Once and Forever (1956)

[Music] my name's Roy web I'm the Builder of this Housing Development kind of proud of it too it's going to be a real nice place to live for a lot of folks you know I've been building houses for better than 20 years and if there's one thing I've learned in all that time is that building is more than just brick and mortar and a lot of hard work building is people people with hopes and dreams people with problems to solve people like Jack and Ruth Miller a young couple who left here a few minutes ago like a lot of young couples today Ruth and Jack dreamed for a long time about B Building A Home of Their Own they saved their money and after a good deal of looking picked a site here and settled on the kind of house I'm building in my development generally they agreed it suited both their tastes and their budget specifically well specifically they couldn't agree at all I just can't agree with you Ruth I know you want your wall of wall carpeting throughout the house but it's things like plumbing and wiring which matter in the LA long run and I'm just not going to skimp on it Jack we've been over this before and I've tried to show you I know there's only so much money but there's one thing I'm not going to do without wall toall carpeting but even if it means skiing on things like um like those underground pipes or whatever they are you and Roy were talking about Roy and I were discussing the sanitation and drainage system dear well I guess we need that too but Jimmy don't you dare ah this is just a practice Mission never mind I know all about your practice missions now you sit in that big chair there and behave yourself okay Mom now well I was just going to say that after all I don't know anything about pipes or wires that's just the point but the first thing company always notices is how the floors look are we building this house for company or for ourselves well you're at the office most of the time anyway I'm the one that has to live in the in this house okay okay but you're not going to like it when your house is always being torn up for new Plumbing or new wiring I don't see why just because we didn't put in the best materials to begin with let's face it this house is going to have to last us a long time I know that dear so we've got to build it to last you don't build a house every day you build it once and I know I know once and forever that's right isn't it Roy of course you do want to use the best materials you can and you want as many extras as you can get too but I've learned from experience that buying or building a new home is almost always a compromise compromise between what you think you want and what your budget says you can have the building of this house will probably be the largest single investment you will ever make there are lots of things I can help you with but there are some decisions you will have to make for yourself now I can understand how where's Jimmy he was sitting in that chair just a second ago you go ahead dear I'll see if he's all [Music] right [Music] Jimmy [Music] are you all right Jimmy SE mom parachute jump that's all well if you've broken that pipe you can just pay for it out of your allowance there you go son he didn't do any damage ma'am matter of fact if it'll make him feel any better he can parachute jump on it all he wants there's nothing he can do to hurt this pipe it's cast iron well thank you anyway but I don't think it's too good an idea to have him jumping in and out of trenches you're right might sprain his ankle or something Jimmy if you'll be careful and keep out of trouble you can stay out here a while okay Mom to to Squadron operate on secret orders stay near Mr w office now excuse me did you say this pipe was cast iron yes ma'am well what's it for it's part of the drainage system matter of fact when I get it all in the trench it'll be the main part oh you building here yes my husband and Mr Webb have been talking about plumbing and wiring and things like that that's why I asked you about the pipe well there's no need to get too technical about it but this pipe runs from the street all the way up to the roof of your house carries waste out to the Sewer keep sewer gases from escaping something which would be a real danger and a menace to your health matter of fact this pipe will help make your house a healthy place to live in well I suppose it is important but isn't there something else we could use maybe something a little cheaper this pipe looks like it'll Outlast the house it will sure you could use something else there are cheaper materials that's if you don't include the cost of installation then why not use them if we buy the best of everything we won't have enough money to build a house at all well you know it's a funny thing but thinking back I'd say that in the long run cast iron's about the cheapest material you could use as well as the best they use it in all kinds of big hotels and Office Buildings and places like that just because it does last so long and does such a good job oh I'm afraid you won't save any money by using something else here you just put this stuff down and forget about it once and forever well I suppose you're right funny but Jack's always talking about doing things once and forever you know Roy I've been thinking this over maybe I'm not being fair to Ruth maybe I'm putting too much emphasis on this once and forever business maybe but as you said yourself Jack you don't build a house every day I know she set her heart sit on that carpeting for a long time and she'd sure be proud to have this house the way she wants it right from the start maybe I'm not being fair maybe I'm not being fair about this you're right in the in the long run it is going to be cheaper to do things right from the start you won't regret it I'll guarantee you that once you put this pipe in you can forget about it it's watertight gas tight and root proof root prooof underground roots like these right here always trying to work their way into the system if they do you've got real trouble with a clogged up line well how do you prevent it put in cast iron I've never seen anything else which keep them out like cast iron even the joints are sealed with metal here I'll seal up these two sections to show you now I have already put these together and filled in the joint with oakam a little molten lead then after cocking it is gas tight and strong enough to be used anywhere even under under a driveway or under your basement floor and you don't need any expensive special tools to install it no getting around it a mighty nice job if I do say so myself you get what you pay for Jack if you really want to cut some Corners in the initial construction to give Ruth what she wants it'll have to be your decision I hate to do it Roy but I think we'll have to oh is Jimmy okay you've been gone quite a while he's fine he's flying a bombing mission right outside Jack while I was outside I got to thinking about the carpeting and other Frills and well I can get them later let's go ahead and use those quality building materials you want you see I Roy and I have been doing some thinking about the same thing and you're going to have your house just the way you want it Carpeting and all look it's all settled but I don't want it that way that's the way it's going to be looks to me like you two are right back where you started if you could stop laughing long enough I think I can show you a way to have your cake and eat it too now he tells us as you both know you can't afford everything you'd like in this house right at the beginning but why does it have to be a case of giving up one thing for another are you saying that we can have both my Carpeting and Jack's building materials in a way yes look at it this way some things are never again as economical as when you first put them in your wiring and your plumbing for instance those systems are truly built in made a permanent part of the house so let's install the best the most modern wiring and plumbing we can right at the start and that goes for anything else which has to be built in but what about Ruth's carpeting let's not give up on that wall to--all carpeting or any other convenience and Beauty features you'll want in your home let's plan on the for later installation things like that can be added to your home at any time in the in the future and with no increased cost either and as a matter of fact I think if we take another look at that budget of yours we may find that you can have your carpeting in say the living room right at the start well I don't know how about you dear are you sold on the idea Jack Miller if you'd stop to listen to what I'm saying you'd know that I came back here to tell you that I had the same idea I stand corrected well then let's get back to the desk and put down some specifics thanks million Roy we can hardly wait until you get started and the house is finished well it won't take as long as you think you'll see I do hope we haven't been too much trouble with all our questions and doubts not at all it's been a pleasure and believe me you've made the right decision that's long Roy we'll probably see you out here next weekend Oh no Jimmy what on Earth we were establishing a beach head honestly Jimmy can't you stay out of trouble for 2 minutes I'm sorry now go over and say goodbye to Mr web so we can get you home and into a tub bye son let you gave the enemy a real good fight sure did you won't forget to build a room for me will you no I won't forget Jimmy well as I told you earlier building is more than just brick and lumber and hard work building is people their problems their hopes and their dreams that's why I wouldn't trade my job for anything in the world because every so often I can help people solve some of those problems perhaps make one of their dreams come true in the end I'm sure you'll agree the Millers made a wise decision but how about you when you build be sure you build once and [Music] forever