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We were talking about construction quality and a realtor remarked that she feels that houses built in the 1980s don't seem to be as well constructed around here (in MA). I know that corners have always been cut and that every builder is different. That said, in your experiences, were homes in your area built less well during a particular decade?
We were talking about construction quality and a realtor remarked that she feels that houses built in the 1980s don't seem to be as well constructed around here (in MA). I know that corners have always been cut and that every builder is different. That said, in your experiences, were homes in your area built less well during a particular decade?
My opinion: Houses built after 1960 seem to be poorly constructed compared to those built in earlier decades. I think this is true for tracts homes and large developments. These are purely money-making ventures--less incentive to build quality. Most recently built houses also seem to have a lot less style.
Of course, when someone custom builds, the quality/style can be much better.
When we were buying our house in 2012, the inspector commented on how well it had been built (it's from 1959) and the quality of the lumber used. He said that most of what he sees from the 90s onwards (in this area at least) is "built with matchsticks" in comparison.
We were talking about construction quality and a realtor remarked that she feels that houses built in the 1980s don't seem to be as well constructed around here (in MA). I know that corners have always been cut and that every builder is different. That said, in your experiences, were homes in your area built less well during a particular decade?
I would agree with your agent. Homes built in MA in the 80's were generally of poor quality. Many houses into the 90's were not much better.
First decade of the 2000s when prices were rising and builders were slapping together houses at breakneck speed cutting corners and installing substandard products and finishes (Chinese drywall) just to get one finished and move quickly on to the next one.
My opinion: Houses built after 1960 seem to be poorly constructed compared to those built in earlier decades. I think this is true for tracts homes and large developments. These are purely money-making ventures--less incentive to build quality. Most recently built houses also seem to have a lot less style. .
Sure because before 1960, homes were built with no profit motive, only the noblest of motives.
FYI many run down blighted junk suburbia of today was built before the 60s.
I'm in MA and build quality varies within every decade. The 1980's seems to have a lower quality because more homes were built, no different than the post war capes/ranches ... they built them fast and cheap to satisfy middle class demand. This said, there are plenty of 1970's/80's/90's homes in MA that were built to a very high standard, but they are a minority.
Also, tread carefully. My parents late 50's home was built to an incredibly high standard and is, from a construction standpoint, superior to my 1980's home. 12" spacing on joists, solid old growth subfloors, plaster walls, beautiful masonry work, 16" foundation, etc. It's a beautiful home. This said, they likely spend 40% more energy costs for home a 800sqft less space than I do for my home, which has cathedral ceilings and tons massive casements with failed seals.
I suppose it varies from town to town. In Williamsburg, the homes built in the 1980s seem to have better quality. I think that may be because most of them were custom built. It's the homes built in the 90's that seem to have the problems. The 1960's tract homes were cheaply built because it was not a wealthy town at that time. By the 1980s wealthy people were moving in, and home quality went up (at least, as far as I can tell).
In Dallas, the 2000's are the worst construction. The 80's were built very well. The early 90's have some 80's influence, and the rest of the 90's is ok, but once 2000 hit and the boom was going on, those houses are glued together and much worse construction than earlier.
I see about the same thing in Austin. Construction is getting better as the builders have slowed down.
The house I grew up in was built in the 50s in an established part of NE Denver and it had amazing construction and detail. There were issues with the iron pipes though. The first house we bought was built in 1980 and it was basically a cookie cutter crap box. There wasn't a single straight, plumb or 90-degree angle wall in the place. Second house we went into was built in 1975 and its construction was much better framing-wise but due to concerns with the low service electrical and aluminum to copper wiring, we ended up pulling sheetrock room by room, and installing new copper Romex throughout the house. We could have gone an easier route to fix it, but it gave us opportunities to gut the house's non load-bearing walls and change some of the interior layout which turned out to be profitable in the end.
Builders haven't slowed down here in the Front Range area and so there is a lot of slap it up mentality going on, though because of really cool new building materials out there they look just beautiful.
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