Per cubic foot, brick .131 to 14 cents Per cubic foot, stone .16 cents Per cubic foot, stucco on metal lath 131 to 14 cents Radford discusses the same problem on the basis of construction cost, per square yard of finished wall surface, of frame, of plain brick veneer, and solid brick construction, on the theory that the roof, foundations, floors, windows, interior finish, etc., are practically the
same in each type, save that in brick construction the cost of stonework for sills, lintels, etc., must be added. His estimates for the cost of plain wall construction of the three types are as follows: Frame Construction (Per square yard of finished wall surface) Dimension lumber, 8 ft. B. M., at 4c per ft. (in wall) $0.32 Sheathing, 10 ft.. B. M., at 4c per ft. (in wall) .40 Siding, 12 ft. B. M., at 41c per ft: (in wall) .54 Building paper, put on, per yard .03 Painting, two coats, per yd .18 Plastering, three coats, per yd .26 Total, per sq. Brick Veneer Construction (Based on cost of face brick at $21.00 per 1,000) Dimension lumber, 8 ft. B. M., at 4c per ft. (in wall) $0.32 Sheathing, 10 ft. B. M., at 4c per ft. (in wall) .40 Building paper, put on, per yd .03 63 face brick, at 3ic each (in wall) 2.21 Plastering, three coats, per yd .26 Total, per sq. yd $3.22 Solid Brick Construction (12 in. wall) 63 face brick, at 31c each (in wall) $2.21 126 common brick, at $14 per 1,000 (in wall) 1.76 Furring walls, per yard .06 Plastering, three coats, per yd .26 Total, per sq. yd $4.29 In conclusion, Radford states that, adding to each type of construction the cost of floors, doors, roofs, interior finish, etc., and dividing by the total number of square yards of wall surface, it is found that the cost of brick veneer construction is often 20 to 25 per cent greater than of frame construction, and that solid brick construction is about 40 per cent more expensive than frame construction.
It is often claimed that stucco on metal lath is now cheaper than lumber, for the exterior of houses. There may be cases in which the first costs compare favorably. It must be remembered, however, that stucco is not waterproof, that metal lath will rust sooner or later, and that this type of construction has not had a long enough period of service behind it so that we can be at all sure of its permanence. The builder of wood can point to numberless instances of wooden siding on houses which has given good service for 50 years or more, and to many cases of durability of more than 100 years. So he does not begrudge the occasional coat of paint that the substitute advocate claims is not necessary for bis own particular product.