|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 57
The question was raised, whether the house should be built by contract
or by "day's work." The worldly-wise friends advised the former.
Otherwise they affirmed the cost of the house would exceed the
appropriation by fifty, if not a hundred, per cent., since it would be
for the interest of both architect and builders to make the house as
costly and the job as long as possible. And, while it was doubtless
true that "day work" is likely to be better than "job work," still, if
the plans and specifications were clearly drawn and the contract made
as strong as the pains and penalties of the law could make it, the
contractor might be compelled to keep his agreement and furnish
"first-class" work.
Jill's father settled this point at once. "It is true," said he, "that
the plans and specifications should be clearly drawn, that you may see
the end from the beginning, and it will be well to carefully estimate
the cost, lest, having begun to build, you should be unable to finish.
But I am neither willing to hold any man to an agreement, however
legal it may be, that requires him to give me more than I have paid
for, nor, on the other hand, do I wish to pay him more than a fair
value for his work and material. You cannot avoid doing one of these
two things in contracting such work as your house, for it is
impossible to estimate its cost with perfect accuracy, and no
specifications, however binding, can draw a well-defined line between
'first' and 'second'-class work. A general contract may be the least
of a choice of evils in some cases; it is not so in yours. If you know
just what you want, the right mode of securing it is to hire honest,
competent workmen and pay them righteous wages. If, before the work is
completed, you find the cost has been underestimated, stop when your
money is spent. It may be mortifying and inconvenient to live in an
unfinished house; it is far more so to be burdened with debt or an
uneasy conscience. There is another thing to be remembered: We hear
loud lamentations over the dearth of skillful, trusty laborers. There
is no way of promoting intelligent, productive industry--which is
the basis of all prosperity--but by employing artisans in such a way
that the personal skill and fidelity of each one shall have their
legitimate reward. The contract system, as usually practiced, acts in
precisely an opposite direction. Your house must be built 'by the day'
Jill, or I shall recall my gift." _That_ question was settled. The
good and wise man had previously decided as peremptorily an early
query relating to the plans. When it was known that a new house was to
be built, several architects, with more conceit than self-respect,
proposed to offer plans "in open competition"--not to be paid for
unless accepted--concerning which Jill had asked her father's advice.
[Illustration: THE HOUSE THAT JILL BUILT.]
"What should you think of a physician," said he, "who, on hearing that
you were ill, should hasten to present himself with a prescription and
a bottle of medicine, begging you to read the one, test the other, and,
if they made a favorable impression, give him the job of curing you?
There are such who call themselves physicians; other people call them
quacks, and there is one place for their gratuitous offerings--the
fire. I shall burn any plans that are presented in this way. Choose
your architect at the outset, and give him all possible aid in carrying
out your wishes, but do not employ one of those who must charge a
double price for their actual work in order to work for nothing half
the time. In any other business such a practice would be condemned at
once."
"Isn't it the same thing as offering samples of goods?"
"No, it is offering the goods themselves--the top of the barrel at
that."
Of course this did not apply to the contributions that were prompted by
personal friendship, of which Jill, as we have seen, received her full
share, none of them, excepting the one-story plan, proving in the least
tempting.
As the race of competent, industrious mechanics is not yet extinct,
whatever the croakers may say such were found to build the house, which
was well closed in before winter. The walls and roof were completed and
the plastering dried while the windows could be left open without
danger of freezing, a most important thing, because although mortar may
be kept from freezing by artificial heat, the moisture it contains,
unless expelled from the house, will greatly retard the "seasoning" of
the frame and the walls of the building. After it has all been blown
out of the windows, if the house is kept warm and dry the fine
wood-finishing will "keep its place" best if put up in winter rather
than in summer. For the most carefully seasoned and kiln-dried lumber
will absorb moisture so rapidly in the hot, steaming days of June and
in the damp dog-day weather that no joiner's skill can prevent cracks
from appearing when the dry furnace heat has drawn the moisture from
its pores.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|