COST OF BUILDING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12434, 30 April 1926, Page 11

COST OF BUILDING

OUR TALK WITH JACK PLANE, THE BUILDER As we explained the other day, we had a talk with our friend Jack Plane, the builder, who was on his wav to work in his'new oar; indeed, he kindly picked us up and drove us to the office. We said, "Tell us, Mr Plane,, why we can't get the cost of building houses down to what it ought to be?'* “Well, that's a big question," said he, “but perhaps you are not aware that the amount spent in •buildings this year is a record for Wellington: £— —. We're building 'em all right. But labour! You've no chance of getting a carpenter who is any use to you at under per hour. And timber ! It's only the importing of oregon and other American timbers which is keeping the millers from making a further rise on heart timber as they did some months back. I'm using a lot of red cedar and Oregon—serve the mills right, too. If you want a bricklayer or a pldsterer you've got to gd down on

FJG. 6.1 THE HOUSE O/f A SECTION FACING JOUTH may have the kitchen W/N0 CAt THE FHONTAOE LINE.

your knees to W* "Is there any meaAs by which we could get the smaller four or five-roomed cottages cheaper' l '' we suggested. "There might be if people didn't want so much put into a place nowadays. They r*ufct have their cupboards and wardrobes, and other expensive fittings. They really want the place half furnished for them.”

"But, surely, the architects could reduce the amount of such fittings in the buddings they design?” we remarked. Didn t they show they could in that competition they hod the other day? "Architects,” said Mr Plane, "why, I don't do any work for them. Get plenty without bothering about that kind of work. I draw my owii plans—and though they're not flash I know what I'm about. No. Architects don't do much of the small four and five-roomed places.”

‘'But if they reduced the size of the place as much, as in that competition—” 'Well# the public don't want to be told what 1 they should have—they prefer to f»®t into touch with the practical man, who can* get them a house through the State Advances. As long as the Advances win give them enough to get on with the job they don't so much mind about the price. Anyway, there is not much in the iob for us by the time we've allowed for slow work at high wages and for the_cost of materials. Then, again, tTTere are the sub-contractors—they are the people who make the money—plumberg, bricklayers and plasterers, and a whole lot more of them. Wc don't get much after they have all had their pickings." "Apparently not/' said we, as we stepped down from the six-cylinder car, thanked him for the ride and repaired to our work, for which we receive remuneration much less than Mr Jack Plane pays his carpenters. We must try and have a talk with the plumber and the bricklayer, and others on the house they are building next door but one to our place.