For years, I have been fascinated by the pre-cut catalogue/kit
homes that were available in the early twentieth century. My youngest daughter
and I love vintage homes tours and have been in many of the types. These kits
provided a wide range of houses for Americans. Around ten companies offered
this advantage to would-be homeowners, but the most prominent were Sears Roebuck,
Montgomery Wards, Aladdin, and Gordon Van Tyne.
The houses came from hundreds of plans. Once people selected
their plan, they could buy the materials for their home. These were shipped by
boxcar to the nearest railroad depot, and put on a side rail.
The average Sears Modern Home kit had approximately 25 tons
of materials, with over 30,000 parts. These houses arrived as kits and came
with a 75-page instruction book that told the homeowner how all those pieces
and parts went together. Plumbing, electrical, and heating systems were
available for an additional charge. In addition, porches, sun rooms, flower
boxes, trellises, balconies, built-in cabinets, and a variety of door and sash
patterns were available at an additional charge.
Sears promised that a “man of average abilities” could have
the house assembled and ready for occupancy in 90 days. Some buyers chose to
include friends and neighbors for a faster “barn raising” assembly. Others hired local
carpenters to build the home. Construction of a house with pre-cut lumber
reduced construction time by up to 40%, according to Sears.
 |
| Loading the home on a wagon to transfer to the home-site. |
Unlike modular homes, which are built in sections at a
factory, in a kit house every separate piece of lumber was shipped already
numbered and cut to fit its particular place in the house, thus eliminating the
need for measuring and cutting, and likewise the waste of time and of
materials. Thus, kit home manufacturers claimed to save the customer as much as
30 to 40 percent over traditional building methods.
One unusual mail-order home in the town in which we formerly lived was originally a 26-room home with large wrap-around porch. I don't know which company supplied the materials, but remember an article in the local paper discussing the home. Some of the bedrooms have been converted to bathrooms and closets, so the number of rooms has decreased. This beautiful home is now a bed and breakfast. Years ago, I co-hosted a wedding shower in this lovely venue.
All designs were standardized to maximize efficiency and
reduce waste in materials and labor. Lumber and hardware were purchased in
bulk. The factories had skilled employees and special machines to cut difficult
pieces such as rafters and staircases. Lumber was pre-cut to length, guaranteed
to fit, ready to nail, and labeled for easy assembly. Floor joists and
bridging, sub-flooring, finished flooring, studs, rafters, sheathing,
clapboards, shingles, stucco, plaster or drywall, columns, railings, doors and
windows, hardware, nails, and paint for two exterior coats were included in the
order.
Although the lumber and hardware were standardized, the designs
were not and buyers were encouraged to personalize their order. Many models had
two or three floor plans, while the exterior could be clapboards, shingles,
stucco, or framed for brick. Walls, windows, and doors could be moved, added or
eliminated.
Some companies, including Sears, Montgomery Ward, Gordon-Van
Tine, and Harris Brothers, offered cash discounts and generous mortgage terms. The
most common was 5-15 year mortgage at 6% interest. By the time the home was
built on a purchased lot and constructed by local carpenters and ready to move
into, the home-owner had generally spent twice the cost of the home shown on
the plans.
If you look at the plans, you will be able to recognize many
homes in your community. Although over a hundred years old, they stand as a
testament to the ingenuity of marketers that aided consumers. From small
bungalow to luxurious home, they served a strong need in pre-World War II America.
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Caroline Clemmons is an award-winning and Amazon bestselling author whose latest release is DANIEL McCLINTOCK, available at Amazon here. Sign up here for her newsletter to be notified of new releases, contests, and giveaways.
