Housing Cost Survey

Waslrington, L). C.. Nlarch 22_Wbile the home shortage problem has been magnified during 1946 by spotlighting the higher home prices in metropolitan areas, a nationwide survey just completed reveals that a major portion of our population has had acccss to a relatively large number of lorv cost homes, II. It. Northup, secretary-manager, National Retail Lumlter Dealers Association, stated today.

The popular opinion that contractors give preference to high cost homes rvas also contested by survey results rvhich clearly indicate that the lon'er the cost of a home, the higher the percentage of completions, Northup added.

"Of homes started br' lumlter and building material dealers and their contractors," Northup pointed out, "99/o priced at $3750 and under u'ere completed;87/o priced betrveen $3750 and $4750 rvere completed;87/o between $5500 and $7500 rvere completed; and 53/o between $7500 and $9000 were completed. About 68/o ol all homes started was completed."

Although some rettlrns came from metropolitan centers as large as Minneapolis and Los Angeles, the majority of all returns came fronr to\\,ns of 25,000 and less, where 62/o of the population lives and r.r,here approximately ffi/' of the homes are normally built, Northup explained.

Over 75/o of lumbcr and building material dealers are in towns of 25,000 and iess, arrd therefore the results shown by the NRLDA survc)' 1>rovide an insight into the housing situation affecting the l>ulk of our population, Northup added.

"On a nation-r,vide basis, 59/o of the homes built by lumber dealers and their contractorslvere priced under $7500;23/o under $5500; 9/o under $4750 and 4/o under g3750. Only 17/o werc priced at $900O and over;and all of these prices include cost of land," Northup stated.

Reports indicated that most of the homes rvere trvo bedroom homes, rvith a few three bedroom homes in the higher brackets, and even ferver one bedroom homes in the lower price brackets. An attempt was made to obtain an average of the square foot area contained in the lower price homes. As nearly as can be estimated, average sqrlare foot areas and house sizes in the lower price brackets lvere as follorvs:

Homes priced at $3750 and under averaged 624 scluare feet-approximately 24' by 2e ;

Flomes priced $3750 to $4750 averaged 720 scluare feetapproximately 24' by 30;

Homes priced $4750 to $550O averaged 780 s(luare feetapproximatel.v 2e by 30';

Returns rvere received from every region in the United States and specifically fron-r 33 states, Northup said.

The percentage of lorv cost homes built variecl widely between regions. In general the percentage of low cost homes increases ar-rd the average cost of homes decreases in proportion as one moves from Ner,v Ilngland either West, South or Southu,est.

How Lumber Looks

(Continued from Page 2) orders as 60,346,@O feet, shipments 58,033,@0 feet, and production 46,398,000 {eet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 171,858,000 feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the rveek ended March 15, 130 mills reporting, gave orders as 149,032,000 feet, shipmentb 77,338,000 feet, and production 86,123,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the rveek totaled 597,703,000 teet.

For the week ended March 8, 130 rnills reporting, gave orders as 135,077,000 feet, shipments 88,836,000 feet, and production 88,865,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 529.649.00O teet.

New Framing Anchor Popular With Home Builders

Washington-A new type of timber connector, known as framing anchors, ior making economical, strong secondary connections in wood house framing is proving popular with home builders throughout the country, according to the Timber Engineering Company.

Framing anchors are most widely used in strengthening door and rvindow framings, the spots where plasrer cracks frequently start. The anchors also replace the uncertain connections of old fashioned toe-nailing, and bridging is eliminated in attaching joist on trusses and roofs to trusses are securely tied down.

Known as Trip-L-Grip framing anchors, the devices have been laboratory tested at Georgia Tech. The anchors are found to have other advantages such as elimination of bridging, notching, excellent wind anchorage and they are 35/o stronger as a joist support than when joists are supported on ledgers.

Made of 18 gauge zinc coated, corrosion resistant sheet steel the anchors are joined to the wood with non-splitting, full bodied nails that develop maximum shear without splitting tlre lumber.

W. H. Armstrong, Atlanta engineer, who has built 20 jobs with anchors, states they serve a structural need not previously filled, and he believes their use with wood framing gives a much stronger and ordinarily more economical structure.

The new device is also used to good advantage rvith the rvidely recognized Teco trussed rafter, with which builders find it possible to save as much as 400 board feet of lumber in building one story, two bed room homes.

Local stocks of anchors are available throughout the country and orders are filled promptly for spring building. Free literature is available upon request of the Timber Engineering Company.

Offering 30-Day Retail Lumber Training Course at College of Paciftc

Robert J. Wright, executive vice president of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California has announced that the Association is now offering a thirty-day retail lumber training course to employees of retail lumbef and building material dealers throughout Northern Caliornia.

The first course will be held at the College of Pacific in Stockton beginning April 7. This educational program is sponsored jointly by the Lumber Merchants Association and the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association. The course will cover over thirty-six subjects including lumber properties, millwork, plywoods, paints and finishes, hardware, steel, glass, wood decay and preservation, insulation and many others. Business subjects such as advertising, business law, salesmanship and accounting rvill be offered the students.

The course is also open to young men who are not presently employed in the retail lumber and building material industry, but who are interested in entering this field.

"Young, trained men are urgently needed to fill the recluirements of retail lumbermen throughout Northern California," Wright stated.

The program has been approved by the Veterans Administration and under Public Law 346 (the G. I. Bill of Rights) the eligible veteran's tuition, textbooks and materials will be paid for by the Veterans A{ministration. In addition, the married veteran will receive $90.00 subsistence pay and the single veteran will receive $60.00 subsistence at the end of the month.

"This nation wide educational program, now operating in twenty-two colleges and universities, has the full cooperation of lumber and building material manufacturers, and the l.lational Association," 'Wright said. "It is a splendid opportunity for ambitious young men to assure themselves of a place in the industry and to gain valuable knowledge in a short period of time," he added.

The classes will be instructed by experienced, competent men from the lumber and building material industry and by professors from the faculty of the College of Pacific' Classes will be held six hours a day, five days a week for five weeks. Those wishing to enroll for the second class may contact the Association in Fresno for applications.

Beach

Angeles (Incorporated Area)

I-os Angeles County(Unincorporated Area)