23

articles published ill the Cement World for Septem-
ber and October, 1916: “Under normal market
prices of materials, mill construction runs about f>
per cent cheaper than flat. slab. Where lumber is
cheap, the difference will be greater and, on the
other hand, in certain cases flat slab construction has
actually been built for the same first cost as mill
construction.” In the articles by Mr. Lord referred
to, bui’dings of various types an* placed in the fol-
lowing order as to fire cost, beginning with the low-
est in cost:
Mill construction.
Concrete flat slab.
Concrete beam and slab.
Structural steel, fireproofed.
Since 1916, however, marked chan gets have taken
place in the materials and labor
market, but the
net result has been rather to reduce the difference
in cost between mill construction and reinforced con-
crete instead of to increase ijt.
A modem concrete mercantile or industrial build-
ing of a certain size and type, built to serve a specific
purpose, may, for example, cost- $200,000. A simi-
lar building equally modern in appointments, of the
same size, built to serve the same purpose, but of
another type of construction, may cost $lBO,OOO. At
first glance the intending builder might be tempted
to favor the seemingly cheaper building, but when
it can be shown that the first mentioned type costs
several cents less per square
foot of floor area, per
annum,
for interest, depreciation, insurance, repairs
and all other annual charges than the building of
lower initial cost, the difference in first cost loses
its importance. Fortified with these facts, the in-
dustrial executive can hardly avoid adopting that
type of construction for his buildings which will
place his concern on the most profitable economic
basis through the elimination of all avoidable annual
charges.
It is not possible to anticipate every event that
may delay the construction of a building. Fabrica-
tion and shipment of necessary
materials may be
interfered with, labor conditions may change so as
to vitally affect progress and cost of construction.
Thorough organization takes precautions to reduce
many
of these possible happenings to a minimum;
nevertheless, the unforeseen frequently happens. If
the intending builder has chosen concrete construc-
tion, many of these contingencies are eliminated
or reduced to a minimum. Much of the necessary
material required for concrete construction is usual-
ly near at hand. The structural parts of a concrete
building are built in place. Distant ishops and un-
certain transportation need not be depended upon
for their completion and delivery. Materials arrive
in bulk and do not require special equipment for
transportation; in fact, transportation is not a large
item because the bulk of materials Is usually near
at hand. Motor trucks may do most of the hauling.
Most of the labor required is of the less highly
specialized kind. It can usually be obtained near
where the building is going on. Practically al'l ma-
terials may be ordered as soon as preliminary re-
quirements have been decided
upon,
thus disposing
of
any uncertainty as to the materials market.
Equipment necessary to erect concrete buildings is
of the simplest sort. There are no heavy structural
members to be handled. Floors and columns are
cast simultaneously and possibility of ace : dent is re-
duced to a minimum.
An estimate of the first cost of a concrete build-
ing can be made with an unusual degree of accuracy.
The owner thus secures the benefit of a minimum
charge for contingencies in the contractor’s bid or
the benefit of low cost in a cost-plus contract.
One of the first things a business executive wants
to know is how long it will take to build. Desire
to immediately increase production, desire to meet
an existing demand, desire to get invested capital
earning money at the earliest possible moment have
placed a new T value, a premium, on speedy construc-
tion. The comparative simplicity of concrete con-
struction and the availability of needed materials
are reasons why concrete buildings may be quickly
erected.
An estimate of the value of speedy construction
from the standpoint of earlier
occupancy and oper-
ation of newly-organized business may easily bo
made. To be conservative assume that two months
may be saved pi time of construction by using con-
crete. This will make possible a two months’ earlier
occupancy of the building and a like active opera-
tion of the invested capital which would
thereby be
able to earn its interest during a period that would
otherwise be a. total loss. This shortening of tin*
period of pre-occupancy
idleness and the hastening
of the end of the early development period is direct-
ly creditable to the greater speed of construction
possible with concrete. The quicker turnover of the
capital invested in construction equipment should
also be taken into consideration. A saving of two
months in each construction season means a con-
siderably greater construction capacity without in-
crease in crew or equipment.
Total loss by fire is unlikely to an industry hous-
ed in a concrete building. Contents
may
of course
be damaged or destroyed, but records of big fires
have shown that, even when such contents are of
highly inflammable character, the injury sustained
by concrete buildings is smaller and their salvage
value higher than for buildings of any other type.
In the case of total destruction of contents, the con-
crete of the building seldom suffers more than minor
injury, if any.
23
T HE’ CONC R E T E AOE
October, 1920.