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. Many people need 4+ spacious bedrooms with walk-in closets and separate bathrooms. Exceptional school districts with big yards near lots of retail. Huge kitchens with islands, ample closet space, and a pantry. There is a huge market for these mcmansions. It's not like 5,000 upper-middle class families in Wexford, Cranberry, Moon, Peters, Murrysville, North Huntingdon, etc are stupid?
Many people do not *need* the things listed above but yes many people do want them. It is not something I personally would ever want. Most of these families are 2 adults with 2 children. They do not need that massive amount of space. No matter how much I can afford I would want my children of the same sex to share a bedroom until they move out. I wouldn't need 4 or 5 bedrooms for that. I don't need a family room, a living room, a dining room and a finished basement. A living room and dining room work out just fine for me. These massive houses do not feel like homes to me. Would I say the people who buy these houses are stupid? No. However I can admit that I would probably think they are a bit materialistic and trying to fit a certain image.
I live in a small-ish house with my 3 year old daughter. She tends to accumulate a lot of stuff from family members. I don't feel the need to buy some huge house to accommodate it. I just donate the toys and clothes she doesn't use to make more room.
i love how everyone takes the oh so subtle jabs at what they don't like (or don't/can't have etc).
i live in what would be called a mcmansion suburban subdivion (though it is all brick which looks 100x better IMO).
and i can't stand it.
i don't like the houses, though its value has gone up 25% in the 4 years ive owned it, and they stay on the market maybe 2 weeks. I like having seperate rooms for my kids, why in the world wouldn't i? But some of the space is overkill. i never got around to finishing my 1800 sq ft basement, except the bathroom, because i can't imagine what I'd use it for..a giant 3rd toyroom for the kids? I already have an entire dining room devoted to my dogs and an 'office' for the cat.
i don't like the neighborhood, though most people here seem to love it..including my kids who have dozens and dozens of playmates in the neighborhoold, and my wife who likes having everything nearby.
i hate the chainstores which is all we have, though its pretty easy to get anything i need and back home in under 15 minutes.
don't like the school district though its highly ranked, and admittely pretty good.
the bottom line is, the world isn't like these forums. people like it here. people like these things. i hate them and am going to leave the second my last kid leaves for college, with or without my old lady...but they keep building them for a reason... maybe the old tiny houes don't feel like homes to them, i know my little 'starter' house split entry felt less of a home than my current home, but thats probably because the kids are growing up here and i like my dogs better than that bastard beagle i had back then.
Housing is a personal choice and different people have different wants and taste. Just like a car, for example. Someone will be fine with a used Honda Accord while someone else will want a 2013 Mercedes. Both do pretty much the same thing (like a house) but the overall package is different.
I don't have a problem with the new, modern houses today. In fact, I may build one of them in the next 5-7 years. I say that because they seem to meet the wants and desires of my family to find something that suits us. My wife and I grew up in 900 sq ft. 1960-era ranch houses on streets where pretty every house was the same type on the same size lots (sound familiar?). Our rooms were 8x8 and we hated them. I had a one car garage at the back of the house and a quasi-finished basement, but never got to use them or enjoy therm because that was our storage spaces. We want our kids to have a nice sized room for themselves, a garage we can utilize, and a finished basement that we have lots of ideas for. Sure we don't need any of that, but that is something we want and has always been on our radar. If we are able to, why not?
When we bought our current house years ago, we had it in mind as a starter house and my oldest child was only an infant. Now we have two toddlers and a third one will be in the picture within the next two years. It was a nice house then and still is and met our needs then and is still meeting them now, but I can't see that 10-15 years from now.
When we bought our current house years ago, we had it in mind as a starter house and my oldest child was only an infant. Now we have two toddlers and a third one will be in the picture within the next two years. It was a nice house then and still is and met our needs then and is still meeting them now, but I can't see that 10-15 years from now.
Different strokes.
And contrary to popular belief on this thread... that is frequently how it happens. A third child comes, you have to much crap and need more space, you're concerned about school district and your financially able to make the jump. People in these neighborhoods tend to be reasonable, successful, and competent people, it's a good environment for children.
i love how everyone takes the oh so subtle jabs at what they don't like (or don't/can't have etc).
i live in what would be called a mcmansion suburban subdivion (though it is all brick which looks 100x better IMO).
and i can't stand it.
i don't like the houses, though its value has gone up 25% in the 4 years ive owned it, and they stay on the market maybe 2 weeks. I like having seperate rooms for my kids, why in the world wouldn't i? But some of the space is overkill. i never got around to finishing my 1800 sq ft basement, except the bathroom, because i can't imagine what I'd use it for..a giant 3rd toyroom for the kids? I already have an entire dining room devoted to my dogs and an 'office' for the cat.
i don't like the neighborhood, though most people here seem to love it..including my kids who have dozens and dozens of playmates in the neighborhoold, and my wife who likes having everything nearby.
i hate the chainstores which is all we have, though its pretty easy to get anything i need and back home in under 15 minutes.
don't like the school district though its highly ranked, and admittely pretty good.
the bottom line is, the world isn't like these forums. people like it here. people like these things. i hate them and am going to leave the second my last kid leaves for college, with or without my old lady...but they keep building them for a reason... maybe the old tiny houes don't feel like homes to them, i know my little 'starter' house split entry felt less of a home than my current home, but thats probably because the kids are growing up here and i like my dogs better than that bastard beagle i had back then.
lol... I hear you
Two weeks before the last one is off to college I'll pack the U-Haul and put up a for sale sign... I'm thinking a one bedroom right across the street from my job. But until then I'll keep my walk-in closets. I still have nightmares about fighting my wife for closet space in our "starter-house"
Location: The Flagship City and Vacation in the Paris of Appalachia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zip95
If you're saying that plaster is not as durable as drywall than I agree. If you're saying that brick is more durable than siding than I also agree. If you're talking about other things like doors, windows, hvac, foundation, framing, appliances, etc... then I disagree. The difference being that new homes have better technology and more energy efficient versions of these things. For example, almost all of these new homes are EnergyStar government certified. That means there's something like 17 inches of insulation everywhere. They put a vacuum seal over the door and pump up the house like a balloon. If the pressure drops that means the house isn't airtight. A leaky outlet cover can fail a house. Utilities are probably half the price for double the square footage.
