Questions and Answcrs on Construction Control

Washington, April 17The following questions and answers have been prepared by the WPB in reply to queries concerning order L-41, placing non-essential construction under rigid control.

A. The site for a building has been staked off. A building permit from the city has been issued. All the materials have been paid for and delivered to the site and men are excavating. Does this constitute beginning construction?

A. No. IJnder the terms of the order, construction is "begun" when materials have been physically incorporated into the building itself.

A. The foundation for a house was laid last fall but work was postponed during the winter. Can the owner, without authorization, build the house on this foundation?.

A. Yes.

a. A person has received a Federal Housing Administration loan to build a house but construction was not begun before April 9. Does the approval of the Federal Housing Administration loan constitute authorization to start construction?

A. No. Residential construction costing $500 or more not begun before April 9 cannot be started without specific authorization from the War Production Board.

A. The owner of a cottage has received an order from the State government to move his dwelling inland some distance from its present location on the seashore. Does this order constitute an authorization when the cost of building new foundations will be more than $500?

A. No. Authorization has to be obtained from the War Production Board.

A. A man plans to build a house himself with help from other members of his family who will receive no compensation. The total financial outlay is less than $500. does he have to receive authorization to commence construction ?

A. Because the total cost is less than $500. no authorization is necessary.

9. A residence burned down on Christmas Day. The owner has all material on hand for rebuilding on foundations which were not damaged by the fire. Can he build without authorization ?

A. No. Authorization is required to begin construction to replace houses destroyed by fire unless the fire occurred on or after Jan.1,1942.

9. A house was destroyed by fire in February, 1942. Can the owner receive priority help in restoring the dwelling, as he cannot otherwise get the necessary material ?

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A. No blanket provision for priority assistance in such cases has been established. The owner is permitted to begin construction without authorization (because the fire occurred since Jan. I, 1942), but if he needs priority assistance, he can apply for such help as though his house were a new construction project. There is no assurance, however that it will be granted.

a. A builder has material on hand to construct a house. He is unable to get authorization to begin construction. Does the government assume any responsibility for the disposal of this material ?

A. No.

a. Can a complete house be built if its total cost is less than $500.

A. Yes.

A. A manufacturer of tile roofing has received an order from a supplier. Can the manufacturer fill the order?

A. Yes. unless he knows or has reason to believe that the material will be used in an unauthorized project.

A. A land owner has purchased secondhand equipment to drain his ranch; the cost of labor will exceed $1000. Do projects of this type, involving no work other than ditch digging, fall under the ban placed by L-41?

A. No. If no materials are to be used in the project, he can dig as many ditches as he wants to.

A. Because of increased production requirements at a coal mine, the company owning the property desires to build additional houses for use by miners needed for increased operations. Is it necessary for the company to get authorization ?

A. Yes.

9. An owner has been ordered by city building inspectors to install a fire escape on an apartment before his housing permit will be renewed. The cost of the installation is more than $500. Does the order from the city inspectors constitute authorization for him to begin construction ?

A. No. Because the remodeling costs more than $500, the owner has to get authorization from the War Production Board.

A. Plans have been made for the construction of a highway. Grading has been completed. Equipment is on the site. Pouring of concrete, however, has not begun. Does this, under the terms of the order, constitute beginning construction ?

A. No. Authorization must be requested, but in cases such as this, the chances for approval are better than for projects in a less advanced stage.