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Manufacturing was at its peak because of the war effort, so when the war was over, everyone was looking for new ways to use all of that manufacturing ability. Why put up lath and plaster walls, when you could manufacture wall-board? Why have windows with weights and pulleys, when you could manufacture a spring mechanism? (and eventually, why no manufacture the whole window, and put it all in as a unit) Why hand-build kitchen cabinets, when you could manufacture cabinet boxes, and install them as modules?
Also, housing form started to change. Prior to WWII, our houses engaged the neighborhood/street; most houses had front porches. After, our focus shifted inwards; houses lost their porches, and the backyard deck/patio became fashionable.
I voted for 100 years, although here in new England that is not really that old, My own house was built in 1886, 100 maybe considered really old on the west coast, but in Europe 100 is considered barely broken in.
I chose 100 years. There are many homes in New Orleans that are far older than that. My own home is about 50 years old, and I do not consider it to be old. It's just comfortably broken in by now.
Our previous house was built in 1920, and I always considered it "older", but not "old". Walls were plaster, wiring/electric was cloth covered. The most annoying things were the scarcity of outlets in each room, and the fact that replacing most things (like a screen door) required custom sizes. But actually was built with indoor plumbing, electric, and had a garage, so not crazy old.
Current house was built in 1974 and we consider it "not old". (Also, not "new", I guess just average). It has drywall, lots of plugs, and just generally fits the current sizes of things.
We would have considered anything older than about 1880/1890 as getting "old", and that probably would've been our cut-off for consideration.
"Crazy old' is anything built in the 1700's. There are a few homes of that age for sale in our area now. Usually on a great piece of property and beautifully updated, but you can't get around the ridiculously low ceilings.
This is in New England. (Mass and CT). What's considered "old' really is completely dependent on what part of the country you're in.
I voted for 100 years, although here in new England that is not really that old, My own house was built in 1886, 100 maybe considered really old on the west coast, but in Europe 100 is considered barely broken in.
bill
I live in Europe and I have voted for 50 years. In my experience the walls of houses that were built before the mid 60s often have issues. It's easy to notice it when you drill a hole into the wall (eg for hang up a wall cupboard). The stones that were used to built these old houses are just not as sturdy as they should be. The quality of such old houses is just terrible.
Here in Düsseldorf I sometimes see residential houses that are more than 100 years old, decorated with a plaque eg "Anno 1908". It must be a plaque to live in such old houses.
I don't think that residential houses in Europe are on average as old as average houses in the North Eastern part of the U.S. That insanely old residential houses are not unusual in Europe is a misconception.
I lived for 3 years in a house that was 350 years old. It was in perfect condition but you could tell it was old by the size of the hand hewn beams and the low ceilings and low doorways.
I also lived for 3 years in a cottage that was 500 years old. It was in good shape but drafty. Again with the low doorway heights.
Wow how cool is that I say 100 years old is old to me, but you could consider a house that's 50 years old old if it hasn't been updated. I guess anything 100 years old or older maybe should be defined as an antique?
Here in Hawaii houses are listed in the county tax records with their actual age (year built), and effective age (considers remodeling and updates). So a freshly remodeled home can be listed as being effectively 10 years old, and actually be 50 - 75 years old. It means a higher tax rate, which helps to explain why so many run-down houses here.
Here in Hawaii houses are listed in the county tax records with their actual age (year built), and effective age (considers remodeling and updates). So a freshly remodeled home can be listed as being effectively 10 years old, and actually be 50 - 75 years old. It means a higher tax rate, which helps to explain why so many run-down houses here.
That seems rather subjective. How do they determine effective age? Another poster from Hawaii recently bought an older house, and preserved their 1950s kitchen. Does it count as new, (or maybe the effective age is changed somewhat, but still not new?) because they got it working again, and made a few modifications? Or is it old, because they mostly reconfigured original parts? If the kitchen is still considered to be its actual age, but they remodeled the bathroom, do they average the two, to come up with an "effective age?"
Well, my childhood home in the Hudson Valley (NY) was a colonial c. 1800. There were much older homes in the area. My idea of "old" is likely very different from that of someone who lives on the west coast. Even here where I currently live in the upper mid-west, my bungalow built in 1928-ish is considered old.
Old in one area is new in another What is considered old in Europe is a whole other ball game.
This reminds me of visiting Edinburgh Castle and getting the tour. We started with the portcullis. Our guide explained that there were several gates, described all of them, ending with the one at the very front, which was described as "new - it's only about 150 years old". Yes, it is indeed a whole other ball game over there.
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I say 100 years old is old to me, but you could consider a house that's 50 years old old if it hasn't been updated. I guess anything 100 years old or older maybe should be defined as an antique?