1.) Plaster is more durable than drywall, offers both a better sound barrier and a better air barrier. It is more susceptible to cracking, but drywall is more susceptible to mold. Overall, plaster is much better than drywall.
2.) Appliances, doors, windows, and HVAC can be replaced with "newer" technology in older houses.
3.) While new foundations may be more water resistant they are not necessarily as durable as some of the earlier concrete blocks. This is mainly because old concrete blocks used to be thicker and they were not made from industrial waste like some of the new blocks. Well that is unless of course you have a poured concrete foundation that is thick and reinforced.
4.) New houses are definitely more "airtight" than older houses, but is this a good thing? Most experts agree that tight houses need an air exchanger and if the air exchanger is every malfunctioning you can have major issues in the house. Old houses may leak air, but they also let fresh air in, which can be a good thing, especially if you ever have a gas leak or your air exchanger stops working.
I point these things out because generalizing that new houses are better or old houses are better is silly. Both types of houses have their strengths and weaknesses, but I think the main issue that I have with new houses is that you get less bang for your buck in terms of building materials. For instance, if I buy a stone house with a slate roof and copper gutters in the Pittsburgh area for $500,000, can I build the same house with the same materials in a new development for the same price? The answer is obviously no and that is my main concern because I prefer brick, stone, or stucco, instead of partial brick/siding. Even when you compare new bricks to old bricks there is a big difference. Look at the Great Wall of China vs. a newly constructed brick house, which bricks do you think will end up lasting longer?
1.) Plaster is more durable than drywall, offers both a better sound barrier and a better air barrier. It is more susceptible to cracking, but drywall is more susceptible to mold. Overall, plaster is much better than drywall.
2.) Appliances, doors, windows, and HVAC can be replaced with "newer" technology in older houses.
3.) While new foundations may be more water resistant they are not necessarily as durable as some of the earlier concrete blocks. This is mainly because old concrete blocks used to be thicker and they were not made from industrial waste like some of the new blocks. Well that is unless of course you have a poured concrete foundation that is thick and reinforced.
4.) New houses are definitely more "airtight" than older houses, but is this a good thing? Most experts agree that tight houses need an air exchanger and if the air exchanger is every malfunctioning you can have major issues in the house. Old houses may leak air, but they also let fresh air in, which can be a good thing, especially if you ever have a gas leak or your air exchanger stops working.
I point these things out because generalizing that new houses are better or old houses are better is silly. Both types of houses have their strengths and weaknesses, but I think the main issue that I have with new houses is that you get less bang for your buck in terms of building materials. For instance, if I buy a stone house with a slate roof and copper gutters in the Pittsburgh area for $500,000, can I build the same house with the same materials in a new development for the same price? The answer is obviously no and that is my main concern because I prefer brick, stone, or stucco, instead of partial brick/siding. Even when you compare new bricks to old bricks there is a big difference. Look at the Great Wall of China vs. a newly constructed brick house, which bricks do you think will end up lasting longer?
Clearly, new construction is more expensive than buying a comparable existing house. Some are willing to pay this premium to have new carpet, walls that are painted the color of their choice and the exact floor plan that you want.
1.) Plaster is more durable than drywall, offers both a better sound barrier and a better air barrier. It is more susceptible to cracking, but drywall is more susceptible to mold. Overall, plaster is much better than drywall.
That's what I said... Or at least what I meant to say
Quote:
Originally Posted by track2514
4.) New houses are definitely more "airtight" than older houses, but is this a good thing? Most experts agree that tight houses need an air exchanger and if the air exchanger is every malfunctioning you can have major issues in the house. Old houses may leak air, but they also let fresh air in, which can be a good thing, especially if you ever have a gas leak or your air exchanger stops working.
What kind of tortured backwards logic is this?... Are automobiles actually better than horses? Most experts agree that you shouldn't get stranded in the cold. Cars rely on gas, and if you run out, you could be stranded. Horses don't need gas therefore horses are better.
Anyway... I don't want to debate which is better. You can have any opinion you want. I just wanted to counter this one sided unobjective thread
Location: The Flagship City and Vacation in the Paris of Appalachia
2,773 posts, read 3,855,823 times
Reputation: 2067
Zip95
We can agree on the plaster issue, not sure we can agree on the tight house vs. leaky house issue. Tight houses offer much better energy efficiency, but can exacerbate indoor air issues if not properly addressed. Also, air exchangers use energy and may not be necessary in a leaky house, but are all but a must in a tight house. My logic is simple, I look at the pros and cons of any issue and weigh them against one another to make a decision. How many modern conveniences do we have in houses that create new issues? Well the answer is several and I give you one example:
Central heat is great for energy efficiency and heating a house evenly. However, many people end up installing whole house humidifiers because of the nose bleeds and drying of the air that occurs related to central heat. In fact when I purchased my solid wood bedroom set, the manufacturer said the warranty was only valid if I had hot water heat or a whole house dehumidifier. Some conveniences come with a price and I will take my hot water heat any day of the week.
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