Should we outlaw ugly block walls ???? (Phoenix: houses, landscaping, neighborhood)

[AZgarden]

As I drive around Phoenix, and other surrounding areas, what comes to mind to beautify our town would be to outlaw those really ugly block walls that have no stucco, no paint, are ugly and make the whole landscape an eyesore. Now I am not saying people could not have walls. But if they do, they would need to either paint or stucco the outside of their walls if they are visual to the public. I think this would greatly improve the way people see Phoenix (all brown and all the same). My subdivision is all stucco and the walls have been done as well. It makes a big difference in the landscape around my house. Just an idea.

[shiphead]

Those older houses that are brick are built better for the desert, then these cookie cutter houses made out of wood.

If i ever bought one of those houses, i'd redo the entire thing. I have lots of ideas from these modern home magazines, but it is an expensive task.

[Robert A]

Yeah. That's an idea. Use more stucco so people don't think Phoenix is all the same.

Seriously, though, I'm not sure I've ever noticed the walls, unless they're in particularly poor condition.

[Urban Renewal]

Yeah, I really hate those walls. They make the city look bland an monotonous. Plus they are very pedestrian un-friendly.

[HX_Guy]

It's very expensive to do, that's why you don't see it all that often, and when you do see it, it's usually in a nicer, higher priced, neighborhood.

[roundball]

I think they look (very)ugly and cheap.

I'm not sure how you do it but is it any harder than a trowel and thinset/morter/portland and a bit of paint? You can even go to home depot and get a bucket of colored "stucco".

Granted the inside of our wall is "ugly and cheap"(one of those someday projects), at least the outside looks nice.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by PhxBarb

As I drive around Phoenix, and other surrounding areas, what comes to mind to beautify our town would be to outlaw those really ugly block walls that have no stucco, no paint, are ugly and make the whole landscape an eyesore. Now I am not saying people could not have walls. But if they do, they would need to either paint or stucco the outside of their walls if they are visual to the public. I think this would greatly improve the way people see Phoenix (all brown and all the same). My subdivision is all stucco and the walls have been done as well. It makes a big difference in the landscape around my house. Just an idea.

Like HX Guy said, it's too expensive to do. I say it's fine. It's all subjective...plus, I think there are more important things to worry about then "ugly" walls. lol

[wit-nit]

Next thing you know it will be complaints about ugly houses, ugly landscaping...guess it'll never end.
Fences serve several good purposes. Keeps your dogs in, keeps you from fighting with the neighbors, keeps you from looking at someones ugly yard, trash, junk cars etc, etc.
Fences are a deterrent to some burglars. With fences you can hide most anything keeping things outta sight. Fences have always been a way in AZ. Most people want them except in a few retirement communities.
And remember the old adage "good fences make for good neighbors".

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by roundball

I think they look (very)ugly and cheap.

I'm not sure how you do it but is it any harder than a trowel and thinset/morter/portland and a bit of paint? You can even go to home depot and get a bucket of colored "stucco".

Granted the inside of our wall is "ugly and cheap"(one of those someday projects), at least the outside looks nice.

It's really easy and cheap to do yourself! I did it and it looks pretty good. It's hard to mess up something that is supposed to look, well, messed up. lol
Couple bags of stucco, trowel and swerve from side to side until covered. Then if not tinted stucco you can paint it any color you want with stucco paint. Cost me 50 bucks and a weekend. If you can't do it a handy man will do it pretty cheap. It's easy and a good idea here because it will make your block wall last longer and will help prevent bug and bee entry. Bee's like to make hives in block. Roaches like to nest in them. ewwy

[dookieboy]

Originally Posted by roundball

I think they look (very)ugly and cheap.

I'm not sure how you do it but is it any harder than a trowel and thinset/morter/portland and a bit of paint? You can even go to home depot and get a bucket of colored "stucco".

Granted the inside of our wall is "ugly and cheap"(one of those someday projects), at least the outside looks nice.

The problem with a stucco finish on a cinder-block wall (I'm talking about 95% of all the block walls in Phoenix) is most of the walls are not built to have a stucco finish. The main pilasters are grouted so they are reasonably strong, but the panels barely have any morter and no grout cells at all so the panels move very easily. The stucco may look good for a few weeks, but when that stuff starts to crack, and it will, it looks even worse that than the original "unfinished" block. To do it right, the walls need to be built of 8 inch wide block (not the 4 inch), re-bar, and every cell grouted. However the cost of doing a "yard" sized 6 foot high fence this way is just way too expensive for most. The "cheap" way costs anywhere from $17 to $22 a foot for cryin-out-loud!
What I have done on several houses I have built is to have the painters use a concrete stain on the walls. Does not take much to make a huge change in the look of the block wall. And very fast. An acre sized lot can be shot in about 4 hours. (Or with the painters I have used, about 4 days!)