War Production Board lssues New L-41

Of great importance to every builder in America is the completely re-drafted and amended War Production Board Order L-41 which was issued in Washington on November first and effective that same date. The new language of the amended order is intended to make the restrictions and regulations covering all construction in the country, more easily understandable.

Typical of the language of the revised order is its introduction, explaining its purpose: "This order limits construction. It is necessary in order to conserve materials, construction equipment, la.bor, and transportation. In most cases, where the construction is of special kind, you must get permission from the WPB for the construction." It explains that this permission is not to be confused with preference ratings or priorities,.stating that even though a construction job may be allowed, either because it is not of the kind restricted by the order or because permission has been obtained, "it may still be necessary to get preference ratings for the materials and,fixtures which may be needed." On the other hand you may have ratings for materials, or materials on hand, and still have to get permission to use them for a particular construction job.

The new Order states in the beginning that construction, under this regulation means, "putting up or'altering any sort of structure, including a building, road, bridge, dam, sen'er, and similar jobs; also the installing or equipment or fixtures."

Only the following construction can be done beginning Nov. 1, 1943, without getting a permit, all jobs to be begun in the safie year: (1) $200 for a house, including thc residential property; (2) $1000 for a farm, including the farm house; (3) $1m0 for a hotel, apartment building, or other residence for six or more families, any residence for five or less families being considered a house; (a) $200 for an office, bank, store, laundry, garage, restaurant, or other retail service establishment, or $1000 for a unit containing five or more establishmen,ts of that kind; (5) 91000 for a church, hospital, school, college, publi,c playground for children, or for a building or group of buildings owned by the public or used for public purposes; (6) 91000 for a bridge, overpass, underpass, tunnel, dock, pier, bus terminal, or for a railroad or street railway building or group of buildings; (D $1m0 for an irrigation or drainage system serving more than one farm; (8) $1@ for a building or group of buildings to be used for warehouse or for off-farm storage purposes; (9) $1000 for all monuments and structures on the same cemetery lot or for all cemetery buildings or structures in the same cemetery; (10) $1000 for a military exchange situated on a reservation of the Army or Navy; (11) $1000 for a building or group of buildings used directly in furnishing certain defined electric, gas, water or heating utility services; (12) $5000 for a factory, plant, or other industrial unit which is used for the manufacture, processing, or assembling of goods with the exception of a certain list given, evidently considered non-essential; (13) $200 for any other type of construction.

Those are the new construction jobs that can now be done without getting a special permit.

In addition to this new construction, Maintenance and Repair work "necessary to keep a building in sound working condition or fix it when it has become unsafe or unfit for service because of .vvear and tear" is permitted, as in the past, without a special permfit. Also buildings damaged by fire, flood, tornado, acts of war, etc., may be repaired without special permission. But if the structure was destroyed by any of these things, it may be rebuilt only up to a cost of $5000 without a permit. There is also allowed without permit: the construction buildings necessary to prevent threatened loss of farm products I Government owned buildings; insulation installation in buildings; plumbing or heating installations in a building up to $200; grading, ditch-digging, or similar earth-moving operations where no lumber, cement, or building materials are used; various kinds of construction connected with the operations of farms, railroads, utilities, mines, petroleum. logging camps, chemical plants, steel qills, and broadcasting facilities; construction jobs started before April 9, 1942, or at a time when the job was not limited by this order; construction jobs which are classed as minor capital additions under the regulations.