§ Mr. COSTELLOasked the Minister of Health what was the average price of a non-parlour house contracted for by local authorities under the 1923 Act in London, Manchester, and Bradford, respectively; and whether he can furnish particulars of the numbers and classes of workpeople employed and the time worked by them, and also of the quantity and cost of each class of material used in the construction of a house of this type in the cities named?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYThe average prices at which non-parlour houses have been contracted for by local authorities under the 1923 Act in the places named are as follow:
£ London County Council area 529 London Outer ring 415 London average 447 Manchester 387 Bradford 341 Particulars as asked for of the numbers and classes of workpeople employed and the time worked by them are not available. They would vary in every case. An estimate can, however, be made of the average number of hours worked in the several trades required to complete a house of the average character to which the above figures refer.
Hours. Bricklayers 394 Carpenters and joiners 391 Slaters 33 Plasterers 141 Plumbers 75 Painters 128 General labourers 839 The cost of this labour would be about £160.
The materials would cost about £230, including overhead charges in each case. The materials would be apportioned about as follows:
- 6.4 per cent. cement, lime, etc.
- 12.2 per cent. slates or tiles.
- 22.7 per cent. bricks.
- 20.4 per cent. timber.
- 5.0 per cent. lead.
- 9.6 per cent. light castings.
- 23.7 per cent. miscellaneous.
A complete list of the materials would be very voluminous, it would vary with each house, and the prices would vary in each place.
1330W