BUILDING COSTS

Evening Star, Issue 19714, 15 November 1927, Page 2

BUILDING COSTS

A SYDNEY COMPARISON As a result of the short article on building costs which appeared last Tuesday, and which contained a comparison with Edinburgh, a correspondent has written as follows: “ 1 was interested in the comparison of costs with Edinburgh which you published last Tuesday, and would suggest a similar comparison could be made with Sydney costs. Building specifications in Sydney in at least a great majority of suburbs are higher than hero, houses being of hollow brick plastered throughout, and having tile roofs. Nevertheless, costs are lower than here, in spite of higher wages and higher cartage over so large an area. For this there are doubtless many reasons. “ I have been impressed with tho serious lack of technical training among young apprentices here, many having neglected to put pencil to paper since the day they left school, whilst tho majority of building contractors in Dunedin make exceedingly crude drawings, and show by their writing, their grammar, and their weird spelling that they are not up to them jobs. During my apprenticeship days in Sydney all of us attended technical school in tho evenings- . "There is a blue book, being tho report of a conference held by the Minister of Labor in connection with the new Apprenticeship Act, which deals with the deficiencies of our present apprentices, and which should give food for discussion.” Here are a few samples of advertisements clipped from the Sydney ‘ Morning Herald.’ As far as can be gleaned, they represent the sales of new bungalows in good suburbs: — “ Randwick South.--Extraordinary value: New Brick Bungalow; 3 bedrooms, dining room, cooking recess, glassed-in back verandah, all modem improvements, fireplace, power points, Roman bath, wall friezes, ornament shelf, crockery cupboards, separate laundry. Situated on an asphalt road, close to tram, and price only £1,295, on £2OO deposit. “Concord West. Beautiful now brick bungalow, containing nice reception hall, two very nice bedrooms, tiled bathroom, breakfast room, large living room, kitchen, separate laundry (with all conveniences), built-in cupboards, linen press, etc. Large back verandah, vehicle entrance. Handy to shops and church; half a minute off bus, four minutes from railway station. Price, £I,OBO, on a very low deposit.” “Rose Bay.—£loo deposit, balance easy weekly payments, interest only 7 per cent.; no renewal of second mortgage necessary: New brick bungalow, tiled roof; contains two bedrooms, lounge room, dining room (with extern: sive fireplace), kitchenette, tiled bathroom, built-in bath, bath boater, linen press, cupboards, etc. Nice front verandah large glassed-in back verandah, suitable breadfast room or bedroom. Separate laundry. Good block land, car entrance; ironitc paths, brick front fence. Only £1,395. Situated one minute bus and five minutes Dover road tram.”