| Here are some tips to help you build your own house: | | | | Western framing is scoffed at in some places, yet |
| Sometimes a contractor can be found who will lend his | | | | Western houses seem to stand up about as well as |
| prestige and name to your job, inspect your work, give | | | | any other, even in earthquake zones. Some people |
| you information and advice as you need it, help you | | | | are sure that a house with no boards on the exterior |
| buy your materials for a reasonable fee and the profit | | | | walls (just paper, wire, and plaster) is cheaply built and |
| on the things he buys for you. | | | | will not last, but many houses are being built that way |
| Since he can usually get a liberal discount which is not | | | | today, and some of them are very excellent houses. |
| available to the ordinary buyer, his profit does not cost | | | | A two-story house without corner posts-who ever |
| you anything extra. If such a working agreement can | | | | heard of such a thing?-boxed with diagonal sheathing |
| be arranged with an honest contractor, it will greatly | | | | well nailed can be stronger than many braced frames |
| simplify both the problems of getting the loan and | | | | by actual test. Some people even insist that studs go |
| putting up the building. | | | | down and rest on the sills, when that is frequently the |
| The contractor may also be willing to help you with | | | | cause of a gap that often develops between the walls |
| parts of the building on a cost plus a reasonable per | | | | and the floor, and also gives the rats a chance to get |
| cent for his profit, allowing you to do as much of the | | | | into the walls. |
| work yourself as you wish to do. You merely contract | | | | If you do a thing so that it makes a permanent and |
| with him to do parts of the building. Your contractor | | | | satisfactory job, don't let anyone say that you have |
| would also help you in negotiations with the | | | | not done the work "right;" even if it isn't done the way |
| subcontractors who will do the parts of the building | | | | he has seen it, tell him not to be provincial, that out |
| you cannot very well do for yourself. | | | | West or somewhere else it is done the way you have |
| They will be glad to help you and give you information. | | | | done it. |
| You can always find friendly people who will be proud | | | | You are sure to be right, because somewhere things |
| to share their information with you, showing you how | | | | have been done every possible way you could think |
| to do things. (Some may not want to help you, so don't | | | | of doing them, and perhaps some ways that you |
| go back to them the second time.) Be sure the | | | | would never dream of. |
| information you get agrees with common sense and | | | | How much time does it take to build a house? Several |
| what you find out from other sources, as it is | | | | friends of mine have spent their spare time, vacations, |
| sometimes great sport to mislead a beginner who | | | | and week ends for about two years on the average |
| seems to be gullible. | | | | in getting their houses completed, where they did most |
| Sometimes you can hire an experienced carpenter by | | | | of their own work. |
| the hour for a few days now and then to help you | | | | If you sub-let practically all of the work, a house can |
| with complicated parts of the building, as framing the | | | | easily be completed in from three to five months. |
| floor, walls, or roof. This way you can do most of the | | | | Houses are often built in a month, but that requires |
| work yourself, having help only when you need it. | | | | better organization and correlation of the various |
| Don't let anyone embarrass you by telling you that you | | | | sub-contractors than is usually possible, except for one |
| have done a certain thing "wrong" just because you | | | | who is experienced in the business and who knows |
| have done it differently from the way he is | | | | the local market and workmen, and has work for them |
| accustomed to seeing it done. | | | | often enough so that they will come just when he |
| True, there are certain accepted ways of doing many | | | | wants them. |
| things, but even in our own good old U.S.A. things vary | | | | If you purchase property always use a mortgage |
| greatly from coast to coast and from border to gulf. | | | | calculator to help you get the best mortgage possible. |