As there is scarcely anybody who would build a house for himself exactly like any published plan or elevation, we have merely introduced a few desirable plans, mostly as suggestions, from which to select as regards sizes and arrangement of rooms, and cost to build, and have also shown a number of illustrations of beautiful modern residences, each having some features of especial interest. We will briefly state that the reason we give no figures of probable cost to build is because such figures are almost invariably worthless and misleading.

A few alterations of any given plan, and the question of thoroughness of construction, braces, etc., hardwood finish, rubbed varnish, open plumbing, plate glass and other things, can easily make a difference of from $500 to $1500 or more in the cost of a house; and as the cost of labor and materials vary in different localities, it can easily be understood that the only way to get a correct idea of cost is to have two or three responsible builders make an estimate for their particular locality, after the specifications have been carefully drawn up.

Our frontispiece shows a house with front door in the center (not clearly discernible in the deep shadow, the photograph having been taken with the sun almost directly overhead in order to bring out the carved work). If this house was of brick, the carved portion could be of brick laid in red mortar, and afterwards sculptured, or it might be of moulded and baked terra cotta, or carved sandstone. For a wooden house it should be either 3-coat exterior plaster, composed largely of Portland cement, the final coat being quite heavy, and modeled by hand before it became too much set, or it might be moulded blocks or sheets of staff (used on the Chicago World's Fair Buildings) , or it might be embossed sheets of Lincrusta Walton, or embossed copper, nailed on.

It is interesting to notice the different treatment that can be given the exterior of houses of practically the same floor plan. In the present instance we have a large round corner bay, running up two stories and surmounted by a spire, while the house shown on page 25 has the round corner bay only one story in height. The house shown on page 15 has a similar bay on a rear corner, the second story being an open balcony, covered with a dome roof. The house on page 135 has a small round corner with still another style of finish.

Then note the different treatment of the front-door stoop or porch on the houses shown on pages 15, 25, 45, 55, 65, 75, 95 and 125, also the ornamentations on the friezes of the houses shown on pages 55, 65 and 125; also notice the spacious piazzas on the houses shown on pages 35, 125 and 145, affording ample room for large rocking chairs, tables, hammocks, etc., or for entertaining quite a large company of guests. These broad piazzas are usually situated on southern or western sides of houses to shield the rooms from the intense glare of the mid-summer sun, but it is advisable to also have unshaded windows on one side of each room where such windows are not directly exposed to the rays of the sun, thus preventing any tendency to dampness or gloom in dull weather. In some cases, as shown on page 65, the piazza is covered only by an awning, which can be raised on dark days or altogether removed in winter.

Any floor plan that is not fully figured can be scaled in a similar manner as previously explained for scaling photographs. For example: if a room is figured 14 feet wide, with the compasses get 1/14th of its width as shown in the drawing, which equals one foot, and from this a scale can be marked off on a strip of paper or business card, by means of which any other dimensions that are not figured can be found. Head room for stairs can be ascertained either by drawing a cross-section of the house, or by figuring as explained under "stair building." Sufficient head room should be allowed for a tall expressman to carry a trunk up stairs on his shoulder or back, without danger of hitting the plastering overhead.

As has been elsewhere stated, any view or plan can be shown reversed by merely holding it before a mirror or by holding it up to the light and looking through from the back side.

Criticisms OF Floor Plans.

Plan A. - This is about as convenient a plan for a small family as can be found. It will be noticed that the ell part is only one story in height. There are but three alterations that we would suggest; 1st, omit the chimney and grates or fire-places in the parlor and dining room, and the grate in the library, and with the money thus saved, put in a 20-inch fire pot double-dome wrought-iron furnace, (a hot-water heater can be used if preferred, but one of ample size would cost nearly twice as much as the furnace); 2d, have a closed porch or back entry at the back door, which will prevent whoever does the kitchen work having cold feet in the winter, and have the entry or porch made sufficiently large to accommodate a refrigerator or ice chest, thus saving the many steps that would have to be taken were it kept down cellar; 3d, change the location of wash bowl in the bath room, putting it where the water closet now is, and putting the water closet where the wash bowl is; this will make it much handier to get at the window, which need only be a short one, located 3 1/2 or 4 feet up from the floor if desired. A china closet is lacking in the dining room.

Plan B. - This plan is similar to Plan A, but with larger rooms and a two-story ell, which affords room for back stairs; (this requires a long passage-way in the second story to connect to front stairs, making a lot of additional floor to carpet and keep cleaned up). The arrangement of the fixtures in the bath room is very poor indeed, as one must reach over or climb into the bath tub, in order to open or close the window; this can easily be improved. A back entry with room for refrigerator is also needed - and while you are about it, better make a large closet in it, to stow away old hats and coats, boots and shoes, clothes basket, ironing board, etc., and also better move the sink to the further corner of the kitchen, so the wife or hired girl will not have to wash dishes close up to a hot stove in summer time, and so she can have some daylight on the subject also. The added comfort will well repay the few extra steps she will have to take.