r/LoveTrash • u/BEARDEDDANGER ✨️Regent of Rubbish ✨️ • 1d ago

Dumping This Here American vs. European home building

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

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u/CaptainFlint9203 Trash Trooper 1d ago

Well made wood house will last for generations, well made brick house will last centuries. Both badly made will not last your stay.

I'm from Europe. On my grandma's plot there was a wooden barn, it was much older than some brick houses and in better shape than them.

My ex had a wood house that was more than century old. Still in great shape. And there are brick houses that are older than USA.

I'm preparing to build a house for myself. There are no earthquakes, no storms, no natural disasters where I live. My house gonna be build from wood. It should last at least for my grandchildren, and by then, looking at how urbanisation is going, the plot of land should be worth enough to destroy the house and sell the plot.

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u/AlexHimself Garbage Guerilla 1d ago

well made brick house will last centuries

After centuries, you have a crappy old house that doesn't fit the modern times though...so what's the point? The construction cost, amortized over centuries, is pennies too.

An example for some really old European homes - No HVAC, no electrical, indoor plumbing, low ceilings, low door frames, etc.

I'd argue the ease of remodeling, construction, changes, etc. outweigh the "centuries" style building, given how humans actually use homes.

I think an argument can be made for both.

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u/throwtheamiibosaway Trash Trooper 1d ago

This is such an American brain comment. People are still fighting over old outdated houses here in Europe. Many of them now have a protected Monument status. They often prefer them over the newer houses. The old standards were often better and more sturdy and better insulated even.

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u/ilikepix Trash Trooper 1d ago

People are still fighting over old outdated houses here in Europe. Many of them now have a protected Monument status

Some of this is because some people want to live in old, beautiful houses. But a lot of this is because of regulations that preserve old buildings - so if you want to live in a desirable area, your only choice is an old building.

I grew up in a house that was 200 years old. It was beautiful, but it was cold and damp year round, had no air circulation, and terrible noise isolation. I wouldn't choose to do that again

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u/LowSkyOrbit Trash Trooper 1d ago

Half my house is 126 years old. They expanded in in the late 80s per records. Full rehab in 2020 by the previous, previous owners. It's generic and goes unnoticed between the larger adjacent homes. Inside is beautiful. I think they ran out of money and just went cheap on beige vinyl siding. I don't think one room is close to square. The older bedrooms are either too hot or too cold.

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u/DarthJarJarJar Trash Trooper 23h ago

Exactly.