I'm interested in the differences in the material and build quality between U.S. and European homes. I've been to Europe and noticed there are really old homes that stood the test of time. U.S. homes in comparison look cheaply constructed.
U.S. vs European home material and build quality
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When I walked the streets of Cairo in the daytime, I saw giant one of a kind wooden doors everywhere that must have been several hundred years old. It was extremely impressive and memorable. US honeycomb apartment complexes and any house made in the last 30 years made out of 2x4 lumber and vinyl siding is frankly embarrassing in comparison. True craftsmanship was turned into mass market "i need it now" nonsense.
Survivorship Bias - You're basing the opinion that things were built better way back when by looking at everything that survived, not everything that didn't survive.
In the small town (Canadian prairies) where I grew up, old buildings are torn down. It's almost automatic. Our old school (built in the 1920s) was torn down, the theater (built in the 1950s) was torn down, the nicest house in town (built in the 1920s) burnt down due to defective electrics, etc.
Nothing is built with a long life in mind. Houses are built with an expected 75 year life span.
People like new stuff. We once had a house (built in 1928 - 1930) and keeping it up was a lot of work.
Nothing is built with a long life in mind. Houses are built with an expected 75 year life span.
People like new stuff. We once had a house (built in 1928 - 1930) and keeping it up was a lot of work.
Yes, buildings hold up much better when bombs don't fall on them.
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I doubt anywhere in europe, has areas without enforced building codes? Also I don't think in many(any?) western european country, where a homeowner can do their own structural or utility work in their house?
I haven't been to europe lately but I don't recall many cheap plastic building materials even with new homes. Vinyl siding wasn't too common? Same with asphalt shingle roofs, too short lived and expensive to dispose of. I guess when you see lots of buildings 100's of year old and what works for them, that's what people want in their new home.
In seems in N.A. almost every house has a concrete/stone foundation at least, even areas where the ground doesn't freeze. When my SIL moved to New Zealand north Island, she was shocked how lots of houses were on piles, no central heating or cooling, almost no insulation and single pane windows. The climate makes this tolerable but still not really ideal compared to house in canada or US.
I haven't been to europe lately but I don't recall many cheap plastic building materials even with new homes. Vinyl siding wasn't too common? Same with asphalt shingle roofs, too short lived and expensive to dispose of. I guess when you see lots of buildings 100's of year old and what works for them, that's what people want in their new home.
In seems in N.A. almost every house has a concrete/stone foundation at least, even areas where the ground doesn't freeze. When my SIL moved to New Zealand north Island, she was shocked how lots of houses were on piles, no central heating or cooling, almost no insulation and single pane windows. The climate makes this tolerable but still not really ideal compared to house in canada or US.
This plus.
Plenty of good 100 YO houses in the USA, but a lot were torn down.
I would also not say all new houses in the USA are lousy. Sure there is lousy in abundance, but top notch homes as well. In Europe, Italy, lots of stone and stucco and concrete, Not so many douglas fir trees about. And many gens in one house to keep it up.
Point was, their are many buildings in europe that are not as old as one might think. Many were constructed back like the old ones.
I wonder what the average rainfall in Cairo is, as compared to Louisiana.......probably close
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Where in Europe is Cairo?
I the Netherlands where the company I worked for sent us for training on their machines, old structures are rebuilt and not torn down. Other apartments are using a joined wall. However many were originally built in the early 1900's. There are many very old churches built in 12 and 13 hundreds and still used to this day. All I can guess is that labor was by the job and not by the hour
I will let you figure out which one is older.
You can do all of your own work, but if something needs certified (like solar panels for government grants) you need someone to certify it. Sellers/installers are certified so in practice they often do the work
My house was built in 1963, but when I was a kid we lived in a house built in 1908, and my dads house was built before 1830 (the limit of where you can get records for free at the time) and I believe my granparents farm to be be about the same age. the farm has 2ft thick solid brick walls.
Nowadays those old buildings get torn down to build appartments in their place
It is exceedingly difficult to source very high quality home building components here in the USA. As all of us know, even the lowly 2x4 is not 2 inches by 4 inches. Just getting that right would have made American home quality considerably better.
My Hurricane resistant home in FL is made with concrete block, with a monolithic slab (heavy footers) and rebar/concrete tying the top of the wall directly to the slab, it's still made by the lowest bidder.
Better than a 2x4 stick frame house for sure. But is it up to old world standards, likely to last for centuries?
Here in the USA, I like block homes, or log homes. As both feel substantial and if constructed correctly, can hold up.
My Hurricane resistant home in FL is made with concrete block, with a monolithic slab (heavy footers) and rebar/concrete tying the top of the wall directly to the slab, it's still made by the lowest bidder.
Better than a 2x4 stick frame house for sure. But is it up to old world standards, likely to last for centuries?
Here in the USA, I like block homes, or log homes. As both feel substantial and if constructed correctly, can hold up.
Years ago, I met a lady who worked at a building materials' expo in Spain.
She said all the stuff from the USA was garbage compared to everything else.
I only wish I could have gleaned some details.
She said all the stuff from the USA was garbage compared to everything else.
I only wish I could have gleaned some details.
All? Everything?
Extreme. I think nuance is a good human trait.
She must not have been to Mexico, Central and South America. Africa. Asia.
China? MOST stuff from China I will not use on my house.
Japan has some great modern buildings, but homes are not megaliths.
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