Bungalows were modest, inexpensive and low-profile. Before World War I, a bungalow could be built for as little as $900 although the price rose to around $3,500 after the war. Bungalow designs were spread by the practice of building from mail-order plans available from illustrated catalogs, sometimes with alterations based on local practice or conditions. Contractors and builders would sell the catalogs at a low cost and in some cases, give them away for free. They contained pictures and drawings of artistic bungalows. The style was also connected with the desire to find relief from modern technology through a return to nature.