Why no "traditional interior" houses in the Phoenix area? (new home, to buy)

[cmist]

Originally Posted by asufan

One thing that I did to help achieve this look was I increased the size of the base and casing, and bought wood plantation shutters for the main living areas and master bedroom. The wood shutters cost a hell of a lot of money, and I know I would never recover the investment in a resale, but it looks really sharp in a stark white as a contrast to the wall color with a 2-tone paint scheme. The casing around the shutters make the windows look a lot more expensive than they are. It sure looks better than wood blinds. With as much as shutters cost, you can imagine how much it would be to have that look throughout the whole house standard. We're talking Scottsdale prices in Verrado, and no one would buy. TW Lewis has wood window sills standard. That's as far as they are willing to go.

This sounds cool, but you are right, very expensive! It seems we do pay through the nose here for things that are considered standard in other parts.

The builders I saw in NC had included wood floors, wainscoting, paneled windows with trim, crown moldings and crown baseboards and even gave wall color choices. Many of the ones that were only 150K even included this type of stuff as standard features... and I'm talking about the capital city, not some backwater town. Even in the resales, the cheapest of homes were all dolled up like that.

I don't have to have that type of thing and I know if it were offered here it would be a hefty upgrade, but found it interesting that other areas offered alot more in their "included" list than we do here, and I'm not exactly sure why that is either.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

By "traditional interior" I mean houses with wood window and door casing...with big wood baseboards...with wainscoting.

Heat. Dryness.

If they are not PROPERLY maintain, it can be an absolute disaster.

There have been some homes built as you describe but, as a "production" home, it will not happen here.

[Lovegun]

Because new homes here were built to maximize profits not quality. Look at all the new homes...made with cheap labor, small yards, cookie cutter designs.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Lovegun

Because new homes here were built to maximize profits not quality. Look at all the new homes...made with cheap labor, small yards, cookie cutter designs.

Keeping costs down also helps to meet another goal - Affordable Housing.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by Greatday

Keeping costs down also helps to meet another goal - Affordable Housing.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread though... other areas include all that type of thing in an affordable price range as well.

I think it does boil down to the fact that builders have created a low expectation here, and therefore more money goes into their pockets as opposed to a buyer getting more for the same $$.

There's plenty of profit margin to add some wider baseboards and crown molding, window trim, etc. but no one expects it so of course its left out.

I asked the same thing of someone I know who builds custom where such things might be expected, but are STILL left out. They said that skilled labor is the #1 obstacle. He said trying to find someone that knows how to do a smooth finish is near impossible and anything that requires the slightest bit of precision to look right is a lost cause. They are trained to get in and out as fast as possible, so now this is the standard we are all used to in Phx.

Thats why everywhere has that blobby textured interior wall finish and exteriors are stucco. They can just fling goop at the walls and knock it down with a trowel. If it requires skill, it likely wont be included at any price here.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by cmist

As I mentioned earlier in the thread though... other areas include all that type of thing in an affordable price range as well.

I think it does boil down to the fact that builders have created a low expectation here, and therefore more money goes into their pockets as opposed to a buyer getting more for the same $$.

There's plenty of profit margin to add some wider baseboards and crown molding, window trim, etc. but no one expects it so of course its left out.

I asked the same thing of someone I know who builds custom where such things might be expected, but are STILL left out. They said that skilled labor is the #1 obstacle. He said trying to find someone that knows how to do a smooth finish is near impossible and anything that requires the slightest bit of precision to look right is a lost cause. They are trained to get in and out as fast as possible, so now this is the standard we are all used to in Phx.

Thats why everywhere has that blobby textured interior wall finish and exteriors are stucco. They can just fling goop at the walls and knock it down with a trowel. If it requires skill, it likely wont be included at any price here.

A lot of those houses back east have the walls and windows, etc. already made pre-fab, and are just delivered to the job site and put together. They are all a standard size, and they are the same from New Jersey to North Carolina. You don't see that on the West coast, as our houses are primarily site built. Also, you really DON'T see a lot of that woodwork standard in new build houses back East. Maybe casement around the standard windows, etc., but not craftsman style woodwork.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by asufan

A lot of those houses back east have the walls and windows, etc. already made pre-fab, and are just delivered to the job site and put together. They are all a standard size, and they are the same from New Jersey to North Carolina. You don't see that on the West coast, as our houses are primarily site built. Also, you really DON'T see a lot of that woodwork standard in new build houses back East. Maybe casement around the standard windows, etc., but not craftsman style woodwork.

True, I haven't been all over to know about all of back east, I just know that cheap homes in Raleigh looked really upscale for the $$ compared to here. A 110K home there had the details that I saw in the original photos in the thread when I was there a few years ago.

When someone made the remark that not having those touches means affordable housing, I disagreed. I don't believe believe builders here pass a savings on to you since they don't have to bother with details. They charge as much or more and just provide less. Its cheaper back east to do that I'm sure due to the prefab construction you mention. They had to find a way to provide what is expected by the residents at the lowest cost, where in Phx, we have no such expectation so builders are free to do less and make more money.

[acrylic]

Since there was a "mod cut" on the original post, can you tell us what to search for on google so I can see what you're talking about?

[asufan]

Originally Posted by cmist

When someone made the remark that not having those touches means affordable housing, I disagreed. I don't believe believe builders here pass a savings on to you since they don't have to bother with details. They charge as much or more and just provide less. Its cheaper back east to do that I'm sure due to the prefab construction you mention. They had to find a way to provide what is expected by the residents at the lowest cost, where in Phx, we have no such expectation so builders are free to do less and make more money.

No the builders charge what the market dictates. They have a predetermined profit margin they want to make, and they have to spec out the homes with materials that will give them the profit while selling it for the price point that the market will bear. And if they include all of these items as standard, it raises the hard costs and cuts into, or eliminates the profit. You can't charge $30,000 more for a house, plus $5,000 profit just because that's what it costs, you can only charge what the market is willing to pay, which in AZ is next to nothing, as that is not what is popular.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by asufan

No the builders charge what the market dictates. They have a predetermined profit margin they want to make, and they have to spec out the homes with materials that will give them the profit while selling it for the price point that the market will bear. And if they include all of these items as standard, it raises the hard costs and cuts into, or eliminates the profit. You can't charge $30,000 more for a house, plus $5,000 profit just because that's what it costs, you can only charge what the market is willing to pay, which in AZ is next to nothing, as that is not what is popular.

I completely agree. I understand the market. I'm only saying that where that actually IS popular, they are forced to accommodate regardless of profit margin.

As it turns out, it works out in their favor that it isn't popular here because they STILL get whatever the market dictates no matter how they outfit the homes.

Its not like they say, hmmm... well since we don't have to mess with crown molding and fancy windows, lets pass some savings to the buyers because if we built this in NC, we would have to spend 10k more on details. They get to charge the same or more and provide less because expectations are lower. Thats my only point.