COST OF A HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16454, 16 June 1921, Page 7

COST OF A HOUSE.

BUILDING TRADE VIEWS. GUILD SYSTEM EXPLAINED « GIVE IT A TRIAL.” It is cheaper by about £IOO to build a good, substantial, five-romed house to-day than it was a month ago. The reasons given are : (1) Keener competition among builders. (2) Better supplies of timber. (3) Cheaper cement and cheaper iron, oil and paint. “ At the same time there has been no reduction in the actual price of timber from the mills,” said a Christchurch contractor. “ For that reason, though shipments are heavy, builders are not absolutely filling their yardsWe might bo caught if a fall occurs. Opinions differ ub to whether a fall will come about. Expenses at the hills are not going down. The men have to go further hack into tho bush for their timber, tho cost of machinery is still high, and labour charges are a big item. Sawmillers say they cannot send out cheaper timber. In fact some of them are closing up and some are ro- ; ducing output. The reduction, in ; house building estimates is really j slight, and due only to the growing ; competition caused by fear of slack i times, and to lower rates for hardware j items. A cask of imported cement that once cost £3 has lately been sold at as low as 30s. The result is that a fiveroomed house, properly built can be put up for £IOSO. A month ago the average cost was £1150.” The representative of a well-known house building firm said that as far as he could see there was no chance of any sensational drop. Seasoned timber was not yet in full supply, and the market for several hardware lines had hardened. In the trade generally things were far from being dead. His firm had employment for good carpenters, but vacancies were not easy to fill, though wages were as high as ever. Labour costs, in fact, were the big obstacle to cheaper house-building. M ould houses bo cheaper if erected on the guild system or by day labour instead of by contract? Labour Unions sa Y “yes,” but builders shake, their heads. “At the present time houses are being erected by contract in Huxley Street under the supervision of the Labour Department. With land they will cost about £I2OO each,” said Mr E. Ilenn, secretary of the Plumbers’ and Plasterers’ Union. “In Oamaru the Department of Labour is erecting a row of sixteen houses, built of Oamaru stone, faced with rough cast, electrically lighted, and each on a quarter-acre section. These houses, it is estimated, will cost about £BOO each. They are being put up under the direct supervision of the local officer of the Labour Department, a man who was formerly a carpenter. He engaged all labour, and the material was purchased by the department, thus saving commissions, etc. There is a comparison in favour of day labour. Advocates of this system hold that houses should be erected en bloc by the City Council, on one large area, thereby utilising the services <of skilled rnmi all together, instead of in piecemeal fashion as at present. The building material could be obtained in bulk, and presumably at- a lower rate. If the council obtained an efficient staff of workmen it could retain their services and proceed with tho erection of muncipal offices and similar work. Reasonable prospects of continued employment must he offered.” Under the guild system, the unions would supply the necessary labour and would guarantee the workmanship, while the City Council would be asked to make the usual progress payment for financing the wages bill. Advocates of the guild system are of opinion that a considerable percentage of the cost, of erection would be saved by their method. In order to ensure the success of the guild system, the unions would endeavour to obtain the services of the best class of workers, and it is understood in union circles that the best men would be readily available “How long would the guild system last without friction?” asked a builder. “ There would; Be a great deal of competition for what the men thought was the ‘ rosy ’ job, and there would be more than ordinary resentment of • orders. Then the guild people would have to compete with builders who have been in t-lie trade for twenty to forty years, with men who know th<=game thoroughly and yet find that, they can never go forward without strict caution. The buying of material alone would be likely to send the guild committee to ant early grave. I think they should be given a trial—with their own money.*’