My Sears Built House

 Sears Honor Bilt Home

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

This is the ad that appeared in the Sears catalog in 1931

Low monthly payments of $30 to $45

When I bought my house in 1995 I had no idea that it was a Sear kit home. My neighbor told me all about it and I was so intrigued that I called Sears Archives in Chicago. I talked to a very nice woman who told me that the ad for my house first ran in the 1931 catalog even though the city records show that the house was built in 1927. I'm only guessing here, but I think that they got the permit to build in 1927 but due to the "great depression" decided to wait until the economy was more stable and they were ready to risk building. She then sent me a packet of information including the above ad.
When my brother was enlarging my fireplace mantle there was newspaper lining the backing and it was the Detroit Free Press from 1937.
As I understand it....and I may not be totally accurate, but everything came it a kit to build your house. You just had to put in a foundation or basement and then hire a contractor to build it. Everything was included...the framing, roofing, brick or siding, windows, electrical, plumbing, fixtures, doors and so on. The framing was all numbered and I have been told that is how to determine that your house is a Sears home by looking for numbers on the wood. I, however have never found any. It must have been like one gigantic puzzle. I would love to have seen the instruction book for that!
My house is identical to the photo only my house is brick. As far as the plan itself, two things are different. The door from the dining room into the kitchen is at the other end of the same wall and in the bathroom the tub and linen closet are switched around.
There are several unique features that date the house to the early 30's including a lovely phone niche. The front and side doors are the original and look like the picture in the ad. The window are 6 over 1 and I had them restored about 14 years ago.  In a day or so, I will add more to this and include photos of my house as it is today.