Chap. 446-1921-To augment, develop and improve the water supply and the water system, $330,000. Pro. 329, W.O. 601-Survey of Rincon ditch, $2,000. Under construction. Pro. 337, W.O. 613-Pump, motor, 2200 feet 6-inch steel pipe, $3,500. struction. Chap. 629-1919-Construction of buildings, $64,000. App. 143, W.O. 295-Transfer to institution, $449.12. App. 242, W.O. 410-Transfer to institution, $5. Chap. 355-1917-Power house (construction and equipment), $25,000. Contingent Fund. App. 242, W.O. 412-Transfer to institution, $106.53. Woman's Relief Corps Home, Near San Jose. Under con Emergency Resolution 27-Emergency appropriation seventy-fourth fiscal year. Completed. The above report indicates that, in carrying on the construction work provided for the two-year period by the 1923 legislature, the Division of Architecture completed or had under construction more than half of the projects at the end of the first year. In addition, all preliminary work has been done on the balance of the program, so that when the next appropriations become available all of the projects for which money is now available will have been practically completed. COST OF OPERATION. The seventy-fifth fiscal year is taken as a typical year. The Division of Architecture during the seventy-fifth fiscal year expended $2,770,265.47. Deducting $115,935.83 expended for salaries plus $10,175 expended for support equals $126,110.83 total expended by the Division or Architecture; there is left a total expenditure for actual construction amounting to $2,644,154.64, which figure shows a percentage of expenditure for salaries and support of the Division of Architecture of .047. Of the $2,644,154.64, approximately $315,000 was expended on work done entirely by contract; the remainder, $2,334,783.26, to which, on account of the use of patient and prisoner labor, at least $100,000 must be added to arrive at the actual value of the work, having been handled by the Division on the basis of day labor, which method, while considerably reducing the total cost of the work, entails greater expense for operating the Division of Architecture than the contract method. As explained under the portion of this report devoted to the operation of the Division of Architecture, a considerable amount of time and money is spent by the employees of the Division in handling the miscellaneous activities at the various state institutions; these services rendered being in addition to the work on the actual projects under consideration. The customary fee for straight architectural services is 6 per cent. At a cost of approximately 4.7 per cent to the state, the Division of Architecture has rendered on the work considered the usual architectural services and in addition has superintended and built a large percentage of the projects on a basis of day labor, which involves the listing, ordering and delivery of materials, the employment of competent workmen, and considerable cost accounting work. The usual charge for this service by a contractor on a percentage basis is 10 per cent and is in addition to the architect's fee. RECOMMENDATIONS. The State of California, through the services of this Division, is obtaining a high standard of excellence in all its buildings and mechanical installations from the standpoint of design, and figures show that this is being done economically. There are three vital points, however, in connection with the work that must be constantly kept in mind in order that the construction work of the Division of Architecture may be properly carried forward. These three points are, first, that all construction projects should be carefully estimated and properly financed; second, that the state adopt a policy of permanent building construction at all institutions where same is considered advisable; and, third, that the Division itself be financed in such a manner as to as nearly as possible eliminate friction between the institutions and departments served and the Division. Legislatures previous to 1921, in making appropriations for building construction, had followed the policy of extreme itemization as to particular work to be done and separate amounts for separate pieces of work. This policy produced an inelasticity in the expenditure of funds for building construction that was a distinct handicap in securing best results. The 1921 legislature, in a large degree, changed this policy by making lump sum appropriations for building construction at the various institutions. This change removed the difficulty, which in some cases created an impossible condition growing out of the necessity under the earlier policy of making each particular piece of work fit the special amount of money set aside for it at a time when full information necessary could not be available. The 1923 budget largely reverted to the practice of extreme itemization used prior to 1921. The Budget Board, in considering requests for appropriations for building construction to be presented to the 1925 legislature is now again, as we understand it, using the lump sum method as far as practicable. The results in the actual execution of the work provided for by the legislature should, and doubtless will, be satisfactory. To a certain extent the policy, in connection with construction work in this state in the past, has been to keep first cost at a minimum by using inferior materials, principally in the shape of wood frame construction. Most of these structures are used to house inmates at the various institutions, and where this policy has been adopted it has been the somewhat natural outgrowth of the present necessity for rapid increase in accommodations. In these cases the real economy of good building is ignored, and, instead of a steady, permanent growth, the institutions affected have been developed in a way that will demand reconstruction within a comparatively few years. When all the points in connection with the construction of a state institution are considered and carefully analyzed, it will be found that there is no saving effected in the long run by the use of wood frame construction. The difference between a fire-resisting and a wood frame building is largely in the rough shell. It is necessary to use practically the same grade and amount of interior finish, doors, windows, floors, painting, hardware, heating, plumbing, electrical work, etc., in each type. The result is that the first cost of fire-resisting buildings is largely only from 15 to 20 per cent greater than of the cheaper type, while its life is easily double that of a wood frame structure. Furthermore, the cost of upkeep of the noncombustible building is much less than the other, so that it is probable that if the total expenditure for first cost and upkeep of a wood frame building taken over a period of twenty years were compared with the first cost of a fire-resisting building, including its upkeep for twenty years, there would be practically no difference in total amount. Fires are occurring more or less frequently in state structures and, if the policy of using wood frame construction for permanent buildings is not entirely abandoned, there is great danger of a rude awakening to the error in following such policy occasioned by a conflagration causing the loss of many thousands of dollars worth of property, or, worse than that, the loss of the lives of inmates unable to escape because of the inflammable nature of the structures. The provision of a lump sum intended to cover all salary and support expense involved in the operation of the Division of Architecture, and based on the total amount of proposed budget provisions for the coming biennium for construciton work for all institutions and departments, would not in any way affect the amount of this expense and would make for increased efficiency and the elimination of friction. It would be best, however, not to change the present provisions of the Building Act covering this matter, so as to cover possible and probable unforeseen contingencies. FINANCIAL STATEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. Name of job Balance June 30, 1922 and appropriations Expended Balance June 30, 1924 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 296-1921 591-1919 Repairs, buildings and grounds. $17,285 19 $17 285 19 |