[A Dutch Boy Fifty Years After by Edward Bok]@TWC D-Link book
A Dutch Boy Fifty Years After

CHAPTER XV
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At last he persuaded one architect to co-operate with him, and in 1895 began the publication of a series of houses which could be built, approximately, for from one thousand five hundred dollars to five thousand dollars.

The idea attracted attention at once, and the architect-author was swamped with letters and inquiries regarding his plans.
This proved Bok's instinct to be correct as to the public willingness to accept such designs; upon this proof he succeeded in winning over two additional architects to make plans.

He offered his readers full building specifications and plans to scale of the houses with estimates from four builders in different parts of the United States for five dollars a set.

The plans and specifications were so complete in every detail that any builder could build the house from them.
A storm of criticism now arose from architects and builders all over the country, the architects claiming that Bok was taking "the bread out of their mouths" by the sale of plans, and local builders vigorously questioned the accuracy of the estimates.

But Bok knew he was right and persevered.
Slowly but surely he won the approval of the leading architects, who saw that he was appealing to a class of house-builders who could not afford to pay an architect's fee, and that, with his wide circulation, he might become an influence for better architecture through these small houses.


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