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Instead of hiring an architect and an army of carpenters, prospective homeowners could now simply place an order and get plans and building materials delivered right to their property. Sears prided itself on offering floor plans that were both efficient and attractive, maximizing the usability of very limited space. The smaller houses sometimes combined living and dining rooms, while the smallest made do with a built-in eating nook or the kitchen table.
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Sears discontinued its Modern Homes catalog after 1940, though sales through local sales offices continued into 1942. Years later, the sales records related to home sales were destroyed during a corporate house cleaning. As only a small percentage of these homes were documented when built, finding these houses today often requires detailed research to properly identify them. Because the various kit home companies often copied plan elements or designs from each other, there are a number of catalog and kit models from different manufacturers that look similar or identical to models offered by Sears. Determining which company manufactured a particular catalog and kit home may require additional research to determine the origin of that home. Sears Catalog House Plans were pre-designed house plans offered by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in their catalogs from 1908 to 1940.
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Shipped by railroad boxcar, and then usually trucked to a home site, the average Sears Modern Home kit had about 25 tons of materials, with more than 30,000 parts. Later, Sears constructed a second mill in Port Newark, New Jersey and purchased the Norwood Sash and Door Company in Norwood, Ohio.
Did You Know That Sears Used to Sell Houses in Maine? - q1065.fm
Did You Know That Sears Used to Sell Houses in Maine?.
Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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By the middle of the bungalow era, a host of companies offered pre-cut kits, which would be shipped by rail for on-site construction. Not only lumber but also everything down to the nuts and bolts, and even paint, were included. Leading sellers included Keith’s, Aladdin, Sears, Harris Brothers, Montgomery Ward, and Gordon–Van Tine. The plans were designed to meet the building codes of the time, and they were constructed using high-quality materials.
These are all in the greater Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania, and were photographed and shared with me by our fellow researcher and friend, Karen DeJeet. We specialize in Modern Designs, Farmhouse Plans, Rustic Lodge Style and Small Home Design. All of our plans are customizable so just let us know if you’d like to add on a garage, extra room, basement or ADU. With our expert guidance, rest assured that every detail will be tailored to your specifications, ensuring a truly personalized experience from start to finish. The oiled wood mouldings and built-ins look like they were designed yesterday and probably look even nicer in person. It also has a daydream-worthy covered porch with three exposures; a perfect spot for a late summer dinner.
Each room is “well lighted and ventilated by means of two or more windows”. Considering it’s one of the more expensive Foursquares in the 1912 catalog, homeowners paid for these extras. Our Home Designers have provided the finest in custom home design and stock house plans to the new construction market for over 40 years. Bringing not only home design expertise but over 15 years as a home builder to the new home plan buyer. The Modern Homes mortgage program peaked in the late 1920s but showed increasing signs of strain as the full effects of the Great Depression hit. The Modern Homes program was finally defeated by tens of millions of dollars in mortgage defaults, as well as pre-World War II shortages of building materials.
Sears build-a-home kit: Houses from catalogs in the early 1900s - USA TODAY
Sears build-a-home kit: Houses from catalogs in the early 1900s.
Posted: Sat, 03 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Sears Family – Bungalow 3 bedroom loft- big porch – M-2405-CRD
When in 1908 Sears began its Modern Homes program, the company was in a brilliant position to reach interested people. And the same four-pound catalog that made home purchases possible also contained all necessary furnishments, from living room furniture to bathroom towels. The affordability and ease of construction of the Sears Catalog House Plans made them a popular choice for families of all sizes and budgets.
Charming Sears Catalog Homes You Can Buy Today
Some builders and companies purchased houses directly from Sears to build as model homes, speculative homes, or homes for customers or employees. Other homeowners relied on local carpenters or contractors to assemble the houses. In some cases, Sears provided construction services to assemble the homes. From 1908 to 1942, Sears sold more than 70,000 of these houses in North America, by the company’s count. Sears Modern Homes were purchased primarily by customers in East Coast and Midwest states, but have been located as far south as Florida, as far west as California, and as far north as Alaska and Canada.
For these, Sears provided building plans and specifications, along with the lumber and any other materials needed. The shipment included everything from nails, screws, and paint to prebuilt building parts, such as staircases and dining nooks. It did not include masonry, such as bricks and cement blocks, which would be cheaper to procure locally than to send by rail. The lumber was cut to size at the building site before being assembled by a local builder. Sears Catalog House Plans had a significant impact on American housing.
The Carlinville, Illinois, concentration consists of houses bought in bulk by the Standard Oil Company in 1918 to house its mineworkers at a total cost of about US $1 million. The houses, comprising eight models, were all built in a 12-block area known as the Standard Addition. Construction of the houses took nine months which were completed in 1919. The bulk order is the largest known order for Sears Modern Homes and led to Sears, Roebuck naming their "Carlin" model after the city. Other enhanced features include an incredible amount of windows, “exceptionally large” kitchen (Sears words, not mine), pantry with shelving on both sides, and a Craftsman design oak buffet in the dining room.
Most of the houses had two or three bedrooms, although some had four or even five. The majority had only one bathroom, and some, especially in the early 20th century, had none, since many rural and even some suburban areas lacked piped-in water and sewers or septic fields. They had enough supplies and reach that their Honor Built products could span a large gamut of projects from small to large to satisfy alpost any need of the public.
I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Because everyone stole ideas from each other, it's sometimes difficult to determine the origin of an old house. In that case, you research as far as you can and then sit back and enjoy the house you have. When Sears converted from numbering models to names, Model #189 appears to have been re-named The Hillrose.
These plans provided homeowners with a simple and affordable way to build their own homes. Sears offered a wide variety of house plans to choose from, ranging from small cottages to large mansions. During the Modern Homes program, large quantities of asphalt shingles became available. Asphalt shingles were cheap to manufacture and ship, and easy and inexpensive to install. Sears also offered a plasterboard product similar to modern drywall (under the name Goodwall) as an alternative to the plaster and lath wall-building techniques which required skilled carpenters and plasterers. This product offered the advantages of low price, ease of installation, and added fire protection.
Luckily, the owners also kept lots and lots of original goodies intact that are highly sought after (and highly expensive to build) by design conscious folks across the country. But nestled in a golf course in Anderson, Indiana, we found this gorgeous and stately Sears catalog home that wouldn’t look out of place in Greenwich, Connecticut or Westchester. Sears House Seeker has a photo of a Woodland located in Philadelphia, PA (go about three-quarters down the page). Sears House Seeker has a photo of a Cornell located in Philadelphia, PA (go about three-quarters down the page).
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