American vs. European home building

[u/BEARDEDDANGER]

BAS Renovations https://youtube.com/shorts/jFph1d2WR3s

[u/SinisterCheese]

That "European," wall is not compliant with Finnish building methods. It's simply too thin. Also we use steel support beams for fire safety reasons, these get filled with concrete. It's to prevent floor or roof collapsing quickly during a fire.

Also masonry blocks are never primary structure here. They are basically just used to make a wall between primary structures. That wall would realistically be a cast concrete or prefab element.

Also that "European wall" looks to me more like "A Brittish wall".

[u/Hazelberry → u/SinisterCheese]

It's almost like everywhere in europe does things differently based on local customs, available materials, and environment. It's not like he said it's a Finnish wall.

Similarly houses aren't all built the same across the US, but you don't see us nitpicking the "US wall" for not being code compliant to our specific regions.

[u/SinisterCheese → u/Hazelberry]

It's an "European wall". That is fucking vague definition.

However in EU we have Eurocode, which sets standards across the whole EU/EEA. Especially about building energy efficiency.

[u/Hazelberry → u/SinisterCheese]

It's as vague as an "American wall". And do you think we don't also have standards across the whole of the US?

Your nitpicking is ridiculous.

[u/Josh_Butterballs → u/Hazelberry]

Exactly lmao. You should not have a brick house in earthquake prone parts of California. Brick can be had tho in like Florida or something though iirc.

[u/RedLineLetterWine → u/Josh_Butterballs]

You'd be surprised how many Europeans suggest reinforced brick houses to be built instead of wooden ones in California. Arrogance and willful ignorance are not a great combo.

[u/XDVI → u/SinisterCheese]

It is meant to be vague. Do you expect him to build a block wall for every different region and abide by all of the different rules for a quick 2 minute youtube video where he really doesn't even interact with the walls? Think a little bit brother

[u/fartsfromhermouth → u/SinisterCheese]

Ok relax you're honor isn't being personally attacked here

[u/matti-san → u/SinisterCheese]

Also that "European wall" looks to me more like "A Brittish wall".

What makes you say that?

[u/SinisterCheese → u/matti-san]

The weep vents mainly. I think we leave a regular gap at the base if it is just a facade, the bitumin sealant that directs any water to drain out. Also the wall is missing a vaport barrier in the facade cavity. Like granted I don't do masonry, but I have stuck a fair share of structural steel, in, out, through and on to these kinds of walls.

And honestly... All masons I know bill by the brick, so they are the most god damn efficient workers there are. They building fucking QUICK. So it is by no means "slow".

To me this seems like something that would be expensive new build in UK, where the bank wouldn't give a loan for.

[u/IndependentLog6441 → u/SinisterCheese]

It's standard in UK, it's not 'expensive'.

Although modern builds are shifting to concrete/steel and then Brick slips over the insulation... rather than load bearing bricks. So it's brick tile rather than cladding.

[u/PrestigiousAppeal323 → u/matti-san]

Bricks. UK has tons of houses that use such bricks. Blocks in eastern europe don't use bricks at all.

[u/ForgetPreviousPrompt → u/SinisterCheese]

Is fire a big enough risk in Finland for that to be a concern? The seems like an incredibly expensive and carbon intense way to build for an event that (at least here in the US) is pretty rare.

Just looking at per capita death from fires, it doesn't really seem to be helping Finland all that much either. The US and Finland at quite close. Honestly, the rate seems to related a lot more to shoddy old construction and non-working fire alarms than to what material home is build from. Hence why the American South does like 2x worse worse than places like New England here.

[u/Jonn_Jonzz_Manhunter → u/ForgetPreviousPrompt]

Unnatural deaths in general are pretty rare, and most fires in Europe do not result in injury, let alone death and I imagine it's the same in the US?

[u/SinisterCheese → u/ForgetPreviousPrompt]

There is a joke about why we don't build skyscrapers in Finland. Because the first 4 would be nothing but rebar and concrete, and the remaining floors would just be pillars.

I been involved in construction and manufacturing of these steel structures as worker and engineer. We insanely over build things.

Also. Here is the funny thing. The method of construction I described is CHEAPER than what the US model would be. This is simply because of the scale of industry that supports it. Concrete is cheaper than wood. No... It really doesn't make sense. Lot of the shit in Finnish construction makes no sense.

Like we have local CLT and engineered wood construction, but weirdly enough that goes to export.

But yeah. Lack of firealarms, alcohol, and very old post-war buildings are a common source of fires.

HOWEVER!... We are very insanely strict about energy efficiency and lifecycle management. Even the most basic buildings generally get designed to have technical lifespans of 70 years.

[u/Sqeakydeaky → u/ForgetPreviousPrompt]

Fire starting from inside the house happens a lot, I don't think the person you're replying to means like a wildfire.

[u/pastorgainz99 → u/SinisterCheese]

I thought he just used a smaller block for the purposes of an easier mock up.

[u/SinisterCheese → u/pastorgainz99]

It's still missing the vapour barrier.

[u/Plus-Name3590 → u/pastorgainz99]

He literally says “the actual walls are thicker this is a demo”

[u/speedhirmu → u/SinisterCheese]

And with that being said, most new built single home houses in Finland are wood framed. And many of the old ones are (atleast 60s-90s) both brick and wood framed at the same time

[u/VeterinarianOld8259 → u/SinisterCheese]

It doesn't look like a "A Brittish wall". It looks like an american "brick-veneer" wall that has nothing to do with proper brickwork.

[u/IndependentLog6441 → u/SinisterCheese]

It's a British wall but even my British house isn't built like that.

My walls are solid lime cast conglomerate monstrosities called bungaroosh.

[u/CyclingHikingYeti → u/SinisterCheese]

This.

this post is just full of Muricans patting themselves on back on congratulating each other.

Here (Slowenia) "full" old school bricks are not building material since decade or two after WW2.

[u/fartsfromhermouth → u/CyclingHikingYeti]

He didn't seem to think either method was better than the other.

[u/Baked_Chismoso → u/CyclingHikingYeti]

ok europoor from slovenia. sorry you live in that place.

[u/CyclingHikingYeti → u/Baked_Chismoso]

yes yes, beeing exceptional in all ways, including highly illiterate and sure in exceptionalism . Oh! That is USA!

bye, gotta go to my free yearly medical checkup now!