<P> Construction of the White House began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792, although there was no formal ceremony . The main residence, as well as foundations of the house, were built largely by enslaved and free African - American laborers, as well as employed Europeans . Much of the other work on the house was performed by immigrants, many not yet with citizenship . The sandstone walls were erected by Scottish immigrants, employed by Hoban, as were the high - relief rose and garland decorations above the north entrance and the "fish scale" pattern beneath the pediments of the window hoods . The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 (equal to $3,279,177 today). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy circa November 1, 1800 . </P> <P> Shortages, including material and labor, forced alterations to the earlier plan developed by French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant for a "palace" that was five times larger than the house that was eventually built . The finished structure contained only two main floors instead of the planned three, and a less costly brick served as a lining for the stone façades . When construction was finished, the porous sandstone walls were whitewashed with a mixture of lime, rice glue, casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name . </P> <P> As it is a famed structure in America, several replicas of the White House have been constructed . </P> <P> The north front is the principal façade of the White House and consists of three floors and eleven bays . The ground floor is hidden by a raised carriage ramp and parapet, thus the façade appears to be of two floors . The central three bays are behind a prostyle portico (this was a later addition to the house, built circa 1830) serving, thanks to the carriage ramp, as a porte cochere . The windows of the four bays flanking the portico, at first - floor level, have alternating pointed and segmented pediments, while at second - floor level the pediments are flat . The principal entrance at the center of the portico is surmounted by a lunette fanlight . Above the entrance is a sculpted floral festoon . The roofline is hidden by a balustraded parapet . </P>

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